Olympic Athletes Share How They Really Feel About Food In The Olympic Village - Tasting Table

"While most viewers of the Olympic and Paralympic Games speculate on who will take home the gold, fans who also love food may be wondering what competitors eat at the Olympic Villages. To get the scoop on meals served at the Games over the years, Tasting Table spoke with Paralympian snowboarder and skier Amy Purdy, Olympian figure skater Jason Brown, and Olympic artistic gymnast Aly Raisman. The athletes have partnered with Hershey's this year for its campaign celebrating happiness as "the real gold," releasing limited-edition chocolate medals in honor of the Games."

"Purdy won a bronze medal for the U.S. at the 2014 Sochi Paralympic Games, then a silver and bronze at the 2018 Pyeongchang Paralympic Games, before retiring in 2022. Brown, still a working athlete, competed in the Olympic Games for Team USA in Sochi 2014 and Beijing 2022, winning a bronze medal at the former. Before retiring in 2020, Raisman earned six Olympic medals for the U.S., including three golds, at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro and 2012 London Olympic Games."

"When asked about food at the Olympic Villages, Purdy's answer was practical. "We were outdoors competing and starving," she said. "So I had no problem with the food ... I would just eat it all". Raisman said that the dining halls offered "tons of options," but having "an opportunity to see so many athletes" was the most exciting part of meals for her. The athletes told us more about dining hall dishes and their eating habits while competing."

Olympic Village dining halls provide extensive, varied meal options and act as communal spaces where athletes from many countries gather. Athletes valued both the variety of dishes and the chance to socialize with competitors during meals. Some athletes described eating freely when competing outdoors and feeling extremely hungry, while others emphasized selecting foods that fit strict training or dietary plans. Event partnerships and branded promotions, such as limited-edition Hershey's chocolate medals, appeared alongside athlete dining. Recollections from multiple Games emphasize convenience, choice, and camaraderie as defining features of dining at the Villages.

Read at Tasting Table