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Cheapest Place to buy Energy Bars/Gels

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Old 03-18-12, 04:04 PM
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Cheapest Place to buy Energy Bars/Gels

I'm looking to buy boxes of energy gels and bars. Clif bars and gels, GU gels, etc. Where have you guys found them the cheapest? Amazon (I have Prime)? Any places with good coupons regularly?

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Old 03-18-12, 04:08 PM
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I've bought Clif bars for under $1 each at Wal-Mart. Got a box of them on Clearance (getting close to the sell-by date) at the nearby Performance store for about 65 cents each.
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Old 03-18-12, 04:09 PM
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Your grocery store in the breakfast section.
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Old 03-18-12, 04:14 PM
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Got several boxes of gu for 33 cents at performance last year.

recently bought Xmas flavored ones from REI for 43 cents a piece.

deals pop up randomly, you just have to sit on a reserve till the next deal.

going retail price, depending how much you use, hammer gel in the big bottles are pretty economical.
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Old 03-18-12, 05:01 PM
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Target has even cheaper clif bars. It was 5 bucks even the last time I was there, although it might have changed since then. I don't know a source for other gels and whatnot though.
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Old 03-18-12, 05:08 PM
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As far as bars go i just buy the nature valley trail mix bars from costco, box of 48 for like 12 bucks. Gets the job done for me. Gels i usually get hammer gel in the bottle and squeeze it into the flask. Comes out cheaper than buying individual packets.
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Old 03-18-12, 05:17 PM
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My local supermarkets (Food 4 Less, Ralph's, Walmart or Von's) usually carry PowerBar Performance bars for right at $1 or $0.99. They also carry Payday bars for $0.50 each.

For the gels and other bars that my grocery store doesn't carry, occasionally, Performance has a buy one, get one free sale or similar 50% off sales. I like to pickup Stinger Waffles or PowerBar gels when this happens.
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Old 03-18-12, 05:20 PM
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Originally Posted by milnerpt
Got several boxes of gu for 33 cents at performance last year.

recently bought Xmas flavored ones from REI for 43 cents a piece.

deals pop up randomly, you just have to sit on a reserve till the next deal.

going retail price, depending how much you use, hammer gel in the big bottles are pretty economical.
Me also! Picked up something like 30 or more of them... Peppermint,gingerbread and some other flavor.. all yummy and dirt cheap!
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Old 03-18-12, 06:44 PM
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Bonktown.com when they run them can be crazy cheap
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Old 03-18-12, 08:29 PM
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I probably shouldn't say this... but if anybody likes those Honey Stinger Waffles, they are like $1.40 each... If you go to a foreign food store (World Market, for instance), you can buy a 12pk box of Honey Waffles for $3.99. They actually taste better and seem to have the same nutrition stats.
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Old 06-15-12, 05:40 PM
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Originally Posted by nhluhr
I probably shouldn't say this... but if anybody likes those Honey Stinger Waffles, they are like $1.40 each... If you go to a foreign food store (World Market, for instance), you can buy a 12pk box of Honey Waffles for $3.99. They actually taste better and seem to have the same nutrition stats.
I checked out World Market but couldn't find. Any links?
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Old 06-15-12, 05:41 PM
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I get clif bars at Costco... huge box, well under a buck each but I don't recall how much. They add up fast though!
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Old 06-15-12, 06:02 PM
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Costco / SamsClub
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Old 06-15-12, 06:10 PM
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Costco for cliff bars. amazon for Gu 24 pack.
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Old 06-15-12, 06:51 PM
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I get my CLIF Bars @ Target for something $11 for 12 bars.
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Old 06-18-12, 04:00 PM
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Just restocked at Costco. $18.99 for 24 bars.
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Old 06-18-12, 04:20 PM
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Oatmeal cookies: extra oatmeal, light on the sugar, add chocolate chips and raisins or your favorite cookie mixer. Bake in rectangular cake pan, cool, peanut butter on top, cut into bars, insert into fridge.

Yum.
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Old 06-18-12, 04:39 PM
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Originally Posted by mkadam68
I checked out World Market but couldn't find. Any links?
I'd be all over this but I've never seen them there either.
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Old 06-18-12, 04:40 PM
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Originally Posted by RTDub
Oatmeal cookies: extra oatmeal, light on the sugar, add chocolate chips and raisins or your favorite cookie mixer. Bake in rectangular cake pan, cool, peanut butter on top, cut into bars, insert into fridge.

Yum.
How well do these travel in a jersey pocket? I'd think the peanut butter would be a huge mess
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Old 06-18-12, 04:44 PM
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try honey for instant pep. 6 preride tablespoons and a coffee....zinnnnggggg.
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Old 06-18-12, 06:09 PM
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I also make my own gels.

I use 60% brown rice syrup with 40% honey and add vanilla to flavor. The brown rice syrup provides lasting energy as it is 50% soluble complex carbohydrates, 45% maltose, and 3% glucose. The honey is 38% fructose, 31% glucose, 17% water and 9% other sugars (maltose, melezitose) and provides an immediate kick. When I make a six ounce batch I will generally add in a teaspoon of sea salt for electrolyte replenishment.

The mixture does not taste great, but it doesn't taste bad. I am not particularly fond of the brown rice syrup and will try using barley malt in the next batch I mix up.

You can buy a 21 ounce bottle of brown rice syrup at whole foods for about 6 bucks, so it is pretty cheap this way.
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Old 06-18-12, 06:20 PM
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Not as bad as you would think, and whatever does stick to the wrapper, you lick off.
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Old 06-18-12, 06:27 PM
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i dont know about you, but my lbs can order me a case of gels for less than retail. i guess its a perk of being a frequent... worth a shot if you are on a first name basis at one of your local shops
 
Old 06-18-12, 07:00 PM
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Switch to bulk maltodextrin powder. It's what the pros use to use before they got paid to advertise sports drinks all based on the same stuff.

It's $58 shipped online, for 50 friggin' pounds. Just put 1 cup in 1 bottle of water, and you've got about 700 calories, ready to go.

Maltodextrin is the active ingredient in almost all major gels and energy drinks. When you spent $50 for that 5lbs tub of Perpetuem, you've just paid $50 for 4.9 pounds of bulk maltodextrin with a few noncritical leavening agents and flavoring modifications in the mix.

I bought a batch 3 friggin' years ago and I still haven't finished it up. Stuff lasts forever when stored in paint containers. Do a google search on it - it's tried and tested for endurance training in all sports.
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Old 06-18-12, 07:54 PM
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Friggin' A!
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