it's kinda funny, i think the best answer for this is, try all options and work from there. I don't eat before riding, spin or bootcamps, but do eat after.

I can tell you that roasted and non-salt nuts (food not anything else ya perv's ) is great on a ride. I tried those gel things, might as well take a swig from a bike lube bottle. Most products for eating that are packaged are garbage. Banana, nuts, anything else normal that you can find at a fresh section grocery shop is probably a good bet