20 Pre-Workout Snacks That Will Get You Ready to Train

Egg Quinoa Breakfast Muffins

Muffins are usually made with flour and sugar to be a style of quick bread. However, you can leave those out and use just the eggs to make low-carb savory muffins.

The basic recipe is adaptable, so feel free to use any cheese or sub diced veggies for the mushrooms and sun-dried tomatoes. These egg muffins are a good way to use up any leftovers, and then you can store the extras in the freezer to reheat on busy mornings.

Ingredients

Rainbow Fish Taco Nachos

Nachos are too often just chips and cheese, but that doesn’t have to be the case. These nachos are next-level in terms of flavor and nutrition with a mix of tender fish and mango-avocado slaw.

First, heat up a pan, and get the filet cooking. Then melt the cheese on tortillas chips under the broiler. Dice the fish, add it to the slaw, and dig in. This is great to serve before a group training session.

Ingredients

Vanilla Protein Crepes

Protein pancakes provide great nutrition any time of day, although they might feel too heavy in your stomach pre-workout. If you need a lighter alternative, these vanilla protein crepes deliver similar benefits.

Slather a tablespoon of nut butter or PB2 on there, roll them up, and scarf these crepes down. They’re also delicious with a filling of fresh fruit or no-sugar-added jam.

Ingredients

Make-Ahead Greek Yogurt Parfait

Keep these healthy parfaits in the fridge, and you’ll find they’re versatile from healthy breakfast to late-night dessert. They’re also awesome for when you’re in a rush to get to the gym or head out the door for a morning run.

You can even dump all the parfait ingredients into the blender, add a scoop of protein powder and splash of milk, and have a smoothie in minutes.

Ingredients

Blueberry Cheesecake Protein Pops

Popsicles might seem like a great snack before you hit the gym because they’re light and fruity. Yet most of them are no better for you than a glass of juice, and all that sugar may work against your endurance.

This recipe puts the focus on protein instead with a mix of cream cheese, milk, and vanilla protein powder. Blend everything together, and stick the molds in the freezer so you’ll have a cool pre-workout snack at the ready.

Ingredients

Brownie Cookie Dough Protein Bites

It’s hard not to be tempted by cookies before a big workout. After all, you’re going to burn off all the extra sugar and calories, right? Not so fast. Whatever you eat before you hit the gym has to give you nutrients to go along with that energy.

Make these healthy protein bites to munch on instead, which are like enjoying brownies and cookies in one – only with a base of both chocolate protein powder and vanilla protein powder.

Ingredients

Fluffy Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal

Here’s a secret to making healthy oatmeal: egg whites. They’ll make the oatmeal lighter and fluffier while contributing more protein than you can get from the oats alone.

This is a simple recipe, so you can add some of your favorite flavors. Mix in raisins, crushed walnuts, or a swirl of peanut butter. You can also switch out the apple for a quarter cup of other diced fruit.

Ingredients

Oat Bran Banana Protein Muffins

If you’re working out two or three hours after a big meal, you probably don’t need a whole lot of food to fuel you. These banana quinoa muffins are great when you need a small boost of protein and carbs.

At about 100 calories each, they have 6 grams of protein. Have one in the morning alongside a yogurt parfait or scrambled eggs, or take one with you to enjoy in between having lunch and hitting the gym.

Ingredients

Apple Protein Doughnuts

Doughnuts are usually a no-no before a workout. Your body requires complex carbs to ensure your blood sugar won’t crash when you’re at the gym, and it’s important to focus on getting protein rather than fat if you want to build muscle.

With 8 grams of protein and only 2 grams of sugar per donut, you can have a couple of these before exercising and won’t feel weighed down by grease or guilt.

Ingredients

Spiced Banana Oatmeal with Java PB2

Whether you drink it or work it into the meal, coffee can be a delicious part of breakfast, and the caffeine is actually a great pre-workout supplement. Of course it’ll help fight fatigue, but caffeine also improves muscular endurance and sharpens mental focus.

Don’t have instant coffee? Another way to make the peanut butter java sauce – which also makes a great topping for pancakes – is by mixing together PB2 and brewed coffee.

Ingredients

Lemon Blueberry Protein Waffle

Not only is this waffle delicious, but they can be made ahead of time and frozen for later.

With naturally sweetened lemon blueberry flavor, you’ll feel like this is an upgrade from the standard white flour waffle. Yet these are gluten-free waffles with whey protein, whole oats, and coconut flour.

Top with additional blueberries and a dollop of Greek yogurt.

Ingredients

Almond Bran Crunch

Bran is a healthy breakfast no matter what your plans are for the day, but it gets a bad rap for being boring. Turn all that fiber into a delicious parfait with Greek yogurt and almonds.

The bran is crispy, adding fiber and complex carbs, and the almonds are crunchy, adding healthy fats and protein. This three-ingredient yogurt parfait is one of the best, quickest ways to fuel up pre-workout.

Ingredients

Pumpkin PB2 Curry Soup

PB2 doesn’t just have to be for sandwiches, smoothies, and baked goods. It’s also the perfect addition to savory soups, which don’t really need the oil.

Since there’s already liquid in the mix, the powdered peanut butter is quickly whisked in. And this Thai soup couldn’t be easier to make – put the ingredients in a pot, briefly sauté, and wait for the mixture to simmer into a soup.

Ingredients

Smoked Salmon Dip

This salmon dip is good enough to serve as an appetizer at a fancy dinner party. Once you take a look at the macros, you’ll start making it for more than special occasions.

With whole-wheat crackers, cucumber slices, or a bagel, this becomes an amazing post-workout breakfast or snack. Eat half today, and the rest will be ready in the fridge tomorrow morning.

Ingredients

Tuna & White Bean Salad

It only takes a few minutes to transform a can of tuna into an awesome pre-workout snack.

Drain and rinse the beans, and then drain the canned tuna. Dump them in a bowl with the other ingredients, stir, and season to your liking. Then you can dig in with a fork, or if you could use the carbs, eat with a piece of whole-wheat toast.

Ingredients

Cottage Cheese Scrambled Eggs

A splash of milk is usually added to make scrambled eggs fluffy. Yet there’s another ingredient you can use instead that’ll add over 5 grams of protein: cottage cheese.

These scrambled eggs won’t just be a little healthier but also creamier. This makes a great filling for breakfast burritos, or an easy way to get in your protein while eating toast for breakfast.

Ingredients

Protein Rice Pudding

When you add protein powder to rice pudding, you get a sweet treat that’s good for breakfast, lunch, dinner – and of course dessert.

These ingredients will make a version that’s perfect for pre-workout, but the recipe also includes instructions to make protein rice pudding for post-workout enjoyment instead. The difference is adding half a banana and leaving out the coconut flour.

Ingredients

Shrimp Frittata with Mozzarella & Ricotta

Eggs are a classic way to fuel your workout because they offer protein and ensure you won’t be starving at the gym. For even more protein, add shrimp to the dish. It won’t add much time to the prep, so you’ll still be eating in just a half hour.

Be sure to add carbs before training too. Either a couple pieces of toast or a cup of fruit will do the trick.

Ingredients

Sweet Cinnamon Cheese, Apple & Turkey Sandwich

A turkey sandwich is a simple way to get the protein and carbs you need before a big workout. This recipe includes a couple tweaks to make the basic sandwich even better.

Instead of using deli cheese, start by mixing a touch of honey and cinnamon into some creamy Swiss. Spread it on your favorite sandwich bread, add meat, and finish it off with fresh apple slices.

Ingredients

Egg Salad with Greek Yogurt & Dill

In many egg salad recipes, the only good thing about the dish is the eggs. But instead of mayonnaise, Greek yogurt is what makes this creamy.

The only other thing it needs is seasoning including mustard, dill, and red onion. Mix it up, and serve this healthy egg salad on toast or with pita chips.

Ingredients