Like almost everything else connected to the Rio Olympics, the menu for the dining hall in the athletes village was delivered later than expected.
So Catherine Naulleau, the Canadian Olympic Committee's sports nutritionist, left nothing to chance.
In March, she shipped a couple of two-metre-high pallets packed with food and equipment. Everything from microwaves, coffee makers and kettles to protein powder, almond butter and quinoa made the early trip to Brazil to ensure Canada's athletes will have all the comforts of home.
"I was very worried that athletes would come back to the dining hall at 1 o'clock in the morning or if an athlete has doping tests and there wouldn't be any food — just pizza and pasta, for example. Not enough protein, not enough substantial food for them to recover properly and get ready for the next day," Naulleau said in an interview from Montreal.
"So we thought about it a lot because we had so little information back then about the food and what would be available and so we shipped the most we can and I'm pretty sure we're going to use it all."
But when she finally saw the provisional food lineup early in July she was relieved.
"The menu's going to be incredible. There's going to be lots of variety ... so everyone will be happy," she said.
Rio organizers say they are offering 24-hour dining service with plenty of healthy choices and local cuisine.
The 24,700-square-metre cafeteria could accommodate five jumbo jets and organizers expect to serve 60,000 meals a day, the Olympic website says.
Athletes on the run will be given a packed cold meal or food at their venue.
Naulleau, who has worked with the synchronized swimming, short-track speedskating and para-cycling teams in the last Olympic cycles and accompanied Canada to Sochi in 2014, says her main role is to make sure all athletes have what they need.
She started her preparation two years ago. In Rio, she'll be making sure athletes with dietary concerns and allergies have equipment, food and space set aside for them.
In the shipment she included small grillers that will be reserved for gluten-free food. She's learned the main cafeteria will also have a dedicated gluten-free section.
Locating places to buy items like almond milk for lactose-intolerant athletes was part of Naulleau's fact-finding trip in November when she toured the Olympic venues and surrounding area.
"It's nice to look around and see what's available — grocery stores, restaurants, where can we go eat, where can athletes go to eat with their families, how long does it take to travel from one venue to the village," she said.
Athletes are advised to eat and drink in the village or at competition venues to avoid intestinal bugs. Naulleau has a list of local restaurants guaranteeing use of safe water in food prep if athletes decide to eat off-site.
Hunger or stress can lead to overeating or poor choices, and with the massive amounts of food available 24 hours a day in the village, athletes will need to take care.
"Usually the dining hall is well designed so all the crappy food will be at the far, far end and the healthier food will be at the beginning of the cafeteria," said Naulleau.
And getting to McDonald's will take some effort, she added.
"It's going to be in the village plaza in the international zone so athletes will have to go through security if they want to have a burger," she said. "It's not going to be open 24 hours."
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This content appears as provided to The Globe by the originating wire service. It has not been edited by Globe staff.