Eating at the London Games

That’s a lot of Food!

Over the course of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, theLondon 2012 Organizing Committee is responsible for feeding 1.2 million meals to over 15,000 athletes!

But that’s not all. The Organizing Committee also needs to feed the spectators, officials, press… the list goes on. During the Games, an estimated 14 million meals will be served in 40 locations. London features over 800 concessions serving more than 150 food options! It shouldn’t be that surprising. After all, the Olympic Games make up the largest sporting event on the planet and us Hungry Fans need to eat!

A Celebration of Diversity

The food at London 2012 tends to fit into two general categories: British and international cuisine. Understandably, the British food celebrates the heritage and traditions of the host nation. The menu includes various salads, seafood and other British favorites like fish and chips and pie and mash.

Not to worry if you’re not the largest fan of liver and onions. You certainly won’t go hungry. As you walk around Olympic village, you will see a variety of cuisine coming from virtually every continent. The international food ranges from authentic Asian dishes to tasty Caribbean fare.

Commercial sponsors for this year’s Games include: Heineken, Coca-Cola, McDonald’s, Nature Valley and Cadbury. These companies provide the only branded products that are available for sale at the Games.

When I was watching volleyball at Earl’s Court, there was a large assortment of food — mince pies, chicken burritos, wraps, various sandwiches, quiches, chips — here, called crisps — and lots and lots of booze!

Only the Best

As mentioned in London 2012’s Food Vision, where available, all fruit, vegetables and cereals are British and seasonal. In addition, all produce, dairy products and meats are Red Tractor accredited. The Red Tractor accreditation guarantees that all food served at the London Games has be produced to high standards from the farm right through to your hands in order to ensure that you are always eating fresh, quality food.

The head of catering, Jan Matthews, has said that her team modelled the Olympic catering after Borough market, a London foodie’s paradise. And while there have been complaints of long wait times and concessions running out of key ingredients, I recognize and appreciate the Organizing Committee’s endeavour to offer quality, healthy and sustainable food choices! This is definitely a step in the right direction.

You can see a sample of the London 2012 menu here.

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