When you visit Belize, the adventures go far beyond the beaches, reefs, and jungles, they continue on your plate. Belize’s cuisine is a delicious reflection of its diverse culture, blending influences from the Maya, Creole, Garifuna, Mestizo, East Indian, Chinese, and Lebanese communities. Every bite tells a story, and every meal invites you to connect with the country’s people and history.
Whether you’re exploring Placencia, heading inland to the Cayo District, or island-hopping along the coast, here are some Belizean foods you absolutely need to try during your trip.
1. Fry Jacks and Johnny Cakes for Breakfast
Start your day the Belizean way. Fry jacks are golden, puffy pieces of fried dough that are perfect for dipping into refried beans, pairing with scrambled eggs, or loading up with cheese and ham. Johnny cakes, on the other hand, are baked coconut-flavored biscuits that have been part of Belizean breakfasts for generations. Both are comfort food at its finest.
2. Rice and Beans with Stew Chicken
Ask any Belizean what’s for Sunday dinner, and you’ll likely hear this classic trio: rice and beans, stew chicken, and potato salad. The rice is slow-cooked with coconut milk, the chicken is seasoned with local spices and recado (a rich, red seasoning paste), and the flavors will make you wish you had ordered seconds.
3. Hudut and Garifuna Cuisine
In coastal Garifuna communities like Hopkins and Dangriga, you’ll find hudut, a traditional dish of mashed plantains served with a coconut milk-based fish stew. It’s rich, savory, and deeply satisfying. Pair it with cassava bread or try darasa (green banana tamales) for a truly authentic meal.
4. Belizean Tamales
These aren’t your typical Mexican-style tamales. Belizean tamales are wrapped in plantain leaves instead of corn husks and filled with seasoned chicken or pork, masa, and recado. The plantain leaves give them a fragrant, earthy flavor that sets them apart.
5. Fresh Seafood and Ceviche
If you’re in Placencia, San Pedro, or Caye Caulker, seafood is a must. Belize’s warm waters are home to lobster (July–February), conch (October–June), and snapper year-round. Ceviche — made with fresh conch, shrimp, or fish “cooked” in lime juice with onions, tomatoes, and cilantro — is perfect after a day on the beach.
6. Belizean Rum and Local Sweets
No food journey is complete without dessert and a little something to sip. Try tableta (coconut and ginger candy), wangla (sesame seed brittle), or coconut tarts for a sweet treat. Wash it down with a rum punch made from Belize’s famous Travellers or One Barrel rum.
Make It a Food Adventure with Barefoot Services
Exploring Belizean cuisine is just as thrilling as zip-lining through the jungle or snorkeling the barrier reef and with Barefoot Services, you can combine all of it into one unforgettable trip. From market visits and cooking classes to food tours in local villages, we’ll make sure you taste the real Belize.
Your adventure here isn’t just about the places you go, it’s about the flavors you’ll remember long after you’ve left.
Ready to start your Belize adventure?
Call: +(501) 629 9602 | wa.me/Belize
Email: barefootservicesbelize@gmail.com
Visit: Airstrip, 400 yards North Placencia, Placencia, Belize (View on Google Maps)