As South Africans get ready for another exciting Springbok season, one thing is for sure…food plays an important role in performance, and entertainment.
Working alongside the Springbok team dietitian, Robyn Moore, Pick n Pay has created Eat Like a Champion – a limited-edition concept celebrating the meals, snacks and nutrition principles that help fuel the national team, while translating them into delicious, accessible recipes for South African families.
Why banana bread is the springboks “secret weapon”
From the outside, the Springboks look like they’re fuelled by steaks the size of scrum machines. The reality? One of their most trusted pre-match foods is far simpler: banana bread.
Why banana bread, or rather, the “slice of calm before the collision”
It comes down to one simple principle – the right fuel at the right time, and Banana bread ticks every box. Made from flour and ripe bananas, it provides easily digestible carbohydrates that help fuel exercise and replenish muscle glycogen stores, the body’s primary energy source during prolonged, high-intensity activity.
Bananas are a natural source of potassium, an important electrolyte for muscle function and hydration. Beyond its nutritional value, banana bread is a familiar and comforting choice that players can enjoy when pre-match nerves affect their appetite.
It’s not about eating more. It’s about eating smarter
The banana bread story reflects a broader truth about elite sport: world-class performance isn’t built on one “superfood”.
It’s built on a consistent and balanced intake of a wide variety of nutrient-rich foods that work together to fuel performance and recovery. Throughout the Eat Like a Champion campaign, Pick n Pay shares some everyday foods that help power South Africa’s rugby heroes, from carb-rich pasta before matches to protein-packed breakfasts, hearty training meals and family-friendly recipes inspired by the Springbok approach to eating.
The message is refreshingly simple: real food comes first for elite athletes, like the Springboks. Rather than depending on protein shakes and supplements, they are fuelled by real foods, rich in a variety of nutrients that work together to support health, recovery, and athletic excellence.
Bringing the Bok kitchen home
As the official grocery partner of the Springboks, Pick n Pay’s Eat Like a Champion campaign invites South Africans to take inspiration from the foods behind the world’s champions.
Some recipe ideas:
Bok-inspired banana bread
Recipe from the Springbok playbook.
Makes: 1 loaf
Ingredients
- 1½ cups self-raising flour
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup plain yoghurt
- ½ cup neutral oil or butter or margarine, melted
- 3 ripe bananas, mashed
- 2 eggs
Method
- Preheat oven to 160°C fan / 180°C conventional.
- Grease and line a loaf tin or small cake tin.
- Mash bananas well.
- Whisk together bananas, eggs, yoghurt, oil,
- and brown sugar.
- Fold in the self-raising flour until just combined.
- Bake for 45–55 minutes or until a skewer comes out
- out mostly clean.
- Cool before slicing.
- Optional
- Add an extra banana, sliced in half on top, before baking.
Nutritional value per slice:
- Energy 1130kJ
- Protein 3.5g
- Carbs 36g
- Fat 12g
Beef Lasagne with Carrots & Mushrooms
Prep: 25 mins | Cook: 45 mins | Serves: 6-8
Ingredients
- 500g lean beef mince
- 1 onion, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 carrot, grated
- 1 cup mushrooms, chopped
- 2 tins chopped tomatoes
- 1.5 litres beef or chicken stock
- Lasagne sheets
- 2 cups grated cheese
- 500ml white sauce
Method
- Brown mince in a hot pan and sauté onion and garlic.
- Add carrot, mushrooms and tomatoes and simmer with stock.
- Layer mince sauce, lasagne sheets and white sauce.
- Top with grated cheese.
- Bake until golden and bubbling.
Serving Suggestion: Serve with a fresh green salad for an easy family dinner.
Nutrition information per 375g serving (based on 8 servings):
Energy = 2175kJ
Protein = 35g
Carbohydrates = 41g
Fat = 23g
Lamb Chops with Baby Potatoes & Tenderstem Broccoli
Prep: 20 mins | Cook: 25 mins | Serves: 4
Ingredients
- 8 lamb chops
- 500g baby potatoes
- 250g Tenderstem broccoli
- ½ cup sour cream
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- Garlic and rosemary
Method
- Roast baby potatoes with olive oil and seasoning until crispy.
- Braai or grill lamb chops with garlic and rosemary.
- Steam broccoli until tender.
- Serve broccoli with toasted almonds, olive oil, salt and pepper.
Serving Suggestion: A hearty recovery meal with protein, greens and slow-release carbohydrates.
Nutrition information per 250g serving:
Energy = 1062kJ
Protein = 10g
Carbohydrates = 23g
Fat = 12g
Recipes by Pick n Pay
