How Rice Krispy Treats Are Changing The Game In Elite Level Endurance Sports

Behold, the humble Rice Krispy treat. A staple of school bake sales across the country and, as it turns out, the secret behind some of the world’s top endurance athletes.

If that latter part sounds weird to you, you’re not the only one. But not only have Rice Krispy treats become increasingly popular among top-level athletes in endurance sports, but they’ve also upset a $1 billion market aimed at targeting athlete fueling and nutrition.

So, how does it work? And why are high-level athletes fueling their bodies with a snack that most people would label as “junk food?”

Rice Krispy Treats Have Everything That Elite Endurance Athletes Want From A Snack

In order to complete an endurance event, especially in a competitive setting, fueling is essential. Not only do you need to eat and drink before the event, but you also need to consume calories constantly throughout the race, whether it’s a marathon, road cycling race, or a triathlon.

For years, cyclists have been premaking and wolfing down rice cakes during long rides to ensure their bodies have the proper carbohydrate and glycogen stores that their muscles require.

But what if there were an easier way?

“I wanted something that I liked eating, so it wasn’t a chore, and something that wasn’t going to set off my gut the next day,” professional runner Molly Huddle told Front Office Sports. “Any rice-based food, I noticed, always sat really well with me. Put a little sugar on the rice, and there you go.”

Australian cyclist Nick Schultz, who competes for Team Israel-Premier Tech and rode in both the 2023 and 2024 Tours de France, says he’ll typically consume several Rice Krispy treats on a race day.

“On race days, I’ll almost certainly snack on one or two between breakfast and the race start time, along with filling my pockets with at least four squares to go with gels, bars, and drink mix from Nduranz,” he said.

But why Rice Krispy treats? Surely there are better, healthier ways of refueling, right?

Wrong!

“Simple carbohydrates are excellent for performance and for restocking glycogen stores,” sports dietitian Meghann Featherstun says of the treat. “And there’s no more simple carbohydrate than a Rice Krispies Treat that has marshmallows, which are sugar, and processed white rice.”

So next time that you pull out a Rice Krispy treat at lunch and your co-worker tells you how unhealthy it is, just tell them that you’re fueling your body like the elite athlete that you are. After all, the medical professionals are on your side.