Food in Belize

What do people eat in Belize?

Belizean food is a mix of Caribbean, Mexican and Central American influences. Given Belize’s geography, the star of its cuisine is sea food. Fresh fish, shellfish like lobster and crab, shrimp and conch are all used to make delicious dishes. If sea food is the star, the base of the food is the staple of rice and beans. It is not a lunch meal without rice and beans. This is usually white steamed rice with red beans. If you are looking for something with a little more flavor though, try rice and beans, cooked together with spices and fresh coconut milk. Sick of rice and beans? Try beans and rice. This is white rice with a side of stewed pinto beans. Take advantage of the fresh fruit available, pineapple, papaya, banana, plaintain, coconut, passion fruit, oranges and grapefruit are some of the options.

Breakfast is usually simple like many countries in this area. Eggs are a staple accompanied by bread, tortillas or johnny cakes or fry jacks, both are kinds of fried dough.

Lunch is the big meal of the day. A common lunch is rice and beans and stewed or curried chicken, meat or seafood accompanied by plaintain, potato, sweet potato or casava and fresh fruit juice.

Dinner might be fast food from street stalls or another rice and meat meal depending on your appetite. Snacks include meat pies, tamales, papusas and conch fritter.

Deserts include coconut custards, bread puddding, casava cake or coconut pie.

If you’re feeling a little thirsty you can try the rum. The national beer is Belikin. There are also several varieties of wine available including cashew wine, ginger wine and blackberry wine.

Ceviche

Some common foods in Belize include:

• Caldo: a Mestizo/Mayan stew made with meat or chicken
• Hudutu: a Garifuna fish soup made with coconut milk and plaintain
• Casava
• Plaintain
• Ereba: a Garifuna casava bread
• Marie Sharp’s hot sauce
• Ceviche: raw seafood, sometimes conch, served to accompany your meal.

Caldo

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