Sport Excellence Programme launches new athlete-focused dining initiative

Last summer, the team collaborated closely with the University’s catering provider, Sodexo, to enhance the menu at The Dock and introduce a dedicated section of athlete‑focused food options. This new menu area aims to guide students toward performance‑friendly choices, featuring items such as vegetable portions, smoothies, and customisable meals that allow athletes to tailor ingredients to their individual nutritional needs.

Every athlete on the Sport Excellence Programme will receive a £100 Customer Dining Allowance, valid throughout the year and redeemable at multiple outlets across campus. This aims to better support student‑athletes’ nutritional requirements while helping them balance academic study with demanding training schedules.

Sport Excellence athlete Kate Angier praised the new offering, saying: “Nutrition is important to me as an athlete because it helps me fuel properly for training sessions and recover afterwards to improve my performance. My favourite options are the breakfast smoothie and the chicken wraps. They’re always a great lunch choice.”

Fellow athlete Jess Soares also welcomed the expanded menu: “My favourites from the Athletes Tab are the breakfast smoothie and the ‘pasta your way’ because there are so many options to customise your meal.”

This initiative is not only set to benefit Sport Excellence participants; the wider university community, including staff and students, will also be able to make more informed dining choices. Menu items recommended by Sport Excellence staff and athletes can be easily identified in the Everyday App, marked by the Sport Excellence Programme logo.

Breakfast options have also been enhanced, with additions such as varied egg dishes and overnight oats now available. As Sport Excellence athletes regularly attend early‑morning strength and conditioning sessions, having immediate access to high‑quality food will be crucial for effective recovery before academic commitments.

Iain Molyneux, Sport Education Partnerships Manager at Solent University, emphasised the importance of this collaboration: “This initiative, providing Everyday food app credits and a bespoke menu, helps ease the pressures of our athletes’ demanding schedules, allowing them to focus on eating well, making positive choices, and ultimately performing at their best.”

The Sport Excellence Programme team is excited about the potential impact of this initiative and looks forward to seeing the positive difference it will make for athletes throughout the year.

The University would like to thank Sodexo for their continued support and for enabling the delivery of dining credits to students through the Everyday app.