By Alex Larson, MS, RD, LD | Last updated October 29, 2026
Carb loading sounds simple until you’re staring down hundreds of grams of carbs a day. Knowing which meals to pick makes it a lot easier.
Here are our favorite carb-loading meals and foods for endurance athletes, a table of the best carb-loading foods with carb counts, and three sample carb-loading meal plans you can follow and adjust.
New to carb loading? Start with our carb-loading guide on how much to eat, how long to eat, and who needs it.
The Short Version
- Best carb-loading meals: familiar, carb-dense meals that are lower in fiber and fat, such as pasta with marinara, bread, rice bowls, pancakes, bagels, potatoes, burritos with white rice, and smoothies.
- How much: most endurance athletes need about 10 to 12 g of carbs per kg of body weight per day for the 36 to 48 hours before a race. For a 150-lb athlete, that’s about 680-820 g per day.
- How to fit it in: eat 6 or more times a day, about 110-140 g of carbs each time, and lean on liquid carbs like juice, milk, and sports drinks.
- Go lower fiber as race day gets closer, especially the day before.
Want it all in one place? Grab our free Carb Loading 101 guide for simple strategies, high-carb meal ideas and easy recipes.
Best Carb Loading Foods
These foods give you a lot of carbohydrates without much fiber or fat. Carb counts are approximate for typical portions.
| Food | Portion | About how many carbs |
|---|---|---|
| Plain bagel | 1 | 55 to 60 g |
| White rice, cooked | 1 cup | 45 g |
| Pasta, cooked | 1 cup | 43 g |
| Large baked potato (no skin) | 1 | 60 g |
| Flour tortilla, large | 1 | 35 g |
| Pancakes | 3 medium | 45 g |
| Orange or apple juice | 8 oz | 30 g |
| Sports drink | 20 oz | 34 g |
| Chocolate milk | 8 oz | 26 g |
| Banana | 1 medium | 25 g |
| Pretzels | 1 oz | 23 g |
| Raisins or dried mango | 1/4 cup | 30 g |
| Honey | 1 tbsp | 17 g |
| Maple syrup or jam | 1 tbsp | 13 g |
| White bread | 1 slice | 15 g |
Top 7 Carb Loading Meals for Endurance Athletes
When you’re eating hundreds of grams of carbs a day, it can feel daunting at first. The key is being strategic. We usually recommend a mix of whole and refined grains early in your carb load, then leaning on lower-fiber choices as race day gets closer.
1. Blueberry Cinnamon Overnight Oats With Cottage Cheese
Blueberries, oats, cinnamon, cottage cheese and milk, mixed in a jar and chilled overnight. Meal prep these ahead and switch up the toppings. Try our almond butter overnight oats for another version.
Traveling? Pack them in a cooler for your hotel mini fridge. No fridge? Use instant oatmeal topped with blueberries and granola.
Fiber note: oats and berries add fiber, so this works best earlier in your carb load.
2. Apple Chicken Sandwich With Pretzels and OJ
Apple slices and grilled chicken on 2 slices of bread with tomato, lettuce, and mayo, with pretzels and a glass of orange juice on the side. Use rotisserie chicken or deli slices if you’re short on time.
3. Peanut Butter and Banana Bagel With a Glass of Milk
A bagel with peanut butter and sliced banana, plus a glass of milk. It’s high in carbs, easy to digest, and travels well. Swap the milk for juice or applesauce if you won’t have a fridge.
4. Lean Beef and Cheese Burrito With Rice and Beans
Lean ground beef with cheese and diced peppers, rolled in a flour tortilla, with white rice and beans on the side. Add canned corn for extra carbs.
Fiber note: skip the beans the day before your race to avoid GI discomfort.
5. Spaghetti With Garlic, Ground Turkey and Garlic Bread
Regular spaghetti with roasted garlic and a ground turkey meat sauce, plus a few slices of garlic bread. A classic, especially the night before your race. Many restaurants have a version of this if you’re eating out.
6. Chickpea, Butternut Squash and White Rice Mild Curry
Chickpeas, butternut squash and white rice in your favorite mild curry sauce, with pita or naan for dipping. Keep the sauce mild if spice bothers your stomach.
Fiber note: chickpeas and veggies add fiber, so save this one for 2 days out rather than the night before.
7. Mixed Berry and Greek Yogurt Smoothie
Frozen mixed berries, Greek yogurt, a frozen banana, and a handful of spinach, blended with milk. Smoothies are one of the easiest ways to get carbs in on the go. Pre-portion the ingredients in freezer bags, or grab a bottled fruit smoothie from the grocery store.
Want to know what three sports dietitians actually eat when we carb load? We share our go-to carb loading foods on episode 44 of the Endurance Eats Podcast, “Carb Loading: The Free Speed You’re Missing.” Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, or YouTube.
Carb Loading Sample Meal Plans
It’s harder than you’d think to hit big carb numbers. Seeing a full day laid out helps. Below are two 3-day plans and a 1-day plan.
Each day lands around 440-490 g of carbs. At 10 g per kg, that’s a full carb load for about a 100 lb (45 kg) athlete. If your target is higher, use the “Scale It Up” table below to add more. You can also tailor any of these to your preferences.
3-Day Carb Loading Meal Plan
Day 1
| Meal | What to eat | Carbs |
|---|---|---|
| Breakfast | 2 servings of oatmeal with 1 apple, almond butter, and a glass of OJ | About 97 g |
| Snack | 2 slices of toast with avocado and cottage cheese | About 51 g |
| Lunch | Lean beef and cheese burrito with a side of rice and beans | About 82 g |
| Snack | Banana and peanut butter smoothie with a side of pretzels | About 96 g |
| Dinner | Salmon with 1 cup of white rice and 2 dinner rolls | About 85 g |
| Dessert | Greek yogurt with granola, almonds and mixed berries | About 45 g |
Day 2
| Meal | What to eat | Carbs |
|---|---|---|
| Breakfast | Pancakes with maple syrup, berries and a side of apple juice | About 82 g |
| Snack | 2 cheese and spinach quesadillas on flour tortillas | About 55 g |
| Lunch | Sandwich on 2 slices of white bread with a large baked potato | About 77 g |
| Snack | Energy bar with dried mango slices | About 59 g |
| Dinner | Spaghetti with garlic, ground turkey sauce and 2 pieces of garlic bread | About 93 g |
| Dessert | Cereal with milk and 2 peaches | About 89 g |
Day 3
| Meal | What to eat | Carbs |
|---|---|---|
| Breakfast | Blueberry cinnamon overnight oats with cottage cheese and a glass of apple juice | About 75 g |
| Snack | Bagel with jam, a banana and a glass of milk | About 93 g |
| Lunch | High-protein chipotle bowl | About 70 g |
| Snack | Fruit smoothie with 3 energy balls | About 75 g |
| Dinner | White rice and chicken stir fry with vegetables and 2 veggie spring rolls | About 77 g |
| Dessert | 3 rice cakes with honey and apple slices | About 63 g |
3-Day Carb Loading Meal Plan: Vegetarian
For vegetarian athletes, or anyone looking for more plant-forward ideas.
Day 1
| Meal | What to eat | Carbs |
|---|---|---|
| Breakfast | 2 servings of Kodiak waffles with 1 pear and a glass of OJ | About 102 g |
| Snack | Peanut butter and jelly sandwich | About 51 g |
| Lunch | 2 roasted tofu Caesar wraps in flour tortillas with sweet potato fries | About 60 g |
| Snack | Acai smoothie bowl with granola and berries | About 99 g |
| Dinner | Chickpea, butternut squash and white rice curry with pita bread | About 86 g |
| Dessert | Baked brownie oatmeal with dark chocolate and a glass of milk | About 72 g |
Day 2
| Meal | What to eat | Carbs |
|---|---|---|
| Breakfast | Egg, spinach and feta with hash browns and a glass of apple juice | About 75 g |
| Snack | Homemade flatbread pizza with spinach and mushrooms | About 45 g |
| Lunch | Meatless chicken tacos on corn tortillas with a side of white rice | About 80 g |
| Snack | 2 oz pretzels with a 20 oz sports drink | About 80 g |
| Dinner | Rice-stuffed peppers with marinara and a dinner roll | About 100 g |
| Dessert | Cream of rice cereal with milk and frozen berries | About 61 g |
Day 3
| Meal | What to eat | Carbs |
|---|---|---|
| Breakfast | Breakfast sandwich on 2 slices of toast, roasted potatoes and a glass of apple juice | About 84 g |
| Snack | 3 rice cakes with hummus and 1 cup of carrot sticks | About 37 g |
| Lunch | Lentil, white rice and tofu bowl with pita bread | About 118 g |
| Snack | Mixed berry and Greek yogurt smoothie | About 76 g |
| Dinner | White rice and tofu stir fry (1.5 cups rice) with a veggie spring roll | About 85 g |
| Dessert | Cereal with milk and 2 peaches | About 89 g |
1-Day Carb Loading Meal Plan
If you’re only carb loading the day before your event, this plan uses a few of our favorite meals from above.
| Meal | What to eat | Carbs |
|---|---|---|
| Breakfast | 2 slices of avocado toast with eggs and roasted potatoes | About 71 g |
| Snack | Blueberry and banana smoothie | About 75 g |
| Lunch | Apple chicken sandwich with pretzels and a glass of OJ | About 104 g |
| Snack | Bagel with cottage cheese and smoked salmon | About 50 g |
| Dinner | Chicken, vegetables, and 2 baked potatoes with 1 dinner roll | About 100 g |
| Dessert | Banana oat cookies (banana, oats and chocolate chips) with a glass of milk | About 54 g |
Scale It Up: Easy Carb Add-Ons
Most athletes need more than 450 g a day. For a 150 lb athlete aiming for 680 g, that’s about 230 g more. These add-ons make it easier:
| Add this | About how many carbs |
|---|---|
| 8 oz juice with a meal | 30 g |
| 20 oz sports drink between meals | 34 g |
| Extra cup of rice or pasta at dinner | 43 to 45 g |
| A plain bagel with jam as a snack | 70 g |
| 2 tbsp honey or maple syrup on oats, pancakes or toast | 26 to 34 g |
| 1/4 cup dried fruit | 30 g |
| 8 oz chocolate milk | 26 g |
Add 2 or 3 of these a day, and you’ll close most of the gap.
Tips for Carb Loading Meals
- Go lower fiber as race day gets closer. White rice, pasta, bagels, and skinless potatoes are easier on your gut than beans, whole grains, and big salads.
- Keep fat moderate. Fat fills you up without adding carbs.
- Drink some of your carbs. Juice, milk, smoothies and sports drinks add up fast.
- Eat often. Spread carbs across 6 or more meals and snacks instead of saving them for dinner.
- Stick with familiar foods. Try your carb-loading meals during training first, so your stomach gets used to them.
- Plan for travel. Pack bagels, instant oatmeal, pretzels, dried fruit, and microwave rice for destination races.
Hear it from our team: On episode 44 of the Endurance Eats Podcast, “Carb Loading: The Free Speed You’re Missing,” the Alex Larson Nutrition dietitians share the carb loading foods we actually eat and our best tips for pulling it off. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, or YouTube.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are good carb loading meals? Familiar, carb-dense meals that are lower in fiber and fat, like spaghetti with meat sauce and garlic bread, a bagel with peanut butter and banana, pancakes with syrup and juice, rice bowls, and baked potatoes.
What foods are best for carb loading? White rice, pasta, bagels, white bread, potatoes, pancakes, cereal, juice, sports drinks, bananas, and dried fruit. They pack a lot of carbs without much fiber or fat.
What should I eat the night before a race? A familiar, carb-focused dinner like pasta with marinara or meat sauce, a rice bowl, or pancakes. See what to eat the night before a race for more ideas.
Can you carb load as a vegetarian or plant-based athlete? Yes. Rice, pasta, bread, potatoes, fruit, juice, and cereal are all plant-based. Just go easy on beans and lentils the day before your race.
How do I carb load while traveling? Pack bagels, instant oatmeal, pretzels, dried fruit and single-serve drink mixes, and look for pasta, rice or potato dishes when eating out.
Get Help Building Your Carb Load
Picking meals is one piece of the puzzle. My team of sports dietitians and I help endurance athletes build a full race plan, from carb loading to race morning to fueling during the race, and practice it so race day feels routine.
Learn about our 1:1 nutrition coaching or apply today.
Related reads: Carb loading guide | Marathon nutrition | Gluten-free carbs for athletes | Best foods for runners
References
Burke LM, Hawley JA, Wong SH, Jeukendrup AE. Carbohydrates for training and competition. J Sports Sci. 2011;29(Suppl 1):S17-S27. doi:10.1080/02640414.2011.585473
Jones RO, Areta JL, Fortis HO, Pugh J, Louis JB. Dietary carbohydrate intake and skeletal muscle glycogen: a systematic review and meta-analysis to determine optimal carbohydrate loading strategies. Scand J Med Sci Sports. 2026;36(10):e70379. doi:10.1111/sms.70379
Thomas DT, Erdman KA, Burke LM. Position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Dietitians of Canada, and the American College of Sports Medicine: Nutrition and athletic performance. J Acad Nutr Diet. 2016;116(3):501-528. doi:10.1016/j.jand.2015.12.006
Alex
I provide nutrition coaching for endurance athletes to improve performance and body composition through a simple and flexible eating style.
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