Merchant Gourmet, the UK’s market leader for pulses, grains, seeds and chestnuts, partnered with England Hockey, to host an exclusive event for sport enthusiasts to gain expert insight into nutrition for professional players.
The two sessions, held at the home of Great British Hockey on Sunday 24 March, were led by Dr Rebecca Townsend, Great British Hockey Performance Nutritionist, and Merchant Gourmet’s TV chef and Guild of Food Writers award winning author, Alex Mackay. The food experts revealed the secrets to maximising performance, fuelling your inner athlete and discussed the importance of maintaining a balanced diet that specifically targets hockey players needs, such as:
- fuelling
- recovering
- immune function
- injury prevention.
“Merchant Gourmet pouches provide a simple, convenient, nutritious option for our athletes. They can be consumed on the go as meals for fuelling or recovery around training. They can be eaten hot or cold and can be incorporated into simple, quick meals, making them a great option for athletes on the go,” said Dr Rebecca Townsend.
The audience were also treated to live cooking demonstrations and had the chance to taste some of Alex’s specialised recipes he’s created with Merchant Gourmet for sports heroes. Dishes included:
- kale, rocket, broccoli and green apple Freekehzotto with mascarpone & basil
- beluga lentil & salt & lime cured hake tacos/wraps with citrus sour cream, pear, mint and cucumber salsa
- red & White Quinoa Salad with pineapple & chilli dressing, black beans, tomato, mango, coriander & sweet potato
The event admitted winners from Merchant Gourmet’s recent competition, with England Hockey, where hockey enthusiasts entered to gain tickets.
“Having worked with Merchant Gourmet for almost two decades, I know that this is convenience food done the right way. Food that is good for you can still be really tasty. I’m excited to work with Rebecca to create flavoursome dishes that suit the demand and specific needs for hockey players and anyone interested in fuelling themselves correctly for sport. We’re ready to show that food, cooking and nutrition can be enormous fun and by taking those initial steps, you can be rewarded with delicious enjoyment,” commented Alex Mackay.
