The food supplied for the athletes at the Olympic Village needs to cater to a diversity of sports, cultures, ages and special dietary needs. Here is some information about the Olympic Village food menu for Vancouver in 2010, the details taken from an article by USOC Sports Dietitian Susie Parker-Simmons. See more about Olympic Village nutrition and links to information about the menus at other Olympic Games.
2010 Vancouver, Canada
As for previous Olympic Games, the Vancouver Olympic Village menu had to cater to a wide range of sports, cultures, ages and special dietary needs. The dietitians preparing the menu for Vancouver are catering for the special needs of halal, gluten free, vegetarian (vegan), nut free and lactose free diets.
There were some food selections available all day (24-hours), such as fruit, salads, yogurts, cereals, breads, sandwiches, beverages, and desserts. Specific menus were available at the major meal times throughout the day. Breakfast was on between 4am and 10am, and included cereals, egg dishes, breakfast meats, potato dishes, rice, assortment of breads and other hot items such as waffles. Lunch was from 10am to 4pm and dinner from 4pm and 12am. Both the lunch and dinner meals included soups, international entrees, an Asian section, grill/carvery, a Native Canadian section, pizza and pasta, halal and various vegetables and starches (rice, noodles, pasta). Late night eating included soups, pizza, salads, omelets, pasta, salads and a Native Canadian section.
For those who had to eat away from the village, for example on days that they were competing, they were able to pre-order box lunches. All menu items included nutritional labeling, with common food allergies also identified. The catering company for the Vancouver and Whistler Olympic Villages was Sodexo.
Despite the wide range of food types available, apparently pasta and pizza were the biggest sellers, as not surprisingly also was McDonald's food.
Related Pages
- Olympic Village nutrition, includes links to info about the menu at other Olympic Games.
- Nutrition at the Olympics
- The Vancouver Winter Olympic Games
- Nutrition for Winter Sports Athletes
- About the Olympic Games
- Nutrition for Athletes at Major Events