The top snacks for 2021’s summer sports fiesta!

We’re already over halfway through 2021; where has the time gone? Safe to say, it’s been another strange year, but then again, who even remembers ‘normal’ anymore?

Bringing back some sense of normality this summer is a return to the world’s most prestigious sporting events. There’s the UEFA European Football Championship, Wimbledon, The Olympics, Tour de France, and the Rugby Lion’s tour. A whole buffet of sporting events to enjoy!

We believe that this summer’s sports are deserving of the very best snacks. So, here’s our shot at pairing tasty snacks with top sporting events…

UEFA European Football Championship

We can all agree that this time around, football really is coming home. So, what better than to have a bowl of homemade popcorn to pick at during the penalities? (or to throw into the air with joy after a goal is scored).

The beauty of homemade popcorn is that it’s dirt cheap and easy to make. Just head over to BBC Good Food for a no-nonsense sweet popcorn recipe, or check out their more adventurous popcorn recipes (including a Bombay popcorn mix).

Wimbledon

Wimbledon is dripping with traditions, including serving strawberries & cream to spectators at the tournament. An astonishing 33 tones of strawberries are consumed every year at Wimbledon, along with 10,000 litres of cream.

Sourcing the freshest strawberries means going local. So we recommend you pop down to your nearest farmers market for the most locally-grown strawberries. Or better yet, find a farm that allows you to pick your own! FYI for all you foodie purists, the strawberry variety most preferred at Wimbledon is Elsanta.

Clotted cream is a must. You can’t go wrong with Roddah’s Cornish clotted cream. If you’re feeling extra fancy, Fortnum & Mason do a superb clotted cream. Don’t forget to top everything off with a sprinkle of sugar.

Last, but not least, pour yourself a glass of Krug or Moët to help wash it all down!

The Olympics

What better time to enjoy the foodie delights of Japan! Getting in the mood for sushi? Make your own! We love the look of what can only be described as a sushi cannon, allowing you to batch-produce enough of the stuff to feed a small army.

If you’ve never tried Poki sticks (heavenly sugar-coated biscuit sticks), then your taste buds are in for a treat! Some of the most popular flavours include matcha green tea, chocolate banana and cookies & cream.

Tour de France

Mon Dieu! It’s time for the Tour de France. Feast on the finest French cheeses as you watch cyclists dare the impossible as they painstakingly ride up Mont Ventoux. Here are three absolutely délicieux kinds of french cheese we recommend you try:

1.  Camembert de Normandie – with a flavour more powerful than Chris Froome’s thighs.

2. Comté – Tuck into one of France’s favourite cheeses! Smooth and mellow, like the opening of the Champs-Elysees stage.

3. Fourme D’Ambert Xavier Morin – A classic blue cheese with a taste as rich as the Tour de France’s sporting history.

Rugby Lion's Tour

Britain and Ireland join forces to tour South Africa and play the Rugby World Cup Springboks. What better snacks to enjoy when the game’s on than salted meats, dried in strips, otherwise known as Biltong. It’s an altogether superior tasting alternative to beef jerky (in our humble opinion).

With three ‘Great Taste’ awards, you can’t go wrong with Greeff’s Biltong, made on the Isle of Wight. There’s plenty of smoked, spiced and peppered varities to choose from!

Alternatively, go for Limpopo Biltong. Not only is delicious meaty Biltong on offer here, but drywors, and boerewors too – super lekker!

So, what did you think of our suggestions? If you strongly disagreed with our choices – here’s the deal. If you can convince us that a suggested snack could be replaced with a better one – we’ll make the change! Send us a DM on Instagram or Twitter to let us know your thoughts.