Adopting a planetary health diet can halve food-related climate emissions, according to the 2025 EAT-Lancet Commission. Building on that, the new pilot project aims to develop sustainable and resilient meals for winter sport athletes, fans and food producers.
Charlotte Kalla, former cross-country skier and Olympic gold medallist, is a member of the pilot, and underlines that her sport is totally dependent on snow – and on food that gives her the energy to perform.
“When we choose more locally and sustainably produced food, we’re not only doing something good for our bodies, we’re also reducing the emissions that threaten our white winters. If we in sports lead the way and highlight these smart, local choices, we can help protect the snow of the future together,” she says.
Centre director Line Gordon comments: “Food is never just nutrients—it is culture, joy, and identity. By applying rigorous science to the meals served at the World Cup of skiing, we demonstrate that athletes and winter sports can lead the way towards delicious, resilient meals that inspire far beyond the ski slopes.”
A pilot that could shape future guidelines
The outcome from Åre is set to inform future FIS sustainability guidelines and inspire adoption across sports, municipalities, schools, and the wider food ecosystem.
“Food for White Winters is a pilot with the potential to scale across the FIS ecosystem and beyond. By testing solutions with athletes, teams, and fans, we show that sustainable nutrition is not a niche idea but a practical path for sports organisations. Food fuels athletes, shapes culture, and inspires communities. A single event can demonstrate this integration and spark system-wide change, showing how sport can lead toward healthier, more resilient futures,” says Susanna Sieff, FIS Sustainability Director.
As part of the Nordic Sustainability Arena, an annual event to accelerate sustainability within the winter sports community, the ”Food for White Winters” project aims to transform the Alpine World Cup in Sweden into a living laboratory for sustainable nutrition, testing how food can power peak athletic performance while reducing environmental impact.
“This is about raising the bar – for performance, for sustainability, and for the future of winter sports. It’s encouraging that our World Cup event serves as a testbed where local solutions can inspire global change,” says Olle Danielsson, CEO, World Cup Åre.
Rooted in resilience science
PLATE Research Centre – hosted at and by Stockholm Resilience Centre- runs the project like a hands-on innovation lab where science meets the real world. The lab demonstrates that future-proof food can thrive in high-pressure, commercial settings, but also uncovers critical barriers that must be addressed for broader scaling.
“Anchoring diets in the best available science is essential if we are to nourish both people and planet. What excites me about Food for White Winters is that it brings this knowledge to life in a joyful, tangible way – working side by side with athletes and winter sports to show how food can fuel performance while staying within the Planetary Boundaries,” says Elin Röös, science director for PLATE and researcher at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, SLU.
With Food for White Winters, athletes, coaches, volunteers, media, and spectators will all be served meals designed to meet both high-performance nutritional needs and stay within planetary boundaries. Researchers will track and compare the environmental footprint of these meals against conventional alternatives.
When elite athletes realise that they can eat in a more environmentally sustainable way without compromising their performance, it has the potential to inspire their vast fan base. Their choices can demonstrate that sustainability and sporting excellence are not opposing goals, but powerful allies.
Find out more about Stockholm Resilience Centre here.
