What are the best snacks for backyard ultra success?

November 21, 2025 •

5 min read

Ultrarunners can burn upwards of 600-1000 calories per hour, making a solid nutrition plan one of the most critical factors for staying in the race. Knowing what the best snacks for backyard ultra are is essential for maintaining consistent energy, managing flavor fatigue, and preventing gastrointestinal distress.

Quick Summary

This guide details effective fueling strategies for backyard ultra runners, covering easy-to-digest carbs, essential electrolytes, savory options, and how to train your gut effectively for race day.

Key Points

Consistency is king: Eat little and often, aiming for 150-400 calories per hour to sustain energy levels and prevent bonking.
Prioritize simple carbs: Focus on easily digestible carbohydrates like gels, chews, and dried fruits, especially when exertion is high and digestion is compromised.
Replenish electrolytes: Combat sweat loss with salty snacks like boiled potatoes, pretzels, and pickles to prevent muscle cramps and dehydration.
Embrace variety: Use a mix of sweet and savory snacks and include real food options to combat flavor fatigue over many hours or days of racing.
Train your gut: Practice your fueling and hydration strategy extensively during training runs to avoid race-day surprises and digestive issues.
Hydrate intelligently: Don't just drink plain water; utilize electrolyte drinks to balance fluid and mineral intake, especially in hot conditions.

The Unique Fueling Challenge of a Backyard Ultra

The backyard ultra format—running a 4.167-mile loop every hour until only one runner remains—presents a unique and grueling nutritional challenge. Unlike a traditional point-to-point race, runners must manage fueling for a potentially indefinite period. This requires a strategy that balances rapid energy replenishment with sustainable, long-term calorie intake. Your approach must be adaptable, considering your changing body temperature, digestive tolerance, and mental state over many hours or even days.

The Core Strategy: Consistent Calorie Intake

For most of the race, your body relies on carbohydrates and fats for fuel. While running at a low-intensity pace, you burn a higher percentage of fat, but consistent carbohydrate intake is still necessary to top off your glycogen stores and maintain performance. Experts recommend consuming between 150 and 400 calories per hour, primarily from carbohydrates, to sustain energy levels. The key is to eat little and often, preventing an energy crash, or 'bonk.'

Easy-to-Digest Carbohydrates: The Core Fuel

During high-exertion exercise, blood is diverted from your digestive system to your working muscles, making digestion less efficient. Focusing on simple, easy-to-digest carbohydrates at the start and throughout the race is critical.

Energy Gels and Chews: These provide a concentrated, easily absorbed source of simple sugars for quick energy boosts. Have a variety of flavors on hand to combat flavor fatigue.
Dried Fruit: Options like dates, raisins, and mango strips are packed with natural sugars and calories. They are easy to carry and provide a solid energy punch.
Rice Cakes and Honey: A classic ultra runner combination. Rice cakes provide quick carbs, while honey is a fast-absorbing sugar source. A sprinkle of salt can help with electrolytes.
Pureed Fruit Pouches: Baby food pouches are an excellent option for easy, fiber-free calories, especially when your appetite is low or your stomach feels sensitive.

The Importance of Electrolyte and Salty Snacks

Sweating causes a loss of electrolytes, especially sodium, which can lead to muscle cramps and poor performance. Replenishing these salts is as important as consuming calories.

Salted Pretzels and Crackers: These offer a simple carbohydrate source with the added benefit of sodium to replace sweat losses.
Salted Boiled Potatoes: A staple for many ultrarunners, boiled potatoes are easy on the stomach, provide carbs, and can be salted heavily to replenish electrolytes effectively.
Chips (Crisps): A handful of salted potato chips can provide a satisfying, crunchy, and salty fix that breaks up the monotony of sweet gels and chews.
Pickles or Pickle Juice: Offers a potent dose of sodium and fluids, and the sour taste can be a welcome change for a fatigued palate.

Integrating "Real Food" and Savory Options

While sports nutrition products are efficient, a long ultra demands variety to prevent flavor fatigue. Savory and fattier real foods can provide a mental boost and satiety.

Noodle Pots and Soup: Especially useful during night loops or in cold weather, hot soup provides warmth, hydration, and electrolytes. Noodles add easy-to-digest carbohydrates.
Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwiches: A classic for a reason, this provides a mix of carbs, fat, and a small amount of protein. Use white bread to minimize fiber and aid digestion.
Quesadillas: A simple tortilla with a bit of cheese can be a comforting, higher-calorie snack that provides a good mix of macros.
Rice Balls: Cooked and salted rice balls, sometimes wrapped in nori, offer a savory and digestible carbohydrate option. Some runners add a little teriyaki sauce for flavor.

Nighttime and Cold Weather Fueling

During the night, your body's tolerance for food can change. Hot, savory foods like noodles, instant mashed potatoes, or hot chocolate can be more appealing and comforting. In cold weather, maintaining body temperature becomes another energy drain, so slightly higher-calorie options might be beneficial.

The Critical Role of Hydration

No snack plan is complete without a robust hydration strategy. Dehydration can impair digestion, making it difficult to process calories. Sip fluids regularly, aiming for 400-800ml per hour, depending on conditions and sweat rate. Use electrolyte drinks or powders to replace lost salts, and be sure to carry plain water for variety.

Comparison of Common Backyard Ultra Snacks


Snack Type	Pros	Cons	Best Use	Key Nutrients
Energy Gels	Quick, concentrated carbs; easy to carry.	Can cause flavor fatigue; potential for stomach distress.	Immediate energy boost during a loop.	Carbs, sometimes caffeine/electrolytes.
Salted Potatoes	Easy on the stomach; provides salt and carbs.	Can be messy to prepare and carry; requires crew support.	During rest period for solid food.	Carbs, Sodium, Potassium.
Peanut Butter & Jelly	Satisfying; good balance of macros.	Can feel heavy; requires more digestion time.	Early race loops or during a longer rest stop.	Carbs, Fat, Protein.
Rice Balls	Mild on the stomach; savory alternative.	Can dry out over time; can require crew prep.	Mid-race for a savory alternative.	Carbs, Sodium.
Noodle Soup	Warm and comforting; hydrating; provides electrolytes.	Less practical to carry on-loop; requires crew or aid station.	Night loops or cold weather.	Carbs, Sodium, Fluids.
Sports Chews	Easy to eat on the move; pre-measured portions.	Very sweet; can stick to teeth.	On-the-go fueling during the loop.	Carbs, sometimes electrolytes.

Training Your Gut: Practice is Key

Never experiment with new foods on race day. Train your gut during long training runs by consuming the exact snacks and hydration you plan to use in the backyard ultra. Pay attention to how your body responds to different foods at various intensities and temperatures. A well-trained gut is less likely to cause issues under the stress of competition, and helps you learn what flavors and textures you can tolerate over the long haul. Find a nutrition strategy that is easy to execute, and build your crew to support your planned needs. For more on race nutrition planning, check out this guide on a world record holder's strategy: Phil Gore's Backyard Ultra World Record Nutrition Strategy.

Conclusion: The Right Mix for the Long Haul

There is no single 'best' snack for a backyard ultra; rather, the best strategy involves having a diverse array of options to draw from. A successful approach includes a foundation of easy-to-digest carbohydrates for consistent energy, a variety of salty snacks and electrolyte sources to replenish minerals, and savory real foods to combat flavor fatigue. By training your gut and staying adaptable to your body's changing needs, you can build a fueling plan that keeps you moving yard after yard.

Frequently Asked Questions

Most ultrarunners aim for a caloric intake of 150 to 400 calories per hour, primarily from carbohydrates. This range is a safe starting point, but individual needs vary based on body size, intensity, and climate.

A mix of both is generally best. Liquid calories from sports drinks and gels are quickly absorbed, while solid foods can provide satiety and a welcome change from sweet flavors. Many runners use liquids during faster sections and solids during slower walking or rest periods.

If stomach issues arise, switch to more easily digestible options like pureed fruit pouches or simple gels. Reduce fat and fiber intake and ensure you are hydrating properly with electrolyte drinks. Often, a brief shift to very simple foods or just fluids can help your stomach recover.

Incorporating salty snacks is crucial for a backyard ultra. As you sweat, you lose significant amounts of sodium, which needs to be replaced to prevent electrolyte imbalances. Savory foods also provide a necessary break from the sweetness of gels and chews, preventing flavor fatigue.

Practicing your race nutrition plan during training is critical. This 'trains your gut' to handle the stress of consuming calories while running, helping you identify which foods and quantities work best for your body and minimizing the risk of digestive problems on race day.

During nighttime loops, many runners find hot, savory foods more appealing. Options like hot noodle soup, instant mashed potatoes, or hot chocolate can be comforting and provide much-needed calories and warmth. Caffeine gels can also help with alertness.

Your crew is a vital part of your fueling strategy. They can prepare specific meals, help manage your rotation of sweet and savory snacks, and have your drinks ready as you finish each loop. Clear communication about your needs is key to effective crew support.