Healthy Meals for Runners (+ 15 Recipes for Runners)
I have a secret to tell you—something that happens to me on the regular. I get completely blocked and lose all creativity when it comes to meal ideas. My family can be pretty picky and tricky to feed. In trying to please them, I have little left for myself and then am desperate for ideas. So, this article is to help me and (yes!) YOU come up with healthy meal ideas for runners.
And by meal ideas for runners, I mean something SIMPLE. Something that doesn’t require tons of ingredients and lots of time you don’t have. These meal ideas for runners help you recover faster and fill the tank quickly. These healthy meals are some of my favorite staples and come from food bloggers and nutritionists I know and trust who specialize in feeding athletes.
Eating well is critical for being a healthy and successful runner. I remember when I began training with a running coach and running more competitively. I didn’t realize the importance of fueling—especially refueling after a run.
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I found that I wasn’t recovering well after my workouts and wasn’t ready for the next ones. My coach asked me what I was doing after my run and I told him I would usually come home and go immediately back into mom mode. I wouldn’t eat anything. An alarm went off. That was the problem, he pointed out. And he was right.
As soon as I began eating or drinking smoothies within an hour of my run, I started recovering faster and performing better. It was remarkable how quickly it all changed by making one easy fix. I began first by drinking chocolate milk and eating a banana. Then I began making protein smoothies and now I plan meals after long runs and hard workouts to help my muscles begin building back stronger. With a tiny bit of forethought and these meal ideas for runners this can help you, too!
So, let’s dig in!
Healthy Meal Ideas for Runners
Runners should eat a balanced plate with protein, carbs, and healthy fats. In general, a runner’s plate should include:
- meat, fish, cheese, and/or beans
- carbs such as a pasta, rice, quinoa, potatoes, or couscous,
- veggies such as zucchini, spinach, broccoli, Brussel sprouts, and green beans, and
- healthy fats from oils such as avocado or olive oil.
Here are some healthy dinner meal ideas for runners that your family will eat too!
- Spaghetti and ground turkey meatballs and a side salad or vegetables
- Chicken stir fry with veggies and rice
- Make your own pizza with toppings such as cheese, pepperoni, onion, peppers, sausage, spinach, etc.
- Sushi rolls including teriyaki chicken, salmon, or veggies with rice
- Turkey burger (or black bean or Beyond Beef burger) with a baked potato and broccoli
- Chicken kabobs over brown rice
- Salmon (or any fish or meat) with French fries and roasted vegetables
- Potato skins with toppings such as cheese, tomatoes, spinach, and sour cream
- Avocado toast with pesto or hummus spread and a side salad
- Salad with cooked tuna steak slathered with soy sauce and sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, almond slices, berries, feta cheese, and DIY dressing (oil and vinegar, mustard, lemon juice, salt and pepper)
8 Yummy & Healthy Recipes for Runners
Ok, need more ideas? You got it! These recipes for runners can easily be healthy easy dinner recipes for the family, too. I chose these recipes for their nutritional content, ease, taste, and simplicity. No fancy ingredients or cooking contraptions required!
Veggie and Black Bean Burrito
This recipe comes from Betsy Johnson, a nutritionist, endurance athlete and runner. It’s got all you need: protein, carbs, and healthy fats. And is ready in a snap—just cook up the veggies, put some cheese in a tortilla, and then fold the veggies into the wrap. Yum!
Vegan Harvest Bowl
I love “bowls.” You basically layer any yummy grain like quinoa or rice with veggies, beans, and a dressing and voila! You have a nutritious, delicious, and satisfying meal! This bowl from Betsy features cauliflower rice. If you are running a lot, I recommend subbing in a grain such as rice or quinoa instead. To make it extra fast, buy the microwaveable grains in a pouch.
Quinoa Vegetarian Bowl
This vegetarian bowl from Betsy features protein-rich quinoa. If you eat meat, feel free to throw in your favorite protein such as chicken. Also, former pro runner Shalane Flanagan’s book, Eat Slow. Run Fast. has a whole section on “power bowls” to equip you to make your own with whatever you have in the pantry.
Veggie Hummus Pita Sandwich
I love pita pockets! Slather some hummus inside the pita, throw in some lettuce, chopped tomatoes, onions and cucumbers, feta cheese, avocado, and you have yourself a refreshing delightful meal. This recipe takes the hummus pita sandwich up a notch.
Macaroni Salad Recipe
I’m huge on pasta salad in the summer. I love to dice up fresh veggies, throw in some dill, cheese, and white beans plus my own vinaigrette (oil and vinegar with lemon, salt, pepper, and mustard) and YUM. Chelsea of Mae’s Menu has a delicious, comforting, and healthy tuna macaroni pasta salad that is sure to please!
Spicy Southwest Salad
Salads can be FILLING when you load them up with veggies and protein. This southwest salad is full of nutrient-rich veggies and taste that your family will love. Don’t be afraid to add tortilla chips or a tortilla shell to make it even more delicious.
Autumn Cobb Salad
When the air cools, you’ll love this fall salad from my mother runner friend and kitchen genius, Erica Hopper. It’s a cobb salad complete with butternut squash and pecans.
Ground Turkey Sweet Potato Skillet
I love it when you can throw everything into one pan and come out with a delicious and filling meal. That’s what this recipe from Chelsea is. It’s Mexican-inspired and full of protein and carbs. If you’re vegetarian (like my husband), throw in some Beyond Beef sausage crumbles instead. And if you don’t like sweet potatoes, fingerling potatoes or baby potatoes are a delicious substitution.
How to get more meal ideas for runners:
When trying to come up with meal ideas for runners or dinner ideas for the family, it can be helpful to think of themes. For instance:
- Monday: Soup night
- Tuesday: Taco night
- Wednesday: Pasta night
- Thursday: Fish night
- Friday: Vegetarian bowl night
- Saturday: Pizza night
- Sunday: Hearty salad night
FAQs About Nutrition for Runners
In general, what foods are good for runners?
Foods that are whole foods and include simple carbs are best for runners. These foods may include:
- potatoes
- oatmeal
- quinoa
- rice
- toast
- pancakes
- bagels
- whole fruit
- sweet potatoes
- granola
- brown rice
- whole grain bread, cereal, and pasta
What foods should runners avoid?
To perform their best and avoid stomach issues, runners should avoid sugary, greasy, and heavily processed foods. The foods runners should avoid include:
- Sodas
- Energy drinks
- Frozen meals
- Dairy products (before a run)
- Greasy and fatty foods
- Spicy foods (before a run_
- Alcohol
- Foods high in fiber (before a run)
What should a distance runner’s diet look like?
If you are a distance runner, you need more carbs than the average person. The keto diet and the intermittent fasting diet (especially if you are a morning runner) are definitely not for you! As a distance runner, eat 2.7 to 4.5 grams of carbohydrates per pound of body weight per day. So, if you weigh 135 pounds, you should eat between 365 to 607 grams of carbs a day.
Do this by including carbs in all your meals and snacks. Cereal, oatmeal, granola, rice, pasta, bagels, crackers, rice cakes, toast, bananas, fruit, and starchy vegetables are great ways to fuel your runs. Remember, if you don’t have enough carbs, then you don’t have enough energy to run your best.
What foods give you instant energy for running?
Foods that give you energy for running have simple carbohydrates that your body can break down into fuel. Some quick snacks for runners for energy include:
- Bagels or English muffin with peanut butter and jelly
- Oatmeal with raisins
- Cereal
- Fruit like bananas, berries, oranges, or apples
- Eggs with toast
- Dried dates
- Eggs
- Avocados
- Sweet potatoes
- Apple sauce
- Yogurt with granola
- Rice cakes with peanut, almond, or cashew butter (this is my favorite!)
- Vega Sport Protein Bars
- Previnex shakes
Get my complete list of snack ideas for runners here.
What’s your go-to recipe when you’re training hard?
