In a groundbreaking shift towards health and sustainability, the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics will eliminate McDonald’s from its food offerings, opting for gourmet, plant-based cuisine to cater to athletes’ diverse needs.
In an unprecedented move oriented towards health and sustainability, officials organising the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics have decided to eliminate fast food giant McDonald’s from the list of available food providers for the athletes. This marks a significant shift from past practices, emphasising a more gourmet and plant-based dining experience.
Usain Bolt, the Jamaican sprinter who achieved legendary status by winning three gold medals at the Beijing 2008 Olympics, famously revealed that he consumed around 1,000 McDonald’s chicken nuggets during the competition. However, athletes participating in this year’s games in Paris will find no such fast food options. Instead, the culinary offerings at the Olympic Village will reflect a healthier, environmentally-friendly philosophy.
The Paris Games organisers have pledged to offer primarily plant-based, locally-sourced dishes, steering French culinary traditions in a new direction. The strategy is backed by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), which has mandated a focus on local, sustainable, and minimal-waste food options. About two-thirds of the 500 dishes planned will be vegetarian, showcasing innovative alternatives such as beefless bourguignon and ‘not-dogs’—meatless hot dogs enhanced with onions and pickled cabbage in honey-mustard sauce.
Athletes will have the chance to sample Michelin-starred cuisine, including dishes such as croissants topped with poached egg, artichoke cream, shavings of sheep’s cheese, and truffle. Soya-based fried chicken bites will serve as a substitute for the much-loved McNuggets for those craving a taste of fast food.
Sustainability is at the forefront of this initiative. All animal-based products will be sourced within a 250-kilometre radius of Paris and grown organically or through natural means. Leftover food is set to be redistributed to local communities in need, and used coffee grounds will be repurposed as fertiliser, significantly reducing waste.
This revamped menu aims to cater to the diverse cultural, religious, and nutritional needs of the athletes, whilst still showcasing French gastronomy. However, this change hasn’t come without its critics. Some sports fans have expressed scepticism, claiming that a largely vegetarian diet lacks the necessary protein levels elite athletes require. One such critic suggested that the plan could be a strategic move to weaken competitors. Online opinions continue to be divided, with other users supporting the focus on healthy and sustainable consumption.
Despite the general shift, certain nations have been allowed to bring in specific foods according to their preferences. Australian competitors will find staples like Weet-Bix, Four’N Twenty pies, and Milo stocked in their village. Meanwhile, South Korea has requested kimchi, and Great Britain has ensured an ample supply of porridge for its athletes.
The reorientation towards a healthier diet comes as athletes around the world aspire to replicate the success of extraordinary competitors like Neeraj Chopra. Chopra’s journey from a chubby teenager in a small Indian farming village to a gold medalist in the javelin throw at the Tokyo 2021 Olympics exemplifies the rise of a new sporting star and has sparked greater hopes for Indian athletes eyeing more medals in Paris. Chopra’s accomplishment, India’s first gold in track and field and only the second individual Olympic gold in its history, has also fuelled the country’s ambition to potentially host the Summer Games in the future.
As the countdown to the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics continues, the emphasis on health, sustainability, and cultural sensitivity aims to offer a fresh perspective on athletic nourishment—a notable departure from the traditional fast-food fare of previous Games.