The 7 Best Snacks for Athletes

_{Our team recommends products that we love and feel you will too. If you click through links we provide, we may earn a commission.}

Whether you are a pro athlete or a weekend warrior, snacking is crucial to getting the calories you need to perform at your best. But, what are the best snacks for athletes? I’m here to help answer that question with a variety of options depending on whether you need more protein, energy, carbs, or anything else under the sun to fuel your workouts. Check out some of the best snacks for athletes below!

What are the best snacks for athletes?

What the best snack is for an athlete varies from person to person and sport to sport. Overall they are all-natural snacks that help to boost performance in whatever discipline that individual needs. In endurance sports these will be carb-heavy snack options while powerlifters and bodybuilders will be far more interested in low-carb, low-fat, high-protein options. We cover options for all of these below.

Best for Energy: Verb Variety Pack

Verb seems to be on a mission to replace the need for expensive coffees and anxiety-inducing caffeine, and so far they have been doing a great job. Their energy bars taste amazing and there are tons of flavors some of their most popular you will get to try with their variety pack. They use all-natural green tea caffeine to help give you the boost of energy you’re looking for without the anxiety and jitters of regular coffee. The per-bar cost is also significantly less than a coffee making them great for your health and your bank account. Check out Verb by clicking the button below I’m sure you won’t be disappointed.  

Best for Endurance Athletes: Honey Stinger Waffles

For Runners and endurance athletes replacing carbohydrates regularly is important, and fast-digesting carbs are especially important to eat every so often during a workout or event. Honey Stinger waffles are specifically formulated with athletes in mind to provide you with the energy you need. They taste great and come 4 original flavors and 3 gluten-free flavors. The ease and portability of these cannot be understated, If you’re a runner, swimmer, biker, or just constantly push yourself to the limit during workouts, you absolutely need these in your bag.

Best for Quick Protein: Oikos Triple Zero Yogurt

If you need lots of protein quickly, one of the best go-to’s is Oikos Triple Zero Vanilla Pro greek yogurt packs. They taste great and come in lots of fruit flavors so you never get board. These are great on their own and can also be easily paired with breakfast foods to make a high-protein meal. You get 9 essential amino acids from Oikos Triple Zero to help repair muscle. These are an all-round great option, especially for powerlifters and those watching their fats and/or carbs.

Best for On The Go Protein: Paleovalley Grass-fed Beef Sticks

For those looking for meaty sources of protein on the go, Paleovalley has the answer. Their grass-fed beef sticks were just voted one of the best snacks of the year in Paleo Magazine and for good reason. They taste great and are the only 100% grass-fed beef sticks in the USA. Their natural fermentation process gives them lots of natural probiotics and a delicious flavor. Their commitment to making a high-quality natural product extends even to their spice flavoring with also are all-natural so you can trust what you are putting in your body. For on-the-go beef-based protein there is no better option.

Best Sweet Snack Option: Hu Hunks variety Pack

Hu Hunks have made an appearance on The Guy’s List before in our Best Healthy Snacks for Guys article, and they return due to their dedication to quality and great taste. Their simple all-natural 6-ingredient formula is all natural and vegan/kosher friendly and gluten-free so anyone can enjoy it. They taste great and really satisfy those sweet cravings to help you stay on track for your goals.

Best Fruit Snack: Dried Fruit

Fruit is an essential part of any diet but for athletes constantly on the go it can be tough to get fresh fruit in on a regular basis. The Dried fruit from Nuts.com are a great way to get most of the benefits from fresh fruit without the inconvenience. These stay good for long stretches of time and are great to travel with. Not to mention their blend has a good mix of different fruits so you get all forms of fruit in one handful.

Best Protein Bar: Cliff Builders Bar

Builders bars are a great go-to since they can be picked up in stores nearly anywhere or online with the link below. They have 20 grams of vegan protein and are gluten-free. One of the best things about them is their size, many protein bars are small and barely fill you up but builders’ bars are hefty and satiate you for hours. They are also low glycemic so the carbs in them will be absorbed much more slowly than those in other protein bars helping to control rises in blood sugar.

Snacks For Athletes FAQs

What foods give athletes energy?

Carbohydrates are what your body uses for energy, which is why you often see athletes eating fast-digesting carbs during or just before a workout. However, managing your carb intake and the types of carbs you intake is important for staying healthy and maintaining energy throughout the day.

What foods do athletes avoid?

Athletes primarily avoid foods that are made with artificial ingredients such as high fructose corn syrup.

Are snacks bad for athletes?

This entirely depends on the snacks, the ones listed in this article are healthy diet additions to help athletes achieve better performance and weight goals. However, pointless calories and artificial products are bad snacks and should be avoided.

What sweets can athletes eat?

Natural sweets are great options such as fruits beyond that we love HU their Hunks are listed in this article but their chocolate bars are great too! Really it is just important to get high-quality natural sweets and limit their intake.

Want More From The Guys List?

At The Guy’s List we are always looking for new topics and products to keep you up to date with the latest food and wellness products. Also, Check out our coupon page for deals on some of the best brands online today!