home made energy bars

A quick look at Tour de France history tells us that nutrition on the bike has come a long – LONG – way. Drinking half a bottle of wine, a good old beer in a jersey’s back pocket, a full blown picnic on the roadside mid-stage were common sights in the peloton. In the 1920s, it was even believed smoking cigarettes while riding would ‘open up the lungs’.

Fast forwarding to 2022, information on nutrition is everywhere. We know cycling demands a great deal of your body. Being well-fueled is the only way to maintain your performance over the course of a long ride. It is tempting to go for the ready-to-go sweet energy bars in your cupboard. But, fueling up is not only about ‘not bonking’. It is álso (maybe more so) about getting in the necessary nutrients.

In comes, the date.

These little bombs of energy consist of 70 percent carbohydrates (glucose, sucrose and fructose), the fuel par excellence for your muscles. Dates also burst with vitamins and minerals (such as magnesium and iron), which make them a good post-ride snack, replenishing your body.

Long story short, the date is the perfect starting point for your homemade energy bars.

We love the recipe by Henrik Orre, published in his book Vélochef. Orre, a chef and an avid cyclist from a small Norwegian coastal town, ended up in the international cycling scene and guided, among others, the Norwegian national team and the former Team Sky. The man knows what he’s talking about.

These bars are healthy, easy to make and without hassle when taking them along.