Are you unsure of what to get the runner in your life for the holidays? Read on to get some ideas for gifts that are guaranteed to be a hit!
In my opinion, the perfect gift is something that's slightly too nice/expensive for me to justify buying for myself but is also something that I would use all the time. As an endurance athlete who spends a lot of my time training, preparing to train, or recovering from training I know any gift that helps with any of the above would be a hit.
Obviously being a dietitian in addition to being a runner means I tend to focus more on gifts that help with fueling, so I wanted to put together a guide of gifts that would be loved and appreciated by the athlete in your life (or maybe a gift for yourself? Who am I to judge).
Sports nutrition products
If you have someone who is training for a big race in 2025, you may have heard them complain about the cost of gels, electrolytes, etc. These things add up, and over the course of a marathon or Ironman build, they could be looking at hundreds of dollars spent on fueling products.
You can either get them the products directly if you know what they like and use, or you can get gift cards to local running stores or online sports nutrition retail stores like The Feed.
Here are my suggestions if you want to get them something to open:
GU Liquid gels
Maurten gels or hydration mixes
LMNT hydration mix
Skratch hydration mix, recovery mix, energy chews, or bars
Honey Stinger gels or waffles
Momentous protein powder
Nuun hydration tubes
Reusable food storage items
Athletes are always (or should be!) fueling on the go, and this often forces to them to rely heavily on products like plastic baggies. I'm personally trying to cut back on my use of plastics in 2025, but it's also a good idea in general to reduce exposure to microplastics. A good place to start with this is by cutting back on the amount of plastics your food comes into contact with.
That said, being able to eat on the go is key for busy athletes to get in fuel while training and living life, so here are some of my personal favorite items that have been incredibly useful:
Stasher Bags - these are the reusable, food grade silicone version of baggies. They have a similar ziploc technology, but can be thrown in the dishwasher and used again and again
Bees Wrap - this beeswax coated cloth is a great alternative to plastic wrap. You can use it to cover leftovers or wrap sandwiches, and it's easy to wipe down and reuse
Glass tupperware with bamboo lids - these are a nontoxic version of the traditional plastic tupperware options that are still portable and easy to clean/reuse
PakIt Freezable Lunch Bag - these lunch bags that come in so many fun patterns are amazing because they have cold packs built in. They fold down pretty small and you just stick them in the freezer so they can keep your food cold all day. I have used mine almost every day for the last 10 years (no joke)
Meal delivery kit service subscriptions
I love recommending these to athletes who are newer to cooking, who have limited time to meal plan or grocery shop, or who are just interested in trying new recipes.
These kits contain all of the ingredients necessary to make delicious and nutrient dense meals without requiring grocery shopping. They are delivered right to your front door, and you can put in special dietary requests, choose weekly menus, and adjust the number of meals you receive per week online. I really like Hello Fresh or Blue Apron. My suggestion would be to get a gift certificate, and then they can go onto the website and set everything up for themselves.
One caveat for me is that they often don't have large enough portions for athletes, especially when it comes to carbs, so pairing these meals with extra rice, pasta, or adding a dinner roll on the side can make them more athlete friendly.
Additionally, you can get gift certificates to specific food delivery options like Butcher Box (meats and seafood), a local CSA (farm fresh produce), or Thrive Market (sort of like an online version of Whole Foods).
An insulated water bottle
A nice water bottle is something everyone should have! This is a great way to stay hydrated while cutting back on single use plastics.
There are so many different sizes, ranging from a small 16 oz. bottle to a massive 40oz. bottle. I personally like the ones that are between 20-32 oz. so they can fit in the cup holder in my car or the water bottle pocket on the side of my track bag.
Here are some brands I like:
Hydroflask - super insulated and great at keeping beverages warm/cold, offers many sizes and different top options
Yeti - offers many sizes and different top options, also insulated and keep things warm/cold for a long time
Bivo - these are the insulated and stainless steal version of bike bottles and are so great for training!
Owala - these ones are all the rage with the kids these days
The gift of nutrition!
I get messages all the time from athletes looking to make changes to their fueling approach but who aren't sure where to start. It can be intimidating to navigate all of the confusing and conflicting information out there, and often overwhelming to figure out what works for them.
I also find that there is a lot of fear and panic created on social media this time of year with all of the things that are "bad" for you, things you need to do differently next year, or diet trends like Whole30 and Hard 75 that seem essential to starting the year off right.
That is why I created Simple Start, a self-paced program to help people build sustainable habits over the course of 30 days. The best thing about these habits is that they'll last beyond just the first month of the year, and they're often so easy to incorporate that they don't feel like a huge chore but they make a big difference.
This program includes:
Weekly 5-day menu plan that includes breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks for each day
A complete grocery list that includes all your needs for that week's menu and space to write in your own additions
New, fun (and simple) recipes. No master chef skills required!
Fueling tips and tricks
Weekly challenges that motivate you to build lasting healthy habits
If you've heard the athlete in your life mention wanting to improve their fueling this upcoming year, this program is the gift that keeps on giving!
Happy holidays to you and yours from Fueling Forward!
Maddie Alm MS, RD
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