If there ever were the perfect pre-workout snack, I’d have to say it’s these Nutella Energy Bites. Hands. Down.
If there is one food that I truly believe was carefully created by the hand of God and given to us mere mortals for pure pleasure and enjoyment…
it’d be nutella.
WE’RE NOT WORTHY
I lives for you, nutella.
But something I do not lives for? Awkwardly timed workouts.
I’m an early riser, so any workout after 8:30am is like… I’m not even going to go. Just kidding, I’ll go under one condition: balls.
NOT THE KIND OF BALLS YOU’RE THINKING OF. Ya nasty.
If I have an easy snack to devour before my later-ish workout, I’m good to go. Simply because I just can’t eat a full breakfast before, but if I don’t eat I will most definitely starve if I don’t eat something. So, early morning workouts work for me. And I don’t like to eat just before my workouts because I don’t know, I just don’t enjoy puking. Which would 100% happen if I ate breakfast. Shout out to my delicate digestive system!
What better food to give you energy before a workout than chocolate?
Okay, I need to make a confession. While I do eat energy bites before workouts, I may or may not eat them after dinner as dessert while I watch Bravo, too. And as in may or may not, I definitely mean may.
[Tweet “The best pre-workout? Chocolate. Nutella Energy Bites:”]
Speaking of workouts, what workouts are you guys loving right now?
I shared in this post what workouts I like to do when I’m not running or taking group fitness classes (I get free classes via my job). I pretty much go in waves. There was one period where all I wanted to do was barre. Then, I went through my spin phase. I took a spin class a few days ago where I 1) thought the room was way too hot, and was confident I was going to suffocate, 2) was straight up out of breath and was also confident I would die, and 3) got a great workout in despite the thoughts of this being my last day on earth. Oh, spin. How you kick my ass, so.
Back to the balls.
Balls to the wall.
Okay, done. I try to call them bites instead of balls, and still I have to let it out, I’m sorry okay?!
These are one of my favorite energy ~*bites*~ that I’ve ever made. I absolutely love the nutella mixed with the crunchy, sweet graham cracker ‘crust’. It reminds me of these Baked Nutella S’Mores! And they certainly make for a good transition from pre-workout to dessert munchies.
[Tweet “Nutella Energy Bites: the only pre-workout you should be taking.”]
- 12 pitted dates
- 2 tbsp nutella
- 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
- 2 graham crackers, pulsed into crumbs
- In a food processor, add dates and process until ‘crumbs’ form.
- Add in walnuts and nutella.
- Process until smooth, and a dough-like ball forms.
- Using your hands, break off pieces of the dough and form into little balls.
- Roll each ball into graham cracker crumbs until completely covered.
Join the conversation:
What are your favorite group fitness classes?
Do you eat before working out, or do you prefer to exercise on an empty stomach?
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I prefer working out on a empty stomach…But when I was doing long runs, I would always eat a bar before or a spoonful of peanut butter to hold me over. I recently took a class yesterday morning that was circuit training and my shoulders are SO SORE!!!
Feeling the burn in a good way!
I don’t think I’ve ever been on a run long enough to require a snack haha maybe one day!!
Nutella was definitely crafted by angels. And these BALLS (there, I said it haha) look like they were too! On some days I prefer to workout on an empty stomach, but some days I’m like nahhhh I’m hungry and I’ll eat breakfast before. I’m all about these bites/balls though, these look like the best pre, post, and really any time of day snack. I love the watching Bravo is your guilty pleasure 😉
Hhaha I’m glad you love that because I’m so embarrassed to admit that I love reality tv!! Thanks Marina! <3
You know how I feel about workouts after 8 a.m….I actually went back to Cycle Bar for a 6 a.m. class and did much better haha. I actually hate eating before a workout so these would be saved for after
Oh you did!! That’s great. Yeah definitely an empty-stomach exerciser!
Wow, I’m almost the opposite. It’s hard for me to pump out an early morning workout but an afternoon workout is a lot easier. Maybe these would motivate me to do a workout in the morning? Also, so thankful that God gave someone the idea to use hazelnuts, sugar, and cocoa to make the amazingness that is Nutella. These look like amazing night time fuel too for relaxing on the couch.
If you’ve found something that works, stick to it!!
Umm WUT. These are brilliant, and I need immediately. I totally feel you on the “going through workout phases” thing. My life is one big sequence of workout phases. Right now I’m going through a really big yoga/barre phase – mostly because my inflexible ass can’t move like a regular human. Gotta work on that.
And I also gotta make these ASAP.
Ha soooo is mine!! I feel ya. This week was a ‘I don’t want t workout AT ALL’ phase. Ended up working out three times, but I just had this BLAH feeling. I think it 100% had to do with the gross weather in FL! And yeah I’m so inflexible. To think I was a gymnast and cheerleader who could do perfect splits.. ha yeah not so much anymore
I can’t really eat too much before an early morning workout or I feel sick but I always try to eat something light like a small piece of fruit but I think nutella would be wayyyyyyyy better! These are also the perfect dessert too
Totally! Especially you gymnasts flippin’ around – I would totally vomit in the styrofoam pit lolol ok ew hahah
Alllll day every day. These look amazing!
Hehe fo sho. Thanks Kaitlin!! What’s your favorite way to eat Nutella??
By the spoon…
Atta girl
These look amazing! Do they need to be refrigerated after? I’m currently loving Pure Barre!
I don’t think it’s 100% necessary, but if you want them to be more firm, I would! LOVE Pure Barre!!
OMG these look so gooey and delicious!
Thanks Lauren!! Pre-workout candy ;D
omg i love nutella! This is the 2nd nutella recipe ive read about in two days…im taking this as a sign from above!
Those Nutella energy bites look like a dream come true!
My favorite group fitness class is Kickboxing. It definitely gives me a good sweat! And it’s always necessary to eat before my work out, or else I start day dreaming about food while I’m exercising!
Kickboxing is a KILLER workout!!! I do a class in Tampa called spoxing and its 3 rounds of spin plus 9 rounds of boxing. It kills me! (in a good way) If I wait too long to workout in the morning, that’s when I get really hungry, and usually cut my workout short to eat LOL
I need to work out right when I wake up because I really can’t have anything in my stomach or I feel like I’m gonna vom. BUT, energy bites are the solution!! Usually I’ll pop one (<— that kinda sounds like I'm doing drugs or something) and that will be just the bit of energy I need. These look SO good. And I loved your insta this morning 😉
If I had an affair, it would be with Nutella. Just don’t tell my hubby! These look freaking amazeballs (no pun intended) and so easy!!
Nutella and energy bites in one sentence?! I must be in heaven! Genius idea and great recipe! – Love, Anna
Oh boy, these look decadent (yet healthy-ish, too :D)! I don’t take many group fitness classes, but I’d love to try a spin class sometime. If I’m going to work out in the morning, I’m like you–I need a little something in my stomach so that I haven’t turned into a hangry monster by the end!
You need to try a spin class! I actually used to HATE them, sort of how I don’t like running on the treadmill, it’s pretty much mind over matter. But the spin studio I go to has huge projectors that play music videos to the songs we’re listening to so its distracting ha! It’s awesome. Thanks for stopping by Claire!!
I really appreciated your jokes in this post haha. I really like fitness classes because they really push you to keep going when you wanna give up. The most recent one I tried out was pilates which was a little bit too easy for me. But don’t go thinking I’m some kind of pilates superstar…I was the youngest by at least 30 years 😛
Ha I was going to say – Pilates is killer!! Thanks Megan!
That Raven gif gave me so much life. How did you know she was my biggest role model???
I’ve been loving Les Mills classes for years and still get excited to go. My goal is to get certified to teach within the next year!
Hahaha yeah she was the best, definitely one of my favorite Disney shows! I don’t think I’ver ever taken a Les Mills class!!
When I went to Europe I seriously ate nutella everything — Nutella Gelato, Nutella Cereal, Nutella Crepes, you name it. I even brought two boxes of the cereal home with me haha. These look like pure nutella bliss! And can I just that how happy I am that you added That’s So Raven? haha I used to LOVE that show!
Gosh I miss nutella cornetti in Italy SO BAD. I would eat those almost everyday while I was there! And yep – definitely a favorite show of mine when i was young!! haha
These sound delicious!! And super simple too. Laughed at the thats so raven gif too haha. Have a great weekend girly!
I just “discovered” nutella about a year ago! Didn’t know what I was missing! These look awesome!
SO GOOD. Nutella = everythaang.
These look like the best balls! Can’t wait to make this.