Belgian food - does it suck??

• A friend of mine just went to Brussels and told me that the food really sucks! I'm thinking of doing an internship over there but given that I'm really health-concious, I wonder if I can survive on Belgian food. Does anybody know if there are any alternative (vegetarian etc.)?

  07 Jun 2007, 12:05 Betty

Replies

• Belgium food is healthy!

  I moved to Antwerp (not Brussels) nine months ago, but I don't think you will have any problem eating very healthy food here. I find it cheaper to eat healthy in Belgium than in the States, and most people here eat healthier food than most Americans I know. You won't have a problem here if you're vegetarian. Depending on your taste, you might find the food a little bland compared to what we're used to in the States. I moved here from Texas, and laugh at what they think is 'spicy', and miss spicy food. But fruits and vegetables, fish, great cheeses, great bread, and other healthy stuff can be found at an affordable price.
  
  I was also happily surprised to find that most doctors are really into natural treatments, herbal and not chemical medications, osteopathy, yoga, etc. Health care is also very cheap and good.
  
  Good luck with your decision about the internship if you haven't made it already!

  Jo 29 Jun 2007, 01:25 - Report

• Food

  I am going to move to Ghent in october. All the times I was over there I was really enthusiastic about the food. It seems to be influenced by French cuisine, good fish, wonderful stews.

  Michael 17 Jul 2007, 11:24 - Report

• Good Belgian food

  The food in Belgium definitely doesn't suck. You just have to know where to look.
  
  I myself live in Gent, so I don't know about Brussels, but there are plenty of good vegetarian restaurants in Gent and I'm sure it's the same for Brussels.
  
  And you shouldn't change your internship because of food anyway

  Evelien 17 Apr 2008, 09:11 - Report

• food

  who told you that the food isn't good in belgium?
  There is no country in the world where the food is more fresh and confirm with te latest healtycare law. They even like to abanden mac donalds.

  Albert 04 Jul 2008, 03:21 - Report

• Easy to eat healthy

  I agree with last message in that there are not many McDonalds there but that is because they prefer Frites (fries) with various types of sauces/toppings from little stalls/shops. Obviously, waffles & chocolate are popular too! But if you want to eat healthy, fruit & veg etc are easily availble from the supermarket. It is more than easy to healthy in belgium if you want to.

  K 11 Sep 2008, 02:03 - Report

• Belgian Food

  You Americans really do not know what is good food,
  I will tell you, the Belgian kitchen is just the best in the world!!
  Even the French kitchen can not tip on Belgian food, i suggest to get some more information about Belgium and then you will sure leave the States!

  Johan Belgium 10 Oct 2008, 03:08 - Report

• The truth and nothing but the truth !!!

  Im complete agree with Johan,but i can understand that you people in the States are still angry because the Belgian tennisplayers Henin and Clijsters always won from the William sisters,but
  its ok just stress out on the Belgian food HAHAHA!

  just me! 10 Oct 2008, 03:27 - Report

• Belgian food is best!

  Yes, you will hear it now and then. The truth is fat beyond that. Actually, historically, due to poverty and social crisis, there is no strong trend or culture, as well as food! So, food are here of two types, cold food, hot food. Cold is all bread and tomato/chicken/ etc, and hot food is something you can see in the movie, WW2, army are eating...food after the battle.
  
  Most people take 2 times cold meal, morning and lunch (Dont know about big cities) and in night.. hot meal.. like soup..
  
  But, COOOOL thing is, Belgian people will always happy with this EXTREMELY limited variety of food. May be because, they are not aware about the food in outer world.
  
  Besides, if you like to see some International brand, please you are looking in wrong place!
  
  I can see, some people are advocating for food in Belgium, I would rather say, they do not have seen anything in the world, and hence, taking the false pride!
  
  French fries, "Beer" and Chocolate are famous food in Belgium. And you do not need research that "french fries" is from Belgium(as we claim)
  and Beer and chocolate need nothing precious from culture or history!
  
  If you are thinking about food, its wrong place!

  Alb 26 Nov 2008, 05:37 - Report

• limited variety!!!

  Belgians are the last people that can talk about the variation of eating habbits.
  They only know cold dish and warm dish.
  -Cold dish consists of bread (always finely cut from the bakery because they are too bored to grab a knife- no baguette, no variety in different kind of flour) + cheese + ham or turkey or spec or or or, etc...
  -Warm dish consists surely of potatoes (baked, fried or pure, no pasta or rice, it would be too exotic) + vegetables (usually drown in butter or a plain green salad with plenty of mayonnaise to slide easier down their throat) + meat (throw a piece of meat in a baking pan with plenty of butter, turn around the piece twice and there you have it!!!)(the meat must be prepared from the butcher, the are too busy making money and building their status to create their own burger or sate)
  For all the other recipes they go to the restaurant to show off that they are open minded eating italian, chinese etc or they drive to the GB or Delhaize or gas station for a microwave dish or to traiteur.
  That's all.And they thin that is great and that is how everybody should eat!
  And by the way i know what i'm talking about.I live with a belgian but i am not one of them!

  faidra 06 Dec 2008, 10:53 - Report

• healthy in belgium? no problem

  ok so it is true that most belgians do eat 2 cold meals and one hot meals each day, and they do love their potatoes..but would never say that they do not love variation as well!
  i am not belgium, however i have spent 2 years over there and i ate much better there than i do here in canada. their ingredients are always very fresh (no preservatives!!) and i have yet to find a place where you cannot find a fresh produce market within a 15 min walk (notice i said walk, not drive..they are pretty green over there).
  
  and to faidra..they most certainly do eat baguettes. my aunt walks 10 minutes to the bakery 3 times a day to get fresh baguettes which you dont even need to put butter on they're so delicious.
  
  in my opinion belgians are alot healthier than us North Americans..especially since i only ever saw one (just one) macdonalds and that about summed up their fast food options. they put a lot of effort into what they eat and it shows.
  
  if being able to eat healthy is what you're worried about do not stress. i too am a health nut and i had no problem. the food part is easy but belgium life in general is just so tranquil that i found i always had much more energy there as well.
  
  hope this helps!

  belle 15 Dec 2008, 01:57 - Report

• you'll be fine

  Hi,
  I'm staying in New Zealand at the moment. I come from Belgium. And I have to say that Belgian food is good (: It's not true that we don't go anywhere. I've been al around the world and i'm only 18 !!!!! we've heaps of different cultures like italian,turkish,middle eastern,.. so if you like different kinds of food you can always get it in italian of turkish or.. restaurants that are all around in the big cities. so please don't tell me we have bad food if some friend of yours has only been in 1 restaurant in Brussels. There's something like bad luck (: Try again I would say. btw the food is a lot worse here xD it's english kitchen. even the americans here don't like it.

  Stefanie, belgian in New Zealand 18 Feb 2009, 04:56 - Report

• Try Lombardia in Antwerp

  Since 1972, Lombardia has been at the forefront of the organic food scene and is ideal for breakfast or lunch. Alain Indria created this tropical kitsch oasis featuring a golden cow and a loud croaking frog. Try the popular Pulp Fiction(fresh juice) or Mexican Boy(organic sanswich) or delicious ginger tea!!
  www.lombardia.be

  Alain 17 Apr 2009, 04:15 - Report

• it doesn't suck

  Obviously, if someone claims that Belgian food sucks, then they don't know what they're talking about. Faidra might be missing her couscous and her Belgian husband may be eating fries or potatoes all the time, but that doesn't say anything about Belgian cuisine. If anything, it tells me something about their budget ;o)

  ex-Belgian 21 Jul 2009, 09:23 - Report