Vegetarian food shopping in Belguim and Holland

[Domestique]

How available is vegetarian food in Belguim and Holland?
Whilst I was in Germany most vegetarian food had to be bought in health shop or nature shop. Is this the same, or is this type of food now freely available from supermakets?
It wasnt 10 years ago in Germany

 

[srw]

Even in carnivorous France (and certainly in Germany, Belgium and Holland), every little shop in every little village sells vegetables, bread, fruit, eggs, cheese, oil and nuts. If you can't make a balanced diet out of those ingredients I suggest you start learning now.

 

[Domestique]

Yeabut sometimes a veggie sausage makes all the difference

 

[peanut]

How available is vegetarian food in Belguim and Holland?
Whilst I was in Germany most vegetarian food had to be bought in health shop or nature shop. Is this the same, or is this type of food now freely available from supermakets?
It wasnt 10 years ago in Germany

what parts of Germany did you visit ? every time I travelled in Germany before the wall came down I was incredulous at the vast displays the supermarkets had.

If you are talking about vegetarian ready-meals I couldn't comment

 

[Fab Foodie]

I'm sure lettuce is available in most of Europe now...

 

[GrahamG]

I'm with SRW - don't worry about it and just cook up everything from fresh. I'm vegan and have always enjoyed going 'back to basics' food-wise in foreign lands, only thing I take with me is peanut butter as it's hard to find and expensive when you do, and I'm a complete addict.

 

[Danny]

You will find pasta, pizzas, etc. available in most supermarkets. But agree that you should aim to cook your own. Most continental countries have much higher quality fruit and veg available than we do in this country.

If worse comes to worse you can always subsist on Belgian chocolate or Amsterdam space brownies.

 

[john2702]

How about just going to a greengrocer's and buying some vegetables?

 

[john2702]

Also, I thought most of Europe existed on cabbage.

Veggies have the choice of green or red!

 

[GrahamG]

OK, now that you've had the same comment, I'd suggest picking up a copy of vegetarian visitor or just googling for restaurants/shops - there's a few sites with guides for different countries. Just make a note of any in the vicinity of your travels and then if you feel the need to treat yourself to a meal out or just want a few pre-made meals etc. then you'll know where to head to.
Have a back up plan though, as in my experience a lot of vege restaurants in Euroland have weird opening hours, some almost part time or weekends only.

 

[andharwheel]

I never had any problems, most supermarkets, even in small towns had veggie products. Even soya products if you are a vegan. Watch out though in cafe's as tomato soup can have beef in it as I found in Middleburg.

 

[jimbob]

No problems in Holland, I'm not vegetarian but have always noticed tons of stuff available in the shops for those who are.

 

[Domestique]

Thanks for the replies, much appreciated advice/knowledge

Watch out though in cafe's as tomato soup can have beef in it as I found in Middleburg.

I also found similar in Germany with onion soup that contained pig

what parts of Germany did you visit ?

I was in Bavaria, working.

 

[srw]

Bavaria is not Germany! It is a semi-independent republic where the food is designed to give foreigners heart attacks. Even for a confirmed carnivore a couple of days of dumplings and lumps of protein is enough.

 

[Domestique]

If you are a pig, Bavaria is not a good place to live