Whether you like to feel the sun on your face at lunchtime or dine al desko, eating something tasty, nutritious and healthy will ensure you power through your afternoon and have energy to spare for your evening rides.
Work days can drag on, and the temptation to dip into the biscuits and snacks can be overwhelming. If you're aiming for a healthy, balanced diet then getting a good lunch is important.
A well-balanced choice will keep you satisfied, stave off those cravings and ensure you've got stable energy levels to help you get through the afternoon.
We've partnered with Olive Magazine (also published by Immediate Media) to bring you the very best recipes for cyclists. All the recipes are easy to follow and take you through step-by-step how to create everything from homemade nutrition products to tasty and hearty post-ride meals.
- Celebrate this year’s Bike Week by getting out on your bike from 8–16 June. Cycling UK wants to get even more people riding this year and you’ll find plenty of advice on BikeRadar if you’re new to cycling or need help deciding which bike to buy or how to fix a puncture! Share your rides with the hashtags #BikeWeekUK #7DaysofCycling.
Ultimate chicken burrito
With a bit of preparation at the weekend you can have these flavour-packed burritos to chow down at lunchtime. We guarantee you'll make your colleagues and co-workers jealous.
Lean chicken and black beans pack a protein punch, with tomatoes, avocado, coriander and lime providing vitamins galore. Chilli and chipotle give a delicious smoky, spicy flavour too.
Egg and bacon fried rice
If you're after a satisfying lunch that's super quick to make — and in fact is a good way of using up leftovers — then this fried rice is the dish for you.
Bacon and egg are great for satisfying even the hungriest of appetites, and ginger, chilli, soy and garlic provide plenty of flavour for minimum effort.
If you've got leftovers or want more veg, chop up what you have finely and either add to the pan when frying or layer on top. Mix it all up with a dash more chilli or soy at lunchtime.
Hot smoked salmon wrap
Swapping out bread for wraps is a simple and quick way to cut down your calorie intake because they tend to have fewer calories than straight bread. Fish is also a good food to include in your diet because it's packed full of essential fats and oils — good for skin and joint health.
These wraps combine rich hot smoked salmon with spinach, carrot and beetroot, which gives a delicious crunchy texture. Creamy crème fraîche complements the hot kick that the horseradish gives the dish.
The hot in the title refers to the way the salmon has been smoked, not to the serving suggestion, though of course feel free to serve it hot if you prefer.
Chipotle chicken and avocado flatbreads
Whip up a batch of this spicy chicken and it can be used in a variety of different tasty lunch dishes across the week — served with some rice and veg, perhaps?
Our favourite, however, is the ever-popular wrap. Add some crisp lettuce, creamy avocado and a squeeze of zingy lime and hey presto! You've got an easy, tasty and healthy lunch.
Five-minute flatbread pizzas
Want something a bit different to the usual wraps and salads? How about pizza!
These flatbread pizzas are perfect for the time-poor because you can whip them up in a few minutes the evening before. Just drizzle some olive oil on flatbread, then scatter across ricotta cheese, Parma ham and basil. Simple.
Chicken quesadillas
If you need energy to power you through to a post-work ride or workout, then a good quesadilla will give you plenty of protein and a whole lot of satisfaction.
Gruyere or Comté cheese works best, and we like the inclusion of sweet and spicy peppadew peppers, which cut through the cheesiness.
Check out our other tasty recipes and get yourself fuelled for cycling from sunrise to sunset:
