A lunchtime mix of carbs, protein, and fiber will help your muscles recover after a morning workout or fuel your afternoon run. This turkey bacon club sandwich (slides 3, 4, and 9) checks all the boxes, including delicious. To boot: the sharp cheddar cheese slices (slide 8) will help you meet your daily calcium requirements, and you can kick the flavor up a notch by topping with Just Mayo Sriracha (slide 13).
Peppadew Piquante Peppers Best Packaged Foods for Runners, were selected with help from our panel of experts: Alissa Rumsey, M.S., R.D., spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics; Kelley Pritchett, Ph.D., R.D., sports nutrition professor at Central Washington University; Emily Edison, M.S., R.D.; and Marni Sumbal, M.S., R.D. (Let RW help you pack your lunch! Get a carefully curated selection of our favorite items when you subscribe to the new Runner’s World Box.)
Note: Runner's World editors independently select the products we feature. If you choose to purchase a product from one of our affiliate partners, we earn a commission from the sale, which helps fund all the other work we do.
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From sustainable Alaskan fisheries, this salmon is good for after a sweaty run when you can benefit from the extra sodium and omega-3 fats.
Buy it: AcmeSmokedFish.com
Amy’s Organic Chili With Vegetables
This veg-heavy chili will help you avoid afternoon vending machine temptation with its satisfying chunky texture and eight grams of fiber.
Just Mayo Sriracha
Top a toasted English muffin with two slices (1.5 gram of fat and zero synthetic nitrates, each) and a fried egg for a protein-packed meal.
Buy it: Applegate.com
Applegate Organic Roasted Turkey Breast
Protein-packed, antibiotic-free slices help you recover.
Buy it: Applegate.com
Best Packaged Foods for Runners
A wholesome bread with whole-wheat flour as the first ingredient and four grams of fiber per slice. Quinoa and amaranth add nice texture.
Buy it: ArnoldBread.com
Bela Lightly Smoked Portuguese Sardines in Lemon Flavor Olive Oil
Load up on lean protein, omega-3 fats, and vitamin D. A little hit of smoke and citrus helps tame the fishy flavor and makes these delicious enough (yes, seriously!) to eat straight from the can.
Buy it: Amazon
Biena Sea Salt Chickpea Snacks
Roasted chickpeas are basically croutons with runner-friendly nutrients like fiber.
Cabot Sharp Cheddar Slices
These slices, each with 15 percent of your daily calcium needs, are bold and creamy for your best grilled cheese.
Buy it: CabotCheese.coop
Canyon Bakehouse Mountain White
This gluten-free bread is made with whole-grain brown rice and sorghum flour. Perfect for postrun PB&J.;
Buy it: Amazon · CanyonGlutenFree.com
Epic Currant + Sesame BBQ Chicken Bites
Top your salad with this high-quality protein (without weird ingredients). Also good for snacking straight from the bag.
Buy it: Amazon · Walmart · Thrive Market
Organicville Stone Ground Mustard
This risotto-style meal is made with hearty steel-cut oats and just 390 mg of sodium.
Buy it: Amazon
Amys Organic Chili With Vegetables
All About 75 Hard.
Just Mayo Sriracha
This egg-free mayo has the perfect amount of vinegary heat for a flavorful ham sandwich. It’s great in tuna salad, too.
La Tortilla Multigrain Wrap
Its main ingredient is oat fiber, which explains why each 60 calorie wrap boasts an overly generous 9 grams of hunger-fighting fiber. And roomy enough to accommodate plenty of toppings.
Buy it: Amazon
Muscle-Building Proteins for Vegetarians
You won’t find many balsamic vinaigrettes that use healthier extra-virgin olive oil instead of cheaper vegetable oils. This is one of the good ones.
Best Packaged Foods for Runners
Roasted chickpeas are basically croutons with runner-friendly nutrients like fiber.
Buy it: LuvoInc.com
What Is a Shoey
Perfect for open-faced sandwiches, each slice of this hearty German whole rye bread delivers six grams of fiber.
Buy it: Amazon
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An Asian-inspired meal of snap peas, carrots, and protein-rich edamame over brown rice and quinoa for quality carbs.
Buy it: Morningstarfarms.com
Bela Lightly Smoked Portuguese Sardines in Lemon Flavor Olive Oil
This is the perfect blend of gingery zing and silky texture packed with vitamin A—complete with a special sipping lid. No spoon required.
Buy it: NonaLim.com
Organicville Stone Ground Mustard
Health - Injuries.
Buy it: OrganicPrairie.com
Biena Sea Salt Chickpea Snacks
A vitamin-packed blend of chard, spinach, arugula, and Asian tatsoi.
Buy it: iloveorganicgirl.com
Epic Currant + Sesame BBQ Chicken Bites
At just five calories in each tablespoon, you can spread this sugar-free mustard generously on your bread to spice things up.
Buy it: Thrive Market
Best Packaged Foods for Runners
This 100 percent whole-grain pita-style round supplies five grams of protein. It also saves you about half the calories compared to two slices of regular bread.
Buy it: Walmart
Pacific Organic Vegetable Masala Stew
Yellow split peas and real vegetables team up to give each serving six grams of fiber, keeping postlunch hunger at bay—without all the salt.
Buy it: Amazon · PacificFoods.com
Peppadew Piquante Peppers
Applegate Organic Roasted Turkey Breast.
Ready Pac Elevate Sweet Greens & Chia Seed Salad
Greens plus whole-grain sorghum, aronia berries, almonds, and cacao nibs make this salad high in antioxidants and healthy fat.
Buy it: ReadyPac.com
Biena Sea Salt Chickpea Snacks
These gluten-free tortillas are a good source of protein (thanks to almonds), vitamin E, and heart healthy fat—and don’t crumble when rolled.
Buy it: Amazon
Organicville Stone Ground Mustard
These savory pumpkin seeds contain protein, beneficial fats, iron, and immunity-boosting zinc. Toss them on salads, soups, and pizza.
Buy it: Amazon
Health - Injuries
Stay full with this trio of kidney, pinto and garbanzo beans, packed with fiber and plant protein. Research shows that a bean-rich diet can help you manage your weight.
Buy it: Amazon
Wild Planet Organic Roasted Chicken Breast
This no-water-added (BPA-free!) canned chicken tastes better than most fresh stuff and packs in 12 grams of protein per serving.
Buy it: Amazon · Thrive Market
Best Running Shoes 2025
Up your salad’s nutrition with protein, vitamin D, and omega-3 fats.
Buy it: Amazon · Walmart · Thrive Market
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Add tang to sandwiches and keep your gut healthy with probiotic-rich kale “sauerkraut.”
Buy it: Wildbrine.com
Matthew Kadey, M.S. R.D. is a Canada-based registered dietitian and nutrition journalist with two decades of experience in reporting about food and nutrition for dozens of print and online publications. Kadey is the author of Rocket Fuel: Power-Packed Food for Sports + Adventure. He is also an adventure cyclist and creator of several bikepacking routes in North America and beyond. Find him at matthewkadey.com, @rocketfuelfood
