06 October 2026 · motty

Pre Workout Snack: What to Eat, When, and Where Jerky Fits

The best pre workout snack is one you have eaten before, in an amount your stomach already knows, at a time that leaves you comfortable when you start. Jerky and biltong fit some workouts and not others: they are high in protein and need no fridge, but they are not the quick fuel most people want right before hard effort. We make certified Glatt Kosher biltong and beef jerky, so we know exactly where our own product helps and where it does not.

What a pre workout snack is actually for

A pre workout snack has one job: get you to the end of the session without hunger, a cramping stomach or a heavy gut. That is all. It is not a performance trick, and no snack makes you faster or stronger on its own.

Two things decide whether a snack works for you, and neither is the food itself:

How long before you train. A big meal needs more time than a small snack. A snack you eat ten minutes before a hard run sits differently than the same snack an hour out.
What kind of workout it is. A walk, a lifting session and a long bike ride ask different things of your stomach.

Everyone's digestion is different. What follows is the common-sense version, not a prescription. If you have a medical condition, take medication or follow a specific diet plan, ask your doctor or a registered dietitian what to eat before you train.

The three kinds of pre workout snack

Almost every snack falls into one of three groups. It helps to know which one you are reaching for.

Light and quick

These are small, simple and easy to digest: a banana, a few dates, a slice of toast with something on it, a small handful of pretzels, a piece of fruit. People reach for these when the workout is close, an hour or less away, or when they train first thing in the morning and do not want much in their stomach.

The trade-off is that they do not hold you for long. If your session runs past an hour, you may be hungry halfway through.

Steady and filling

These have some protein and some fat alongside carbohydrates: yogurt with fruit, a sandwich, oatmeal with nuts, a protein-rich snack with bread or fruit. They hold you longer, and they ask more of your stomach, so people usually eat them further ahead of the workout.

A word on kosher households: yogurt is dairy, and dairy and meat are kept separate. If you are planning a meat meal after training, a dairy snack before it can matter, and you wait between them according to your family's custom. A meat-based or pareve snack avoids the question entirely.

Protein-first and portable

This is where jerky and biltong live. They are dried beef, high in protein, small, shelf-stable and ready to eat straight out of the bag. There is nothing to prepare and nothing to keep cold. That makes them very good for the gym bag, the car, the desk drawer and the trailhead.

They are not carbohydrates, and carbohydrates are what most people mean when they say they want energy before a workout. Dried beef is not a replacement for fruit or bread. It is a partner for them.

Where jerky and biltong fit, honestly

Here is our point of view. Dried beef is a better snack around your training than right before it. It works best in three situations:

The long gap before a workout. You trained at 6 p.m., lunch was at noon, and you are starving at 4. A few slices of biltong takes the edge off without a utensil, a plate or a microwave. Pair it with a piece of fruit and you have protein and something lighter alongside it.
The workout that is not intense. A walk, an easy bike ride, a mobility session, a hike. Nothing about it stresses your stomach, so a small portion of dried meat sits fine for most people.
Eating on the go. If the alternative to jerky is a vending machine or nothing, jerky wins. It needs no refrigeration and travels well.

Dried beef is the wrong pick in two situations:

Right before a hard session. Protein and fat take longer to digest than fruit or toast. Many people feel heavier eating a lot of meat in the last half hour before running or intervals. If that is you, save the jerky for afterward or for the afternoon.
When you need fast energy. If your tank is empty and the session starts in twenty minutes, a banana or dates do that job. Beef does not.

Our recommendation: eat dried beef two to three hours out as part of a real snack, or save it for after. Close to the start, go lighter. Then adjust to your own body, because you are the only one who can tell how it feels on a run or a lift.

Biltong, Meat Candy or crisps: which one for the gym bag

We sell a few different dried-beef snacks, and they behave differently in a bag and in your stomach. Here is how we would choose.

Sliced biltong

Our Sliced Biltong comes in a 3 oz bag in Original, Peri Peri and Loaded Garlic. It is air-dried, savory and salty, and it has no sugar glaze. Original is the reference point: beef first, then the warm citrus note of coriander. Peri Peri has real heat, which is not what most people want in a stomach before exercise. If you are eating it before training, Original or Loaded Garlic is the safer choice.

Our Original biltong lists no sugar in its ingredients: grass-fed kosher beef, coriander, black pepper, salt, garlic and vinegar. Ask us or read the label for the details you need, because we are not going to quote a number we cannot back up.

We have a longer piece on biltong at the gym if you want the broader picture.

Minis

The Sliced Biltong Mini's are one-ounce sealed bags. For a workout bag, this is the format. A Mini is a single portion, so you eat what you meant to eat and no more. It is also easy to tuck in a pocket, a lunchbox or a locker. The portioning costs more per ounce than a bigger bag, and that is worth paying when portion control is the point.

Meat Candy

Our Meat Candy is the jerky end of the shelf: cooked, glazed and sweet. Hickory Kickory Dock is smoky hickory with sweetness behind it. Baa-Baa BBQ Sheep is Korean BBQ, sweet and savory together. It is real, whole sliced beef, not ground or mechanically separated meat. The glaze means it eats sweeter than biltong. If you are checking ingredients for any reason, read the label before you buy.

People who want a little sweetness with their protein tend to like it. People who want the plainest possible thing before exercise tend to prefer biltong.

Beef crisps

Our Beef Crisps, from Grub Lab, are real beef dried until it snaps. They are a test batch, which means they may not always be in stock. If you like crunch, they are worth a look when available.

You can see every size and flavor on our Buy Biltong Online page, shipped free across the US on orders over $50.

A simple way to build your own pre workout snack

You do not need a formula, but a pattern helps. Think of a snack as a base plus a partner.

Base: something easy and carbohydrate-based, like fruit, a rice cake, toast, dates or crackers.
Partner: a little protein, if you have the time to digest it.

Some combinations that work for plenty of people:

A banana and a Mini bag of biltong, eaten a couple of hours before.
Toast with something spread on it, and a few slices of biltong on the side.
A piece of fruit alone, when the workout is close and you want to stay light.
A handful of dates and a small portion of Meat Candy, if you want something sweet with your protein.

Drink water through the day, too. It matters more than most people think, and no snack makes up for skipping it.

Keep one rule: do not try something new on a day that counts. A race, a big lifting day, a long hike. Test a snack on an ordinary session first. If it sits well, keep it. If it does not, you lost nothing.

Practical notes: carrying, storing and eating dried beef before exercise

Dried beef is easy to carry, but a few habits keep it that way.

Keep the bag sealed until you are ready. Once opened, finish it or reseal it.
Do not leave it in a hot car for days. It is shelf-stable, not indestructible. A gym bag in the trunk through a summer week is a bad idea.
Chew slowly, and drink water with it. Biltong is salty by design, and it is dry meat. Water is part of the plan.
Start small. A few slices tells you more than half a bag.

And one honest word on salt: both biltong and jerky are salted. If you are watching your sodium for any reason, that is a question for your doctor, not for us.

If you eat kosher, the practical side is easy. Our biltong and jerky are meat products, certified Glatt Kosher, so they fit with other meat snacks and meals. Keep them away from dairy, and wait between meat and dairy according to your family's custom. If your kosher standards are strict or particular, read about our certification and ask your rabbi if you are unsure.

For more on jerky and a high-protein routine, we wrote about kosher jerky on a high-protein diet.

The bottom line

Pick a snack you have tested, eat it far enough ahead that you feel fine, and match it to the workout. Fruit or toast when the session is close. A real snack with some protein when you have time. Jerky and biltong are best two to three hours out, or after, and they are excellent for the bag, the car and the long day. If you want a place to start, try a Mini in Original on an easy day, and if you want kosher jerky with a bit of sweetness, look at our kosher beef jerky.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a good pre workout snack?

Something simple that you have already tested: a banana, toast, dates or yogurt for a quick one, or fruit with a small portion of biltong when you have a couple of hours. The best choice depends on how soon you train and how hard. If you have a medical condition, ask your doctor or a dietitian.

Is beef jerky a good pre workout snack?

It depends on timing. Jerky is high in protein and easy to carry, so it works well a couple of hours before, or for an easy session. Right before a hard workout, many people prefer something lighter. Try it on an ordinary day before you rely on it.

How long before a workout should I eat?

Most people leave more time for a bigger snack and less for a small, simple one. A larger snack with protein often sits better two to three hours ahead. A piece of fruit can be closer to the start. Your own comfort is the best guide, and a dietitian can tailor it to you.

Is biltong or jerky better before a workout?

Neither is a quick-energy food. Biltong is air-dried, savory and has no sugar glaze, so people who want the plainest option often choose it. Meat Candy is glazed and sweeter. If one agrees with you better, that is your answer.

Do biltong and jerky need to be refrigerated?

No. They are shelf-stable and ready to eat straight from the bag, which is why they travel well in a gym bag. Keep them sealed, out of heat, and finish an opened bag in good time.

Is Grub's jerky and biltong kosher?

Yes. Our biltong and Meat Candy are certified Glatt Kosher, and they are meat products. Keep them separate from dairy, and wait between meat and dairy according to your family's custom.

Does Grub ship outside the US?

No. We ship within the United States only, and US orders over $50 ship free.