What Kind of Food Do Athletes Eat in the Olympic Village? Protein Shortages but Plenty of Carbs

Olympic athletes request plentifulness of patient nutrient to substance their bodies passim nan competitions. However, nan sports stars person shared some props and dissatisfaction erstwhile revealing nan meals disposable to them successful nan Olympic Village.

What Kind of Foods Do Athletes Eat successful nan Olympic Village?

The repast hallway offers crockery bars, a pasta station, a grilled nutrient paper pinch sides and regular specials prepped to service to astir 15,000 men and women each day.

While location are plentifulness of carb-heavy foods including pizza and breads, immoderate athletes complained astir nan deficiency of high-protein items, including eggs and meat.

That’s because Paris 2024 Olympic organizers wanted nan meals to beryllium heavier connected vegan and vegetarian options successful their effort to person a much “sustainable” games. More than half of 50 dishes offered each time were vegetarian.

French multinational institution Sodexo provided nan nutrient for nan Olympic athletes successful meals concocted by 7 Michelin-starred chefs, but they didn’t spell dense capable connected high-protein items and needed to bid much arsenic nan games went on.

The Olympic Village Suffered Food Shortages With Protein Items

Honduran swimmer Julio Horrego told news agency AFP connected July 29, 2024, that nan greeting prior, he arrived astatine nan repast hallway astatine 10:30 a.m. to find each of nan eggs provided had already been devoured. The jock consumes 5,000 calories a time and noted, “If you get a spot late, past location aren’t enough,” of immoderate items.

“We didn’t person capable meat, but now it’s solved,” Romanian rower, Iulian Chelaru told nan outlet.

Other athletes complained astir nan information sizes not being large enough. “Regarding nan nutrient we’ve had to make immoderate adjustments, which is normal successful operations that size,” Paris Olympics CEO Etienne Thobois said successful a July 29, 2024, property conference.

By July 31, 2024, a Sodexo spokeswoman said, “Eggs and grilled nutrient dishes person been successful precocious demand, truthful volumes person been accrued significantly. For respective days now nan quantities offered are successful statement pinch demand.”

What Have Athletes Said About nan Food successful nan Olympic Village?

U.S. gymnast Simone Biles gave a negotiated reply erstwhile asked by reporters astir Team USA’s meals aft nan ladies took location nan golden medal successful nan squad all-around connected July 30, 2024.

“OK, here’s nan thing. I don’t deliberation we’re having due French cuisine successful nan colony for illustration you guys mightiness beryllium eating because you’re extracurricular nan village,” she said. “For nan athletes it’s a small spot … healthier.”

Teammate Hezly Rivera had a overmuch much blunt response, saying, “I don’t deliberation it’s very good, astatine slightest what we’re having successful nan eating hall. I decidedly deliberation French nutrient is good, but what we’re having successful there, I don’t deliberation it’s nan best. But it gets nan occupation done.” Simone stepped successful to add, “I thought nan pizza was good.”

Breakout American rugby prima Ilona Maher was happy pinch her sheet of nutrient she shared successful a July 26 TikTok video, showing really she had a crêpe, croissant and breadstuff rotation connected her tray, on pinch plentifulness of butter.

“I deliberation there’s immoderate misconceptions connected what athletes eat. We eat a batch of carbs. Fuel up, don’t enactment hungry,” nan bronze medalist said of what she was eating.