Frequently Asked Questions 

We create products that solve problems which means every ingredient has a purpose. That purpose is to help people perform better. We focus on real ingredients and promote an equally healthy lifestyle. Our products are made from real food ingredients to help you bust your butt not your gut.

The creation and evolution of our products has always stemmed from evidence based problem solving – on what we, to the best of our knowledge, understand as real. This emphasis on real is core to our identity. In it there is an earnest attempt to always learn, to solve problems, and to communicate with both intellectual humility and humor. Intellectual humility being the ability to change one’s mind when presented with new and compelling evidence. Humor being able to cut to the truth in a way that is delightful rather than intimidating or threatening.

Skratch Labs has its roots in two key ideas that form the pillars for who we are today.

The first idea is that food and drink are better when it's made from scratch.
When Dr. Allen Lim, our founder, was working as a coach and sports scientist on the Pro-Cycling Tour, the single biggest complaint that athletes had was that conventional sports nutrition left a bad taste in their mouths and an even worse feeling in their guts. It's a problem that's not limited to world-class athletes, but an issue that almost anyone who has consumed highly processed sports drinks, bars, chews, or gels, under the guise of performance, has ironically experienced. To remedy this problem, Dr. Lim began literally making the food and drink he gave to riders, in races like the Tour de France, from scratch. He started blending a simple sports drink with less sugar, more sodium, and real fruit to keep athletes better hydrated. At the same time, he prepared delicious recipes like savory rice cakes, parmesan potatoes, and freshly baked cookie bars to fuel his team. While it may not have always been easy or convenient, this return to real food and drink was based on evidence-based problem-solving – on relentless experimentation and critical feedback from some of the best athletes in the world.

The second pillar for us at Skratch Labs is the belief that no matter where you find yourself in life, it's never too late to start from scratch.
When we first started Skratch Labs, we just wanted to help people solve problems. But doing so meant we had to solve a lot of our own problems, both personally and professionally. We literally had to start our lives over from scratch – a new beginning that is very much our own American Dream. Fortunately, the same problem solving skills that we used to create our products, allowed us to learn quickly. We pulled ourselves up from our bootstraps and got to work, adapting through creative innovation. It's this innovation and the basic belief that we can transform for the better that forms the basis of our mission. A mission to provide people, regardless of where they find themselves, with the inspiration, life skills, and products so that they can take better care of themselves and their families through real nutrition created for a lifetime of physical activity.

For more info see the about us page

It imparts two key beliefs when it comes to people taking care of themselves and realizing their potential.

1️. The first belief is that food and drink are better when it’s made from scratch.

2️. The second is that no matter where someone finds themselves in life, it’s never too late to start from scratch.

It's also about the heart and the head.

The Skratch symbolizes the soul of the company, the heart side. The hedonistic side, the emotional side, the passion side.

The Lab side is a reminder that you still have to be rational, that there's still science and there's still evidence-based problem solving when you come to your conclusion, and that the two can live together.

Skratch Labs is here to help athletes who are striving for greater performance in sports like cycling, running, or any sport where exceptional endurance drives success. We believe that it's a combination of training, recovery, and nutrition that will help you improve, whether you're a Pro Tour cyclist or committing to a first try at a new distance. We get it -- pushing your physical limits makes you feel alive -- and we're here to help. Our products are made with real food, starting from scratch so that you actually want to eat or drink them and you feel good when pushing hard.

Skratch Labs products are safe to use for anyone looking for cleaner sports nutrition. We never use artificial sweeteners, isolates, colors, or preservatives that might cause GI distress.

Many athletes and teams use Skratch, to learn more about some of the professional athletes we work closest with head here.

Additionally firefighters, industrial workers, folks with medical conditions needing more hydration or sodium, expecting mothers and more use our products.

All Skratch products are made from natural ingredients making them a great option for children.
All of our hydration products have less sugar than comparable drinks and are only flavored with real fruit. They have none of the excess ingredients like preservatives, emulsifiers, coloring agents, or flavoring agents.
Hydration Sport Drink Mix, like with adults, is perfect for making sure they stay hydrated for activities like dance class, gymnastics, soccer, skiing, or bike riding - really anytime the little ones are sweating!

Our Wellness Hydration Mix was designed specifically with kids in mind for when they are sick with diarrhea or severely dehydrated. Based on the World Health Organization’s recommendations for oral rehydration salts, used to rapidly rehydrate those who are sick, our Wellness Hydration Mix is an excellent alternative to popular pediatric drinks. Wellness Hydration Mix contains all of the sodium, potassium, and zinc kids (and adults) need when they are feeling under the weather without any of the extraneous flavoring agents, artificial sweeteners, coloring agents, preservatives, or emulsifiers.

Our Energy Bar Sport Fuel also make a great snack for school, sports, or weekend adventures.

For kids working hard and pushing hard at sports, our Recovery Mix can be a great after practice refuel.

We would suggest avoiding our caffeinated flavors.

Yes, Skratch is safe to drink during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
We've received quite a bit of positive feedback from women who've used Skratch during both pregnancy and delivery, and even breastfeeding too. Our local birthing center also stocks it and suggests it for moms-to-be.
We recommend you still follow the standard suggestion of only using Hydration Sport Drink Mix when you're sweating, and well, exercising. Our matcha green tea and lemons is the only mix that contains naturally occurring caffeine from green tea leaves (16 mg per serving), so if you have any reservations with this one, you might be more inclined to pass on this particular flavor.
Our Daily Hydration recipe is a great option when just looking for a little boost in your water.
If you're not already familiar, we would also recommend checking out our Wellness Hydration mix. It's our Oral Rehydration Solution, much like Pedialyte, but without all of the unnecessary additives. This comes in pretty handy in times of heightened dehydration following illness, morning sickness, or in full disclosure, a bout of diarrhea.
Additionally our Energy Bars and Recovery Mix are great for keeping calories up during breastfeeding.

Skratch Labs products are manufactured and assembled in the USA & Canada. Our headquarters and warehouse are in Boulder, Colorado, where our team can take full advantage of the mountains, trails, rivers, and sunshine.

For potential career opportunities please check our careers page and follow us on Linkedin.

Check out the product pages and product blogs for all the info and product videos!
All nutrition facts and ingredient lists can be found on the product pages.

Hydration Sport Drink Mix Product Page | Hydration Sport Drink Mix Blog
Energy Chews Sport Fuel Product Page | Energy Chews Sport Fuel Blog
Crispy Rice Cake Sport Fuel Product Page | Crispy Rice Cake Sport Fuel Blog
Recovery Sport Drink Mix Product Page | Recovery Sport Drink Mix Blog
Energy Bar Sport Fuel Product Page | Energy Bar Sport Fuel Blog
Wellness Hydration Mix Product Page | Wellness Hydration Mix Blog
High-Sodium Hydration Drink Mix | High-Sodium Hydration Drink Mix
Super High-Carb Sport Drink Mix | Super High-Carb Drink Mix Science + Practice

Yes! We’re a food company (regulated by the FDA guidelines).

Hydration Sport Drink Mix​
This is a light tasting sports drink that's clean and refreshing because it's made with less sugar, more sodium and is flavored only with real fruit.

Hydrates faster than water alone.

Designed to minimize GI distress and flavor fatigue (two biggest problems that we solved for pro athletes).

Electrolyte profile that matches actual sweat (800 mg sodium/L, 80 mg potassium/L, 100 mg calcium/L, 80 mg magnesium/L), and only real fruit for flavor.

Clear Hydration Drink Mix
This was designed because every athlete has a different sodium sweat concentration, and some need more sodium in their hydration drink than others. 

Easy drinking: Just a hint of flavor that won’t wear out athletes’ taste buds during long or hot days.

Electrolyte flexibility: Each serving contains 270mg sodium, but users can add as much or as little as needed without impacting flavor.

Flexibility to use for all-day sipping or stack for bigger efforts: Lower sugar (4g) and lower calories (50) for drinking in high volumes or during less active times. Or you can do multiple scoops to match Sport Hydration Mix ratios or combine with Sport or Super High-Carb for different endurance needs. Incredibly low osmolality means easy digestion without disruption.


​Wellness Hydration Mix
Wellness Hydration Drink Mix is designed to rapidly rehydrate with a combination of sodium, potassium and zinc (significantly more sodium and potassium than is found in sports drinks)

It is based on World Health Organization recommendations for addressing nutrient deficiencies caused by heightened dehydration or extreme exercise. 

Different from the versions of over the counter oral rehydration solutions since it is without the extra ingredients like food colorings and artificial sweeteners.

Oral rehydration solutions are electrolyte solutions with 1500 mg of sodium/L, 500 mg of potassium/L, 10 mg of zinc/L, and a small amount of sugar (2 to 3 grams per 100 mL of water)

High-Sodium Hydration Drink Mix
This drink is a high sodium drink at the same concentration of blood, making it a drinkable saline.

It’s used to load up on extra water and sodium the night before and immediately before really long and hot workouts. It helps to ensure that an athlete’s plasma volume and sodium stores at full capacity.

A solution with a sodium concentration equivalent to saline or blood at 3500 mg of sodium/L. Combined with a small amount of sugar (3 grams per 100 mL) and real fruit for flavor.

Skratch Crispy Rice Cakes are an energy food that you actually want to eat! The cakes are 180-190 calories and over 30g of carbohydrates to fuel most athletes for over an hour. The energy comes mostly from the complex carbohydrates in rice. Complex carbs take longer to digest. By breaking down slowly, they provide steady energy into your body over a longer period and keep blood sugar levels steady, rather than a sudden spike. Skratch Crispy Rice Cakes are gluten free, peanut free, dairy free, gelatin free, and non-GMO, with no artificial colors or flavors. Oh, and they’re also delicious, soft, and easy on the stomach.

Skratch Labs Crispy Rice Cakes Sport Fuel are available in three flavors: Mallow, Chocolate & Mallow, and Strawberry & Mallow. A problem we keep hearing from athletes is, “I don’t look forward to eating my energy food.” So we reminded ourselves. What’s the best food for fueling that’s packed with energy but still easy to digest? That would be simple, high-quality rice. And what’s the best way to enjoy rice? As a crispy treat!

For more information on this product check out: Crispy Rice Cake Sport Fuel FAQ + Blog 

For years, Skratch has preached fueling athletes with real food, like our famous rice cakes and delicious Energy Bars.

Why? Because traditional fueling gels and high-calorie carbohydrate drinks are too concentrated or use carbohydrate sources that digest too fast for athletes to tolerate, causing gastrointestinal distress.

But we know athletes can’t always make, carry, or eat real food. They want convenience and calories in a bottle that won’t make them sick. To that end, our founder, Dr. Allen Lim, developed a solution with a formula using Cluster Dextrin - an extraordinarily complex carbohydrate that is highly soluble but digests steadily like real food.

Our Super High-Carb Sport Drink Mix is a liquid carbohydrate source with over 20 months of testing with Gold Medalist Gwen Jorgensen as well as the Education First Pro Cycling Team. It has effectively allowed these athletes to drink their fuel during some of the longest and most intense events in the world when they can’t eat real food, without causing the gastrointestinal distress common to highly concentrated carbohydrate solutions. What makes it such a great tool in their fueling arsenal is that it can be consumed rapidly, allowing a large number of calories to be consumed during the unpredictable stress of competition. At the same time, once consumed, it provides a steady and long term source of energy that the athletes describe as a continuous drip of constant fuel.

For more information on this product check out: Super High-Carb Science + Practice. 

Why is the serving size for the super high-carb drink mix’s 840g bag a 105-gram serving, but the portable single serving pouch for the same product is only 53 grams? Why 200 calories in a single?
Everyone is their own experiment with nutrition requirements. Our 200-calorie packet allows for an easier way to customize caloric needs. It also allows for better portability and product portion testing in training.

Can I use more than one 200-calorie serving pouch in a single bottle?
Sure can! The flexibility of the single pouch allows you to increase or decrease the amount depending on weather, activity, and intensity.How you use it all depends on how many calories you need to take in, and how much water you want to drink to get those calories. Think of it as food when you don't have (or can't chew) food. To learn more about best practices head to our Super High-Carb Science and Practice Blog.

I’ve used the scoop from the super high-carb drink mix bag in the past to prepare my bottle. How many scoops are equal to the new portable single-serving pouch?
Our High-Carb Drink Mix 200-calorie pouch contains the equivalent of 3.5 scoops of High-Carb Drink Mix.

3.5 scoops or 1 x 53g packet Super High-Carb Drink Mix = 200 calories and 190mg of sodium

7 scoops or 2 x 53g packets Super High-Carb Drink Mix = 400 calories and 380mg of sodium

You can always start with less and add more as needed, based on your caloric and electrolyte needs.

How many calories do I need in my bottle? 400? 200? Another amount?
Think of Super High-Carb as an easy way to carry a lot of calories to meet your needs. Ultimately, we recommend that you replace about 1/2 the calories you burn per hour to maintain your blood sugar levels and to make sure you don't run out of carbohydrate in your muscle (glycogen). Depending upon your fitness and intensity, 200 or 400 Calories may or may not be enough for you. So you can think of Super High-Carb Drink Mix as a convenient way to get what you need without upsetting your gut. Don't think of this as what you have to consume. Consider starting by testing 1 to 1.5 pouches (or if using a Super High-Carb bag 3.5-5 scoops) in 16 oz of water and go from there.

Do I need a separate bottle of Sport Hydration Drink Mix?
One serving of Super High-Carb provides the equivalent amount of hydration as one serving of Sport Drink Mix. That said, 1 bottle or about 1/2 liter may not be enough to replace your fluid losses from sweat. So if you do need more hydration beyond one bottle, then our Sport Drink Mix still fits the bill. Realize that optimal hydration and optimal fueling are not the same thing. We don't always lose calories in proportion to the fluid we lose. On hot days, you may not even need Super High-Carb if you are using our Sport Drink Mix at a rate that matches your fluid losses, and therefore getting enough fluid and calories to meet your needs. On cooler days, you may find that you're burning the same amount of energy but not sweating as much, so based on your increased fuel needs and lower fluid needs, a higher calorie Super High-Carb bottle is a better solution. Think of Super High-Carb and our Sport Drink Mix as two very different types of tools. It's not that one is better than the other. One is a big hammer without a lot of fluid. The other is a little hammer with a lot more fluid.

You can mix High-Carb with our other hydration mixes into one bottle but you’ll want to do some math and make sure you are getting an appropriate combination of carbs, sodium, and liquid to your needs and to avoid GI distress (too many carbs in too short of a period and you’ll be busting your gut…). This ratio can change depending on the weather, effort, and other factors, so test things in training and if you have questions, hit us up: info@skratchlabs.com

Our products are verified non-GMO, except our chews.

Thanks for asking we have a long list! Check out all our vegan products here.

Almost all of them are. Most of our powdered mixes are certified Kosher by The Scroll K - Vaad Hakashrus of Denver. Our Energy Bars are certified Kosher by the OU, also known as the Orthodox Union. Our Crispy Rice Cakes are Kosher: Salted Maple & Mallow, Strawberry + Mallow, Chocolate + Mallow.
.

For the best quality, our products should be consumed by the best by date listed in the wrapper.

There is a chance it is in the bag and got buried. Lay down the product on a flat surface and pat to see if you feel it. If you do not, don’t worry, here is a conversion using everyday kitchen measuring spoons.

Hydration Sport Drink Mix - 1.75 TBS to 12-16oz of liquid
Recovery Sport Drink Mix - ⅓ cup to 12oz of liquid
Super High-Carb Sport Drink Mix - 5tsp per scoop
Clear Hydration Drink Mix - 1.75 TBS to 12-16oz of liquid

Because we use actual fruit for flavor instead of chemicals that taste like fruit. Any "floating stuff" you may see in your bottle is small bits of fruit pulp. Sometimes a trace amount of the electrolyte salts in Skratch may hang around the bottom of your bottle too, but just give it a little shake before taking a swig and drink up. They're good for you.

Unlike our standard Sport Hydration Drink Mix, both our Clear and Super High Carb drink mix take a little more care and effort to mix. Because of the unique structure of the complex carbohydrate we use, the powder is extremely fine and light, which gives it a strong electrostatic charge. This causes it to either sit on the surface of water or clump into little balls, which makes the interior hard to wet and dissolve.

But, fortunately there’s an easy fix. Start by putting the powder into a dry water bottle. Then fill the bottle about a quarter full with water. Shake vigorously to completely wet all the powder and to break up the electrostatic charge. Then fill the remainder of the bottle with water. Don’t worry if there are still some undissolved clumps. They will dissipate within the next 5 to 10 minutes. Here is a short video that highlights the best way to mix.

Because Skratch doesn't have any preservatives of any kind, our drink mix needs a little bit of TLC. Dry drink mix should be stored in a cool, dry place either in its zip-top bag or in any other airtight glass or plastic container. Extreme heat and direct sunlight are like Kryptonite for Skratch, so don't keep it in your car or your tent in the middle of the Sahara. Once added to water, a good rule of thumb is to treat it like fruit juice. After mixing, it is ideal to drink it within the day and can be consumed warm without lessening its efficacy. If mixed and then kept in the fridge it will stay good for up to a week. You will know when you have let it hang around in your bottle too long, it will smell a little bit funky and your inner voice will tell you "don't drink that". Listen to your inner voice.

If your drink mix is clumping because you haven't worked out in a while that is because the real freeze-dried fruit contained within really likes water. Humidity loves our Skratch if it isn't getting scooped all the time. If you can see the ocean from your computer right now best practice would be to transfer your drink mix to a mason jar or some Tupperware, or a good ziploc as soon as you open it. Better yet, just shoot us a message (info@skratchlabs.com) or give us a call (1 800 735 8904) we can get you sorted out.

Yes! You can serve our mixes warm, here are some suggestions to get started.

Yes! Skratch makes great popsicles, ice cubes, fudge pops, or just to have a cold bottle after it thaws for later on a hot ride.

Caffeine in Skratch Matcha Hydration Mix: 16 mg per serving
Caffeine in Skratch Matcha Chews: 2mg per serving, 4 mg per packet

There is a lot of controversy about sugar in our diet. While we don't disagree that excess sugar or excess anything for that matter is bad for us, we do believe that the role that sugar plays in health and performance is about context. In the context of an active lifestyle and more specifically during prolonged or very intense exercise, sugar can be critical to helping to maintain one's blood sugar, to keeping oneself fueled, and along with sodium can significantly improve the transport of water into the body. For more please see Hydration Science and Practice.

The bottom line is that consuming an excess of sugar isn't good for you if you're not active. But, if you're working hard and sweating, a bit of sugar will improve your performance significantly.

So if you're not sweating and working hard, don't use our Hydration Sport Drink Mix. But if you are sweating you need to put back both the water and the electrolytes you're losing and can best do that with a drink that contains a little bit of sugar and plenty of sodium.

Yes, water is fine if the activity is short, the temperature is moderate and sweat rates are low. But remember that sweat isn't just water, it's also made up of electrolytes, especially salt or sodium chloride, which makes up about 90% of the electrolytes we lose. Of these electrolytes, it's the loss of sodium that can potentially hurt our performance the most. Thus, if you're just drinking water, you're not putting back everything you're losing.

In fact, if you're just drinking water and relying on your thirst, it's unlikely that you're even putting back all of the water you're losing. Although this may negatively impact performance in the long term, this isn't necessarily a bad thing in the short term because losing water is actually one of a few mechanisms the body has to protect the concentration of sodium in our bloodstream. This is because one signal for thirst is an increase in the sodium concentration of blood – something that happens as we sweat and lose fluid from our body. Since thirst is in part driven by sodium concentration and because some sodium is lost in sweat, in theory, it doesn't take as much water to quench one's thirst as was lost. This under-drinking protects us because if we drink only water beyond thirst, we might run the risk of diluting our blood's sodium concentration – a situation called hyponatremia and that can lead to a number of negative performance and health consequences. So, while drinking plain water may be fine in theory, make sure not to drink beyond thirst, even if that means you're losing water weight that may eventually impair your ability to perform at your best.

Of course, this scenario can be avoided the closer one gets to replacing both the water and sodium lost in one's sweat. In fact, even if you're not exactly matching the sodium lost in your sweat, during prolonged exercise in the heat at moderate to heavy sweat rates there is no situation where drinking water alone is better than a sports drink that contains a little bit of sugar and plenty of sodium like our Hydration Sport Drink Mix.

Ultimately, your sweat contains a lot of sodium, (500-2000mg per liter). Using a drink that doesn't contain sodium while the body is losing sodium can throw off our thirst mechanism and keep us from replacing all of the water we are losing. More importantly, sodium plays a critical role in almost every cell function, so keeping it in balance along with water is key to our performance. Thus, a drink with a sodium content similar to what you lose in sweat along with a little bit of sugar to help transport water and help maintain blood sugar levels is always better than water alone during strenuous exercise in the heat. You have to replace everything you're losing, not just the water.

Glad you asked! We made this quick video to help break it down.

That is a tough question to answer because everyone is different. The right amount depends on not only the conditions (think temperature and humidity) and length and intensity (how long, how hard, how far) but also on the individual. One to two 500mL servings per hour is a good starting point and then experiment to see what works best for you. One way to check if you're drinking enough is to weigh yourself before and after a workout. If you're losing more than a 3% loss in total body weight, your performance may be suffering and you probably need to drink more. That said, it's important to listen to your body and to your thirst. Drinking beyond your thirst isn't a good idea as that may lead you to inadvertently dilute out your body's proper sodium concentration. If you feel like you're listening to thirst but still losing a lot of water weight, try adding more sodium to your drink. Beyond our Hydration Sport Drink Mix (800 mg Na per Liter) we also have our Wellness Hydration Mix (1500 mg Na per Liter), and our High-Sodium Hydration Mix (3500 mg Na per Liter) to help you get some extra sodium in.

Exercise associated cramps occur primarily because of muscle fatigue. More specifically, it's when very small muscle fibers called intrafusal fibers that give our nervous system feedback about the length of our muscles fatigue that errant signals can be sent to the spine causing a reflex response that sparks an uncontrollable cramp.
While people often talk about dehydration or an electrolyte imbalance as the root cause of a cramp, that's not exactly right. In and of itself, dehydration won't cause a cramp. That said, dehydration and electrolyte imbalances can contribute to fatigue. So the bigger issue here isn't merely the cramp, it's how to delay fatigue.
Proper training, acclimating to one's environment, staying cool in the heat, proper fuel and staying well hydrated can all help delay fatigue.
.

The prevailing thought is that as little as a 2% loss of body fluids can significantly affect aerobic performance. There are over 28 published studies demonstrating decrements in performance that show dehydration in the range of 2 to 4% of total body weight can impair performance anywhere from 7 to 44% when measured as time to exhaustion, work done, or peak exercise performance.

Like most things in science, however, there's also evidence that shows that the body can withstand a significant amount of dehydration without an impairment to performance. Furthermore, in practice, many athletes competing in real-world conditions can maintain a high level of performance even with a significant loss of body fluid (up to 10% loss).

In Dr. Lim's experience, while working on the Pro-Cycling Tour, he found that if he could teach athletes to listen to thirst and not lose more than 3% of their body weight, they were able to maintain a relatively high level of performance. He also found that the closer athletes came to replacing both the sodium and the water that they lost during exercise the easier it was for them to maintain body weight when drinking according to thirst.
For a great reference on this topic take a look at: Sawka, M. N., & Noakes, T. D. (2007). Does dehydration impair exercise performance? Med Sci Sports Exerc, 39(8), 1209-1217.

We have a lot of information to share for all your fueling and hydration needs in our cookbooks and on our blog, youtube, and social channels.

We also love to work through bottlenecks, help you figure out where to start, and answer questions, so email us! info@skratchlabs.com

For all the Ask Allen answers head here.


Some helpful blogs to get started:
Timing your Nutrition
5 Tips for Better Fueling
Fueling for an Ultramarathon
5 Tips to Fuel Your Ride
.

The short answer is they are all full of super yummy deliciousness with recipes that are both easy to make and good for you.

The slightly longer answer is that all three are written by Skratch Labs' very own Dr. Allen Lim and Chef Biju Thomas after the athletes they cooked for and helped teach cook started asking them for the recipes they used. They wanted the book to be a reference for them so that they would have one of the essential life skills they needed to take better care of themselves – cooking. But, they also knew that if they could write a simple and practical book for the athletes they worked with – many of whom were very young and living on their own for the very first time – they could help a lot of people who had the same questions and concerns about performance and nutrition. For us, the answers to those questions start in the kitchen, not in a textbook or sterile laboratory, so the Feed Zone Cookbook series was our way of motivating others to get in the kitchen and take action.

The first cookbook in the series is the Feed Zone Cookbook. It takes athletes through a complete day of eating. From breakfast, portable ride food, recovery food, dinner, and even a little bit of dessert.

People were so interested in the "portables" section of the Feed Zone Cookbook, that our second book – Feed Zone Portables – focused on just that. It begins with an in depth introduction on the science and practice of fueling while on the go, making a strong case for solid foods for fuel and less caloric drinks for hydration. Feed Zone Portables is filled with a wide variety of simple, delicious, and effective recipes to give athletes alternatives for dry energy bars.

Finally, Feed Zone Table brings the focus back to dinner with a specific emphasis on family style meals. Despite of or perhaps because of all of the science written about optimal nutrition, it's sometimes hard to remember that optimal nutrition doesn't happen in a bubble. It actually happens when we share food with those who matter to us. Feed Zone Table takes the stand that social fuel is just as important as chemical fuel and was written so athletes remembered to include those they love in their pursuit to be better.

All three books offer many vegetarian or gluten free options as well as many more that can be easily converted.
Here are a few that we have posted on our blog that you can test right now: GF Chicken Pad Thai // Spicy kimchi and soft-tofu soup // Crispy rice omelet // BLT stuffed avocados // GF Hearty cinnamon + almond pancakes // GF banana waffle sandwiches // GF chocolate and sea salt sticky bites // Vegan cookie recipes

Skratch founder, Dr. Allen Lim started making his now famous Bacon and Egg Rice Cakes at training camps and races to give athletes something savory and fresh to eat while on the bike. They became a huge hit because riders were tired of pre-packaged, sweet foods. Sometimes savory hits the spot!

Not only are these rice cakes delicious, they also provide a consistent energy source that doesn’t upset the stomach.

The results: real food is better. Real food tastes better, digests quickly, and helps you perform at your best.

For more on rice cakes check out these blogs:
Cinnamon Apple Rice Cakes
Rice Cake Wrappings Tips and Recipes
Bacon Almond Butter Rice Cakes

Making rice cakes is like baking a good apple pie, it may take you a couple tries to be successful. There are a few essentials: use white sticky sushi or calrose rice as it has a high starch content. (Brown rice will not work for rice cakes, don't even bother trying). Moist rice is the ticket to a good firm rice cake. Use a rice cooker to prepare your rice, it cooks more evenly and keeps rice moister than the stovetop method. If the recipe is for a savory cake and calls for soy sauce or liquid aminos, be very liberal with those ingredients. The protein in the soy/aminos binds with the starch in the rice to form the delicious glue that holds the cake together. Also, don't be afraid to put some muscle into pressing the rice mixture down firmly into your pan. Finally, make sure you mix all of your wet ingredients together and form the rice cakes while the rice is still piping hot, fresh out of the rice cooker. Cool or cold rice won't absorb additional ingredients and won't stick together very well. Of all the tips stated above, it's the hot rice part that we find people mess up the most.

Depending on the additional ingredients used to make your rice cakes, the general rule of thumb we use is about 3 hours in the pocket after wrapped. In pro races, rice cakes are typically wrapped and kept chilled in a cooler, so getting through a 5 to 7-hour event isn't normally a problem because the rice cakes themselves aren't typically in a rider's pocket for more than an hour or two before they're eaten.

To maximize the safety of your rice cakes, here are a couple of tips. First, wrap your rice cakes well in a parchment foil like Skratch paper immediately after you finish making them and keep them in a Ziploc bag to help keep them from drying out. Second, after making and wrapping your rice cakes get them in a refrigerator as soon as you can to cool them down and to keep them cool. Don't just leave them out, especially if it's going to be a while before you use them. Third, if you're concerned about extending longevity use shelf stable ingredients to season and make your rice cakes. Our favorite is our Rice Cake flavored with maple syrup, braggs aminos (gluten free soy alternative), rice vinegar, and a little bit of olive oil with almond butter and crispy bacon (if you like) sandwiched in the middle. All of these ingredients are shelf stable and the salt, acidity, and fat help to keep the rice cake a little more stable than recipes with non-shelf stable ingredients.

Finally, use common sense. Don't try and be a hero here. If you have any perishable food in your pockets for an extended period of time, throw it out and eat something fresh or shelf stable. No need to take any unnecessary risks out there.

For more head here:
Rice Cakes 101
Rice Cake Wrapping Tips
Bacon Almond Butter Rice Cakes

Our blogs are a great starting point for information and recipes. The Feedzone Cookbooks are highly recommended by athletes and cooks alike. 

We are sold in over 6,000 spots across the nation. You can find your local Skratch dealers here. If you would like to see Skratch carried locally, just have your favorite store contact us at sales@skratchlabs.com. Let’s get them carrying the good stuff! International? Check out the international section below for more info!

Our office is not open for pick up orders. Fortunately there are some great Skratch dealers in Boulder who are open and/or offering curbside pickup if you need a quick Skratch fix.

We also have all our products at our new Skratch Labs Cafe located on Pearl Street in Boulder. Come say hi! For questions please email us at info@skratchlabs.com. Thanks for the continued support.

Many shops and Skratch fans have our products at their events. 
Looking to have Skratch at your event? Fill out this form.

Yes! On orders over $59 within the United States. If not, shipping is $5.95.

If you can't find your tracking email, shoot us an email at info@skratchlabs.com and we can get you taken care of!

We guarantee that our products will help you perform better. If they don’t, we’ll help you find something else or refund your purchase. It’s on us -- no matter where you bought them -- because we’re here to help.

To begin the return process please email us at info@skratchlabs.com and let us know your name, order number when applicable, and item you are returning, and if you want to exchange or refund.

Unfortunately, no. Only one discount code can be used at a time.

Every order placed on our website gets a free sticker, we also sell sticker packs!

Right on! We love seeing how you fuel and crush your adventures with Skratch! You can use this form to submit photos to be considered for use on our different social channels or other spots. 

We love stickers too! You can submit ideas or art here. 

That is awesome, welcome to the fuel fam! To sign up for the Loyalty Lab: Skratch Athletes Rewards head here. 

Nope! The program is completely free of charge and you can deactivate your account whenever you’d like (although we hope you never do).

Once you have your account set up, you’re all set to start earning points on your purchases and activities.

Please watch this quick video that will hopefully help you troubleshoot.

Yes! Slowly but surely we are getting our products on shelves across the oceans. Below please find links to all of our current international partners:

UK
Canada
Australia
Mexico
South Africa
Costa Rica
Philippines
Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Bolivia, Peru
Germany
Slovakia / Czech Republic
Vietnam

Alternatively product can be purchased directly from Skratch Labs. Due to regulations from the UK and the EU, unfortunately orders less than 135 £ (GBP)/ 158 (EUR) will no longer be accepted. The price you are quoted is the best rate we can get. We understand the shipping costs aren't cheap but we don't add on any handling fees, the cost you see is what they are charging us. Additionally ordering directly from us, your country of residence will charge duties or tariffs on food products at the discretion of the importing country. Those duties are separate from Skratch Labs shipping charges and are your responsibility to pay. We understand international shipping rates aren't cheap and want to make sure we can get our products to you in the most affordable manner, even if it's not directly from us.

We do ship to APO/FPO military bases from our U.S. website. If you are active military we encourage you to apply for our military discount.

We can ship individual orders to basically anywhere in the world! Due to customs regulations, we unfortunately cannot ship to Spain. Due to regulations from the UK and the EU, unfortunately orders less than 135 £ (GBP) will no longer be accepted.

Shipping costs vary a lot based upon the contents of your cart and the destination country. The price you are quoted is the UPS International rate which is the best rate we can get. We understand the shipping costs aren't cheap but we don't add on any handling fees, the cost you see is what they are charging us. Additionally ordering directly from us, your country of residence will charge duties or tariffs on food products at the discretion of the importing country. Those duties are separate from Skratch Labs shipping charges and are your responsibility to pay! Sorry.

Our products can also be found through international distributors in the: Where can I find Skratch Internationally section above.

We understand international shipping rates aren't cheap and want to make sure we can get our products to you in the most affordable manner, even if it's not directly from us. Before ordering direct from us we suggest you check out the link above for where to find Skratch internationally.

Those papers are likely import duties or tariffs that can be imposed on food products at the discretion of the importing country. Those duties are separate from Skratch Labs shipping charges and are your responsibility to pay.

Please send inquiries to sales@skratchlabs.com

You know it! Click here or for more info and to get setup, email us at sales@skratchlabs.com 

Please fill out this form.

Our sales team will follow up with any questions and next steps. If you have any questions in the meantime you can direct them to sales@skratchlabs.com.

Please fill out this form.