In Part 3 of our End of Year “Must Have” series, we showcase our favorite “Colorado made” food & service companies for athletes (and really, for anyone).
From Kristin:
You Skratch my back, and I’ll Skratch yours.
It’s fair to say that I’m a big fan of Skratch Labs products. I’ve been using Skratch Hydrate on the bike and longer runs since they launched in 2012. They’ve come a long way since their early days of mixing products on the paint shaker at McGuckin’s Hardware, but they’ve never lost sight of their mission, which is “to develop and sell food and drinks that taste great, that are made from real ingredients and that solve problems for active people”.
What started in 2011 as a way to help their pro cycling friends fuel better has evolved into a small, independently-owned global brand with a team of dedicated employees in Boulder, Colorado. In 2021, Skratch Labs earned the Outside award for Best Places To Work.
Today, Skratch Labs offers a variety of fueling products that includes energy bars and chews, recovery mixes, Superfuel, and a hyper hydration product for intense and long hard workouts where sweating is extreme.
And…..
We’re lucky that Colorado is a culinary incubator full of passionate people creating delicious products. In no particular order, here are a few more of my favorite local products: Conscious Coffee, organic, sustainable, ethically sourced, certified B Corp, Aspen Moon Farms, Moxie Bread Company, Healthy Harvest Organic Olive Oil, Sisters’ Pantry Dumplings, and Bhakti Chai (I’m kind of addicted).
Let me know how I can help you fuel better, feel better, and race faster. Cheers!!!
From Maggie:
I love food. Sometimes we joke that it is a requirement to become a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, but honestly even when I am training, I find myself motivated by all the yummy products, some of which I'd like to share with you all so you can get as jazzed as I do! Take a read and let me know what you think, I'd love to hear your favorites too...because you know, I love all the food.
First, two words: Honey. Stinger. If you don’t know, you’re missing out. They have evolved into a number of products, but their original waffle is admittedly the reason I go for long rides some days. They are a great fuel source when you need something other than a gel, powder or chew. And they now have different flavors and a gluten free version for everyone to enjoy!
Next, I love a good chip (and yes, RDNs eat chips!). This is where Boulder Canyon chips come into play. After a long ride I crave salt, for obvious reasons, and sometimes I just need to fill that crispy craving. They keep it simple with not a crazy number of choices or ingredients. My favorite? The malt vinegar and sea salt, of course.
Last, but most definitely not least, Bobo’s Oat Bars. They make a cherry almond butter protein nut bar that I love and highly recommend. They are based in Boulder and use simple ingredients for their products. I have this bar while on a summer hike in the mountains or if I’m out skiing in the Rockies. No matter what your preferred fueling source is, we hope you enjoyed these recommendations or if you have any questions, give us a shout, we love to talk about our favorite things!
From Dina:
There are so many great Colorado companies out there, so hats off to ya’ll doing good stuff with food and services to help us athletes and athletic folk. My top 3:
While I do love to support locally owned sport stores, not all of them supply much in the way of fueling products. This is why I’m giving a shout-out to Colorado-based The Feed for their array of sports nutrition, hydration products, and training gear. You can think of The Feed as the Amazon equivalent for athlete fueling and accessories - a one stop shop if you’re looking for new sports nutrition products (or simply need to stock up) or you need recovery tools, framebags, softflasks or other goodies to keep you moving and grooving. They have awesome coupons and sales, and their website is actually easy to navigate and informative, a much appreciated feature when you’re in a hurry.
My next shout-out goes to AthleteBloodTest for their blood testing services. This company is The OG and began blood monitoring of athletes way before you knew it was a thing. When examining your blood work results, they use a combination of athlete-specific data and pertinent peer-reviewed research to assess your performance and recovery markers, trends, and provide personalized guidance to you. There are actual human beings (trained in medicine, sports science and physiology!) who put their eyeballs and brains on your results when interpreting your data and making the recommendations. After personally seeing several reports from the “other guy” in the marketplace who offers this testing, I stand by ABT for their methodology, their comprehensive interpretation, scientific rigors, and personal touch.
My last but not least shout-out goes to REVO Physiotherapy and Sports Performance in Boulder. There aren’t enough synonyms for “awesome” when it comes to describing the services, the staff, and the expert care they provide. No matter if it’s physical therapy for an injury or surgery recovery, movement assessments and injury screening, bike and run fits, building strength and power, yoga and massage… they have it all under one roof (and even offer telehealth and virtual services). While the staff has worked with countless Olympians and the gamut of pro/elite athletes, you can be an Average Jane like moi and still be treated with the utmost respect and they’ll go the extra mile for ya. REVO: You are Top Notch and you are Family.
We hope you enjoyed reading about our favorite CO food and service companies.
High fives from The Nutrition Mechanics,
Kristin, Maggie, & Dina