From medals to meals: How the Paris Olympics embraced plant-based food

The 2024 Paris Olympics are making news not just for sports but also for their strong focus on sustainability. This year, the Games promised to double the amount of plant-based food available, aiming to make the event greener and better for the planet.

Achieving this has involved balancing different needs and interests.

The opening ceremony celebrated France’s rich cultural identity, with food playing a starring role. A memorable moment featured Dionysus, the Greek god of wine and festivities, amidst a vibrant display of fresh produce. However, this focus on food has sparked intense discussion in France, highlighting the challenges of reconciling diverse interests.

Recent relations between France and food

Earlier in 2024, French farmers, upset about low incomes and new rules, protested by blocking highways with their tractors, demanding support for local agriculture. Soon after, climate activists from Riposte Alimentaire made headlines by spraying pumpkin soup on the Mona Lisa at the Louvre, calling for more attention to the environmental impact of food.

Instead of avoiding these issues, the Paris Olympics took them head-on.

Organisers worked to increase plant-based options while still supporting local farmers. Philipp Wurz, head of food for the Paris Games, said the goal was to offer both plant-based and meat options to keep everyone happy.

The Paris 2024 ‘Food Vision’ plan is ambitious. It aims to double the amount of plant-based food compared to previous Olympics, source 80% of ingredients from within France, and make sure 30% of the food is organic. For the first time, one stadium—Place de la Concorde, hosting events like skateboarding and BMX—will be entirely meat-free.

How is the initiative being perceived?

At the start of the Games, some athletes complained about shortages of meat and other foods, raising concerns about quality.

However, Wurz explained that the plant-based focus mainly applies to food for spectators, with about 30% of the food in the athletes’ village being vegetarian.

The Paris Olympics’ focus on sustainability aligns with their goal of cutting carbon emissions by half compared to previous Games. Each meal now aims to have a carbon footprint of just 1kg of CO2 emissions, a big improvement that reflects France’s trend toward eating less meat.

Some athletes have welcomed the change. Kate Strong, a record-breaking cyclist, believes the Olympics could push the plant-based diet even further. Dotsie Bausch, a former US Olympic cyclist, says switching to a plant-based diet helped her win a silver medal in the 2012 Olympics.

Not everyone is satisfied—Nestlé, the parent company of the plant-based meat supplier for the Games, has faced criticism for not doing enough to reduce emissions.

(With inputs from BBC)

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