Sundowns diet: Waffles, pizza and recovery smoothies on menu

Mamelodi Sundowns players prepare for matches with a nutrition plan that includes breakfast potatoes, hash browns, waffles, spaghetti, rice, burger rolls, pizza and fruit. Team dietician Reabetjoe Mokoko explained the different stages of the club’s food programme during an episode of the King David Studio Podcast.

The preparation begins the day before a match, when players increase their carbohydrate intake. Breakfast provides several starch options, while lunch continues the focus on carbohydrates through pasta, rice, bread rolls, pizza and fruit. The menu is designed to accommodate different player preferences.

Before kick-off, the squad can use a fuelling station containing dried nuts, fruit and sweets. Sundowns also work with Biogen, allowing players to take supplements during half-time. Immediately after matches, Mokoko distributes recovery smoothies to support the players’ recovery process.

The final stage of the plan brings players back to what Mokoko describes as regular, substantial food. She also places close attention on preparation, serving sizes and how meals are eaten, rather than focusing only on the ingredients.

Mokoko joined Sundowns after meeting coach Rhulani Mokwena on The Braai Show on SABC 1, where she was working as a food stylist. Mokwena told her he wanted someone who could improve the club’s nutrition, helping her move into the football environment she had wanted to enter.

She later changed the breakfast offering in the Sundowns kitchen. Processed foods such as Russians were replaced with options including mince, chicken strips, beef patties and chicken livers. Mokoko has three degrees from Wits University, while a business partner manages her separate business as she works with the club.

The changes were accepted by the players and were followed by weight loss, increased energy and improved performances. Mokoko’s approach extends beyond cooking, with her work covering the type of food served, its preparation and the quantity consumed.