Bite: Food packets
Four clever Flemish entrepreneurs have come up with a way to rescue local mums and dads from the “what’s for dinner” headache
Robyn Boyle explores the world of Flemish cuisine
Some clever entrepreneurs have come up with ways to rescue local households from the “what’s for dinner” doldrums. Imagine no longer having to figure out how to get creative with what’s left in the fridge or rush to the supermarket after work.
Doozo, Smartmat and Kook Makkelijk all deliver recipes along with the fresh ingredients needed to prepare them. The services vary greatly in terms of cost, creativity and health consciousness. But all offer the same advantages: ease and the chance to discover new dishes. They also help keep your grocery budget in check and avoid you having to throw away food.
Kook Makkelijk is the most basic of the three, offering everyday recipes that are easy to make in about half an hour using familiar ingredients. Next week’s menu includes salmon with white asparagus op Vlaamse wijze, white pudding with witloof and apple and farfalle with broccoli and salsa verde. Kook Makkelijk offers packets for three or four days, at a cost ranging from €58 (3 days, 2 people) to €89 (4 days, 4 people).
Smartmat is a Swedish concept, brought to Belgium by Anders Åsarby, a father who knows how hard it can be to put dinner on the table night after night and still keep it interesting. Smartmat meals, put together by nutritionists, are healthy and varied. They are eco-conscious, too, aiming wherever possible to use local meats and avoid endangered fish. A veggie packet is also available. Packets range from €55 (4 days, 2 people) to €99 (5 days, 4 people).
“Every day good food” is Doozo’s slogan. It’s the brainchild of mother-of-three, Catherine Van Durme, and Frank Fol, otherwise known as De Groentekok, the Vegetable Cook. Veggies and fruit are the main component of Doozo meals, which never contain less than 200g of fruit or veg per person, and usually contain more.
Doozo’s meals are well-balanced and seasonal, and there are even gluten-free packets and packets for diabetics. The prices reflect the higher quality of the recipes and their products: €72 (4 days, 2 people) or €84 (3 days, 4 people). Expect things like oven-baked white fish with courgette spaghetti and parsley and lemon puree or couscous with vegetables and smoked salmon.
www.kookmakkelijk.be
www.smartmat.be
www.doozo.be
