Apparently, Muffins Are The Only Food Medaling At The Olympic Village Dining Hall
Just about a week ago, as the Paris Games were about to begin, event organizers were proudly touting the fact that the foods served to Olympian in 2024 would be so much healthier than in previous years — more plant-based and less fast food-focused, with no McDonald's whatsoever. Well, how's that been working out for them? Quel horreur! It seems the athletes aren't really fans of vegan French cuisine, and many have been venting their complaints on TikTok. Not all of the comments are negative, though, since there is one item that is getting rave reviews, at least from one athlete.
Norwegian swimmer Henrik Christiansen has yet to medal in this or any Olympic Games, but he's well on his way to a career as an influencer after he hangs up his fins. His TikToks are hilarious, especially one where he pokes fun at Team Norway's dadcore fashion aesthetic and another shot from the perspective of a sock he forgot under a hotel bed, but what's really got him on everybody's radar are the four videos he's posted about how much he loves the plastic-wrapped chocolate muffins from the Olympic Village dining hall. He calls them, "The single greatest thing about the Olympic Village so far," and his videos have shown him hoarding them in his nightstand, walking down the street with a double fistful, and lost in a muffin while a teammate tries to stage an intervention.
@henrikchristians1 The single greatest thing about the Olympic Village so far🤤 #fyp #muffins #olympics #paris2024 #olympictiktok #olympicvillage
Non-muffin menu items aren't feeling the love
Wouldn't it be nice if we could all find somebody who loves us the way Henrik Christiansen loves those chocolate muffins? Poor guy, what's going to happen when he has to leave the Olympic Village? We hope he finds a Norwegian chocolate muffin that will make him just as happy. (Henrik, if you're out there, you could also try baking your own with our Costco chocolate muffin copycat recipe.)
It's unlikely anyone will be suffering withdrawal from the other Olympic dining hall foods, though. Aleah Finnegan, a Team Philippines gymnast, posted a TikTok unenthusiastically describing the food as, "not bad," but also calling it, "pretty basic," and complaining that it's not seasoned. Lee Kiefer, who won a gold medal for the U.S. in women's fencing, provided a TikTok review of a meal featuring "something ... with beef in it?" She enjoyed the mystery meat, was so-so about the sides, but finished strong with a chocolate muffin for dessert.
The real issue with the food, however, may be the shortage of non-plant proteins. In the first few days of the Olympics, breakfast eggs were rationed, while many athletes also complained about a lack of meat. According to The Times, so incensed was the U.K. team that it imported its own chef. This came after hearing that athletes were resorting to picking up food in town and bringing it back to the village so they could be spared the disappointments of the dining hall.