Truth be told, I hardly noticed the razzle-dazzle of all the fancy new running shoes and gear being promoted at the The Running Event Expo (TRE18). When I rolled into the Austin Convention Center at 10am this past Thursday, I was on a razor-sharp focused, food-seeking mission. How could I turn samples of the latest running fuels, bars and drinks into a legitimate morning meal to refuel my earlier run? And, how could I boost my energy later in the day so I could endure to the show floor finish line without bonking? I really, really did not want a DNF this event featuring over 250 amazing brands catering to specifically the running retail industry. 

Of course, this “quest for the best” runner food and race fuels was not an entirely selfish ploy to satiate my own hunger. It was also for YOU that I stalked, sampled, slurped and stuffed myself silly with countless “tastes” of the latest sports nutrition available today . . . along with new stuff rolling out in 2019.  Read on to discover (my opinion) on The Best Race Fuel, Runner Food and Sports Nutrition Products from TRE18.

Before I jump into the list, let me just tell you these are the sports nutrition products I personally loved . . . and I have a bent for chocolate, caffeine, ginger and the unusual. But there was literally something to please every palate here. And, unlike the days of yore (I’ve been a competitive runner and fit foodie for 25+ years), race fuel and nutrition bars have come a looooooong way in taste, texture and quality of ingredients – from gag-reflex-invoking to gimme-more-please.  And, TRE18 was the perfect environment for being a sports nutrition nerd. The brands don’t mind if you loiter and read labels . . . in fact, they want to tell you every last detail about their macros. It’s macro madness, I tell ya, but as a person who cares what she eats definitely appreciates the enthusiasm!

So, here are my top picks from TRE18 – I know I missed some other amazing products and brands, but (errr), I got full.

Can’t Beet Chocolate Oats from Picky Bars: You may be familiar with Picky Bars, real food energy bars balanced for sport, that was started by a trio of pro endurance athletes. I love them too! That’s why I was so excited to try their new performance Picky Oats that are hearty and carefully balanced to start the day off right – especially a big training or race day when those extra carbs are going to help keep me going.  While available in pouches, I am all about the convenience of having the to-go cups available when traveling out of town for a race.  Fun names for the flavors too, like “Game, Set, Match,” “How ‘Bout Dem Apples” and, my favorite, “Can’t Beet Chocolate.” Loved how it wasn’t too sweet, didn’t taste too beety (you KNOW what I mean) and had some bits of chocolate. Any morning that starts off with chocolate is a winner in my book.

Salted Dark Chocolate Cherry Running Bar from Trish Moves: It was fun to talk to Bob at TRE18, I really loved his Salted Dark Chocolate Cherry Running Bar. It has a great macro profile specially curated for runners, with exactly 200 calories, a 4:1 Carb to Protein ratio, and no added sugar. I also loved Bob’s story. He is a young (compared to me) runner from Philadelphia and told me the company all started when he looking for something to eat that would power him up for a run without upsetting his stomach. Voila, Trish Moves Bars. Turns out his mom is Trish, and that figured that if he named the company after her, she might feel obligated to help him out – it worked! He told me you can find them now at Whole Foods. 

Nuun Immunity: Okay, full disclosure, I’ve been an ambassador for Nuun since 2013 and they are my go-to when it comes to clean, low to no cal hydration for my sports and daily life. That aside, I’m genuinely excited about their new Nuun Immunity products, they are ideal for helping optimize wellness – whether you are sick, travelling, or walking stressing your body during long, intense training cycles. Ever notice how you easily catch a cold after running a marathon, racing a long obstacle course or triathlon? Getting sick after a physically taxing event is a real thing (called the Let Down Effect in academic circles, I’ve posted about it here). So, how does Nuun Immunity work? Drop a tablet into 16-ounces of water and it fizzes up into a tasty drink with a blend of botanicals, electrolytes and antioxidants to pack a triple-punch of protection against common cold and flu symptoms. Since they are in effervescing tablet form, Nuun Immunity is convenient to stash away in a carry-on, gym bag or purse. 

Cracker ‘N’ Nut Butter Bars from Honey Stinger: Ermagawed, these were so good. First bite to last, these bars totally reminded me of that very addictive (and not so great for you) Saltine Chocolate Toffee treat my friend makes around the holidays.   Although I’d still consider these energy snack bars a treat, they are made way better with organic ingredients, no artificial flavors, colors or preservatives, and True Source honey. Also, a fan of the organic Grapefruit Energy Chews to stick in my pocket on race day (just the right size that you don’t choke on them) and also the Gluten-free Organic Waffle with Wildflower Honey is a tasty option if you have gluten allergies or intolerances.

Coffee Infused Maple Syrup & Coffee Waffles from Untapped :Instinctively, I always knew that maple sugar and caffeine were good thing, and it’s true. Maple syrup is a great fuel for athletes, it’s an easy-to-digest, natural sugar that is low on the glycemic scale, providing longer, more sustaining energy than many other sports sweeteners. It also contains Calcium, Riboflavin, Manganese, Zinc, and Potassium which all work in tandem to create energy for the body, quicken muscle recovery, and help prevent cramping. Combine that prolonged maple syrup energy with the caffeine in found in coffee and you get a legal performance boost that will get you to any finish line – whether on the slopes, on a swim, or in a Spartan race. Two of the best maple-plus-coffee products I ever tasted were from Untapped – Coffee Infused Maple Syrup pouches and Coffee Waffles with Maple Syrup.

Limited-edition Gingerbread RX Bars: These no-nonsense, no B.S. (bad stuff, haha), real-food nutrition bars aren’t new to me, but the limited-edition Gingerbread flavor sure is! The homemade taste took me back to Grandma’s house and cooking baking times! Since I’m a sucker for all seasonal treats, I pretty much new instantly that these to-die-for, healthy bars were for me with that classic combo of ginger and other nice spice. Plus, how awesome is it that the packaging for RX Bars is basically the ingredient list?! Just a simple yet bold rundown of wholesome foods (like egg whites, dates, almonds, cashews, and spices) and no weird stuff that can’t be pronounced. Oh, and BTW, there is NO added sugar in these bars and 12 grams of protein, it’s a natural fit for any active lifestyle. My runner-up favorite flavor: Chocolate Sea Salt.

Extra Strength Spearmint from Run Gum: Oh hello, 2x the caffeine in one of my favorite start-line energy boosts?! Yes, I couldn’t believe it but a single piece of the new Spearmint Run Gum has 100mg of caffeine – and still zero calories and sugar-free. I’ve always liked this liquid-free caffeine option because I could get a quick boost without worry of having to jump out of the marathon corral to hit the porta-potty again. However, I didn’t know this, but the company representative told me that the active ingredients are absorbed 5x faster through the gum-chewing process (sublingual and buccal absorption) versus drinks, gels, shots, etc. 

Savory Miso Anytime Energy Bar from Scratch Labs: Not sure what to say about this unusually-flavored snack bar (with a great nutrition label, btw). It was a trifecta of crazy taste. First bite was very lightly sweet, then I started chewing and I got that savory miso flavor, by the time I was sending it down the hatch – boom, kinda red pepper spicy. I know that all sounds weird for an energy bar, but trust me, it was strangely and awesomely amazing. 

I’ve rounded up these recommendations from TRE18 conveniently in my The Fit Fork Amazon storefront. Disclaimer: I do earn a small commission from each purchase and that is what helps keep this blog going, thank you.  SHOP HERE

Have you tried any new runner food, race fuels, energy bars, protein bars or other healthy snacks you love enough to recommend? Please share, make me hungry! Aslo, what is your next big race?! XOXO, Jennifer