Plant-Based Nutrition on RAGBRAI

As the chef for a team of individuals riding 450-500 miles across the state of Iowa on RAGBRAI, I take fueling those bodies very seriously. Having adequate nutrition can make of break your whole week and either help or hinder your athletic performance. As a vegan team, special considerations have to be made to ensure you are getting the right macros at the right times and that your overall caloric intake reflects the heavy activity you will be doing each day.

Each morning, you will be getting a carbohydrate heavy meal with adequate protein and fiber to keep you fuller longer. This is an important balance because you need enough carbohydrates to fuel your cardio activity, while adding in protein to repair your muscles and healthy fats and fiber to keep you feeling satiated through the first few hours of your ride.

Breakfasts usually include oats, peanut or almond butter, protein powder, chia seeds, coconut oil, bananas and other fruits, and Himalayan salt for retaining hydration. We also offer coffee for a caffeine boost and an electrolyte beverage to fill your water bottles with.

Because of our travel limitations, we are not able to provide lunch for the day, so it is important that each rider bring along ample bars and road snacks to fuel yourself in our absence. There are always stops along the way, but sometimes the vegan options aren’t great or the lines are long, so it’s always a good idea to have at least 2 bars with you on your bike at all times. There are also ample water stops, but if you feel that you might need more electrolyte powder, please bring packets with you to re-up during the day.

When you complete your ride each day, we will be waiting with cheers, bells and most importantly, snacks! Each snack we pick out still has your health in mind. It could be cold watermelon, protein shakes, dried fruit, veggies and hummus, baked chips, peanut butter filled pretzels or the team favorite…Hippeas! We opt to not include items that have been fried (there are enough of those on the route) or items that are high in sugar (more on that later).

I know it has always been said that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but after riding 80 miles, it’s definitely dinner! The thought of this meal is going to be the dangling carrot that keep you going throughout the day. MUST. MAKE. IT. TO. DINNER! I make it my mission to ensure that this meal is something that you thoroughly enjoy and something that refuels your body. In the evening, I load up your body with 50-80 grams of protein to help repair the muscle tissues that have been torn throughout your ride. You can expect high protein foods like tofu, tempeh, and seitan to be highlighted during many meals. Beans, grains and high protein vegetables are also heavily used and nuts are featured in breads, sauces and garnishes. I also use other ingredients, herbs and spices to aid in cooling the body, building immunity and fighting inflammation.

And let’s not forget dessert! I make what I like to call “desserts with benefits” and work additional proteins, healthy fats and spices into each dessert. I avoid using processed sugars since they create more inflammation in the body and often times, I will avoid serving gluten for the same reason. Don’t get me wrong, not every thing is gluten and sugar free, but it is definitely used in moderation to continuously combat your inflammation. By doing this, your muscles will recover faster and you will be less sore than if I was pumping you full of these two ingredients.

That being said, everyone has agency over their own bodies and if you want to eat French fries and Oreos on the road, be my guest, I’m not here to be the food police. Like I said in the beginning of this post, I’m here to be the protector of nutritional integrity while you’re in my care. Your physical well being is my number one priority and I’m going to do my best every day to support your body so that you can just focus on being fully present for your ride and trust that we are handling the rest.

Lauren Montelbano / The Vibrant Veg / Chef + Holistic Nutritionist

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