RealMeal bars are the high-protein, high-energy, wholefood alternative for endurance athletes or men on the move
RealMeal Endurance Pack
£20.99 (pack of 4), amazon.co.uk
RealMeal is the creation of Will Simpson, an Army Captain and endurance enthusiast who was inspired by some wholesome home cooking during a New Zealand rugby tour…
“I played in New Zealand for six months,” Simpson tells MF, “and during that time I stayed with a woman called Mavis, who was a sponsor from the club. I was working as a labourer in order to pay for my keep, which included a packed lunch provided by Mavis. In this lunch, she would always include a homemade, natural bar. Made from simple, wholesome ingredients, it would provide the additional energy I needed to graft on the building site and then train in the evenings.”
When Simpson returned to England, those energy requirements skyrocketed when he got into the world of ultra-endurance racing. His event CV includes – among other quad-numbing races – three Ironmans, a 100-mile run (in under 21 hours) and multiple ultramarathons. However, he found himself dissatisfied with the endurance food options on the market.
So he decided to make his own – inspired by Mavis’ real-food approach back in New Zealand. “It was important that I use minimal and natural ingredients,” he says. “Also that the bar was gluten-free and vegan, and contained more than 600 calories.”
The verdict
The re
