No McDonald's, no chicken nuggets - Inside the 2024 Paris Olympics menu
Usain Bolt ate hundreds of chicken nuggets during the 2008 Beijing Olympics, but athletes will have much healthier options at the 2024 games in Paris, including soya-based nuggets.
French officials have reportedly banned McDonald's, more specifically chicken nuggets, from the 2024 Paris Olympics menu.
Olympians will be encouraged to eat Michelin-starred dishes that are not only healthier, but also include plant-based options.
Speaking to The Guardian, Philipp Würz, head of food at this year's games, says he was shocked to learn that many athletes flocked to McDonald's during the London Olympics.
Twenty-percent of the meals athletes consumed during those games were eaten at the popular fast-food restaurant.
During the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Usain Bolt ate 1,000 chicken nuggets. He spent 10 days in the country, which means he ate an average of 100 nuggets a day!
The Jamaican sprinter, who went on to win two gold medals at the games, said he didn't want to upset his stomach with local food that he was not used to.
"At first, I ate a box of 20 for lunch, then another for dinner. The next day I had two boxes for breakfast, one for lunch and then another couple in the evening. I even grabbed some fries and an apple pie to go with it. Man, I should have gotten a gold medal for all that chowing down," he wrote in his book, 'Faster Than Lightning'.
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Chicken Nuggets Banned at the 2024 Paris Olympics
The Olympic food committee is in charge of 40,000 meals a day. About 1, 200 of those dishes will be Michelin-starred meals. Chicken nuggets are banned, but vegetarian nuggets are not!
Würz says around 30% of the meals served at the Olympic Athletes Village will be plant-based, and include meals such as beefless bourguignon, soya-based nuggets, and 'not-dogs' hot dogs.
"It’s a much healthier menu now,” he told The Guardian. “With no McDonald’s, no chicken nuggets, and more healthy food. Even the star chefs’ menus have been developed with sports nutritionists, so it’s very high-level cuisine, still respecting what the athletes actually need."
According to the publication, croissants, poached eggs, artichoke cream, and shavings of sheep's cheese topped with truffle are among the options available. There's also a "grab and go" station with snacks and a bakery.
There are dozens of McDonald's outlets in Paris, so there is no guarantee that the athletes won't consume chicken nuggets during the Olympics.
However, officials have certainly gone out of their way to make sure they don't!
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Main image credit: iStock/Marcelo Trad