The most interesting thing about nutrition is that everyone is different. We absorb, process, and use food differently, and it is important to be your own detective/observer to discover what works for you, and what you need. Which looks like you already do!
With that as a background, there are some general principles that are based on solid scientific research, and that should serve as the foundation from which you tweak your nutrition according to the needs of your body. I list them below.
- Instead of calories, use macros to plan your event-day nutrition. It is not possible to accurately calculate how many calories you spend (energy output) or calories in (input). All of these numbers are estimates (including food labels!) unless you are testing everything in a lab. Again, each of us processes and absorb foods differently.
- Aim for 60 grams of carbs per hour. This goes for men and women regardless of their size/weight. Some people can train their bodies to absorb 90g/hr, but it requires “training” your gut and using mixed-sources of carbs. As an aside, I consume more than 60g/hr, because I discovered that I NEED more carbs than the average person.
- From the examples you listed above, I noticed that your foods are low in protein. For an event lasting over 3 hs, it is recommended to consume about 7-10g of protein/hr.
- For long events I recommend avoiding fruits (although bananas are good), as they typically are high in fiber, which is harder to digest (and thus take longer to get to your working muscles), can cause GI upset, and are low in calories.
- I would also recommend avoiding fries, as they have a lot of oil. Cooked potatoes with salt (can be baby potatoes) are a better option.
- Save gummies and gels for the last 60-90 minutes of the ride.
- When you stop for lunch, eat easily digestible proteins along with starchy carbs - avoid meat/chicken/tuna. Avoid foods high in fiber. Pizza is not good either. Anything heavy or that requires time to digest will pull blood from your working muscles and into your stomach. Rice and eggs and egg sandwiches are great options.
- Your breakfast before the event should be a mix of complex carbs- again aim for 60g or more (e.g., oatmeal, whole grain bread, cooled potatoes), 20-25g of easily digestible proteins (eggs, whey) and some fat (avocado, nut butter). Avoid foods high in fiber such as beans and certain fruits.
- Start eating more carbs 2 days before your event to store them in your muscles.
Other than that, eat and drink “on the clock”- so every 45-60 minutes of running clock time (not riding time). Do so even if you are not hungry or thirsty. This is very important!
Hope this helps. Let me know if you have questions!