These Are the Best Foods to Eat After a Workout

Everyday bananas are a portable snack you can enjoy immediately after your workout, offering carbs and potassium, two muscle-friendly, post-workout nutrients. Add bananas to whole-grain pancakes, toss them in a smoothie, mash them onto toast with peanut butter or simply peel and eat. You can also transform overripe bananas into this impressive upside-down cake.

A source of plant-based protein and complex carbohydrates, edamame contains amino acids that help with muscle repair and the building of new muscle tissue. After a workout, add some of these legumes to a cold noodle soba bowl with a protein like chicken or pork, or cheat on meat with delicious sweet and sour Gardein® porkless bites for a plant-based alternative.

Chicken brings readily available protein to your post-workout routine. Meal-prep grilled or roasted chicken at the beginning of the week to quickly add to salads, lettuce wraps or any other after-exercise meal. If you’re looking for a bit of heat, you’ll love this sriracha-honey oven-fried chicken.

Eating fibre-rich, high carbohydrate foods before a workout can cause digestive distress, but afterwards, these foods can help to replenish blood sugar levels. Chickpeas are a post-workout hero, containing carbs and plant-based protein in one tidy package. Try whipping up your own creamy hummus and topping it with your favourite protein for a hearty, protein-rich meal.

This tiny grain is packed with complex carbs and plant-based protein, two macronutrients that work with your body for a speedy post-workout recovery. For fast food that you can quickly snack on after exercising, cook up this quinoa bowl topped with vegan meatballs, like Gardein® Meatless Meatballs, ready in just 30 minutes. They’re a plant-based meat alternative that can be an easy swap for almost any dish that calls for meatballs – whether you’re a vegetarian, flexitarian, or just looking for something new.