Text: Valeria Zukeran

Rice and black beans, barbecued steak and coconut water may be among the common items on Brazilian dinner tables that are well known by foreigners, but what of farofa, tapioca, açaí, brigadeiro or pão de queijo? Along with the sports fans who attend the Rio 2016 Games, the world’s leading athletes will get the chance to indulge in some of these local delicacies at the Olympic and Paralympic Village.

About 18,000 people (athletes, coaches and technical staff) will be housed in the village during the Olympic Games, with another 7,000 due for the Paralympic Games. A team of approximately 2,500 people, led by food and beverages manager Flavia Albuquerque, will be working around the clock to ensure they are served healthy, balanced and tasty meals. While there will be various options – such as Italian, Asian, ‘tastes of the world’, halal, kosher – and a traditional Brazilian churrasco (barbecue) restaurant, the hosts hope that their guests will give the ‘home cooking’ a try.

“We’re going to offer a good variety of the best tastes of Brazil. We hope that the foreign athletes try these and enjoy them"

Flavia Albuquerque

Clockwise from top left: pão de queijo, brigadeiros, rice and beans, farofa, tapioca, açaí and coconut water (Photos: iStock)

With a floor space of 24,700 metres squared and 10 serving ‘islands’ seperated by themes, the main dining hall at the athletes’ village is set to be festival of colours, smells and tastes. Check out some of the numbers for the Olympic period:

18,000 people

30 days

60,000 meals per day

250 tonnes of food per day

The provisional menu has already been sent to the International Olympic Committee (IOC), who will analyse it and give feedback and the final sign-off. With athletes poised for their big moments at the end of four years of intense training, it is crucial that the food provided serves their needs, and that they understand exactly what is in it. “The food will have information that explains how many calories, how much protein, carbohydrate, fat and salt they have,” said Albuquerque. The presence of gluten and lactose will also be flagged up, with options free of these substances served for those with an intolerance.

Brazilians in the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Village dining hall (Getty Images/Alexander Hassenstein)

As well as meticulous care being given to the selection, transportation, storage and preparation of the food, Rio 2016 will ensure that waste is treated in a sustainable manner. There will be no frozen food and Albuquerque said: "The trucks leave the distribution centres with the boxes of certified food sealed, as is obligatory in all catering operations, and the seals can only be broken once they arrive at the village.” The disposal process will seperate recyclable and organic waste, and the plates and cutlery will be of a biodegradable material made from sugar cane or corn.  

Rio 2016 receives top global sustainability certificate for organisation of major events

British prime minister David Cameron tries some of the local fare at the London 2012 Games (Getty Images/Scott Halleran)

One of the most important aspects of planning to serve athletes from around the world is being sensitive to cultural norms and tastes. “We will not put chilli in foods, we will offer it seperately so that athletes can add to their food if they want,” said Albuquerque.

“It’s very important that we respect and take into consideration the different cultural necessities of the athletes, in order for them to be able to feel at home and focus on their competitions”

Flavia Albuquerque

Get to know some Brazilian favourites...

Pão de queijo
Baked bread balls filled with cheese, these are popular for breakfast or as snacks at any time of the day. Best eaten fresh  when they are are warm, soft and light.

Tapioca
A traditional indigenous snack, this is like a pancake, crepe or tortilla made from the starch of cassava, a root known as madioca or aipim in Brazil, where it is a very popular ingredient. Tapiocas can be filled with savoury or sweet ingredients and are popualr with Brazilian athletes as a source of gluten-free carbohydrate.

Farofa
A condiment made from madioca flour that is served with most Brazilian meals, sometimes with egg, bacon or banana added. It is best mixed with beans and rice, and eaten with meats.

Açaí
A purple Amazonian fruit that is hugely popular as a sweet dish, served with banana, granola, nuts or strawberries. Also popular with athletes for its high energy value, but beware, it also has lots of calories.

Brigadeiro
A classic Brazilian sweet, these are made of chocolate, condensed milk and butter. Usually served in balls, they are a devilishly irresistible treat.

Making sure the athletes are always well hydrated is another concern of the Food and Beverage team (Photo: Getty Images)

*This article was updated on 4 February 2016 to correct the volume of food in tonnes that will be served during the Olympic Games