A recovery meal or snack, containing a 4:1 ratio of carbohydrate to protein, results in the most optimal recovery.  Dairy products, like milk and chocolate milk, are ideal recovery foods.  They contain the right ratio of carbohydrates to protein, and the whey protein in milk helps to repair muscle damage.  For a portable recovery snack, bring a pint of chocolate milk and a banana to your next ride.  Available in stores is Horizon Organic Chocolate milk in shelf-stable containers that don't require refrigeration.  If you're riding from home, make a recovery smoothie using chocolate milk and a banana, or have a bowl of granola with milk and fresh fruit.  Fruit contains electrolytes and antioxidants, which both are important in promoting muscle recovery.

Even though you may not be feeling really hungry, make sure to have a balanced meal within the next hour or two.  High-carbohydrate options like a chicken burrito, rice and beans, leftover pizza or pasta, or a turkey sandwich on a bagel would all be great choices.  If your ride was more than several hours long, you'll probably need another high-carbohydrate snack before your next meal.  Try something like yogurt and fruit, peanut butter and jelly on toast, or a bowl of cereal and fruit.

Rehydrating after a workout is the other important piece of recovery.  To determine whether you're drinking enough during your rides, weigh yourself before and after you finish.  Your goal should be to maintain your weight.  For every pound you lose, consume another 16 ounces of water during your next ride.  To determine your optimal fluid goal, add 16 ounces to the amount you drank during your ride, then divide that by the number of hours you rode.  This will be the amount of fluid you should drink each hour to maintain optimal hydration.  For most people, this will range between 16 and 24 ounces.  Don't forget that factors like temperature, humidity, and prior hydration level can affect your fluid needs on a given day.

So if you're training for a multi-day event, or riding consecutive days during the week or weekend, pay attention to your recovery nutrition.  Eating for recovery will help to boost your workouts, improve your performance, and make your training much more enjoyable.  If there's a "magic bullet" to optimizing your training and performance...this is it!