Belgians’ consumption of vegetables is far below the recommended amount, and has remained around the same level for years. This was evident from a study by YouGov Belgium on Monday, commissioned by the Flemish Center for Agricultural and Fisheries Marketing (VLAM).
Journalist at HLN
Source: BELGA
“The home consumption figures that YouGov Belgium collects for us show that although consumption increased by one percent in 2025, it has fluctuated for years between 35 and 37 kg per capita per year, which is still below par,” says Liliane Driesen, spokesperson for VLAM.
The recommended amount of vegetables is currently 300 grams per day. According to nutritionists, vegetables have many concrete benefits: they provide energy, fiber, vitamins and more satiety. In addition, vegetables can help you feel more energetic thanks to extra fiber. Fiber ensures, among other things, that carbohydrates are absorbed more slowly and more evenly, so that you are less likely to suffer from a sudden drop in blood sugar or energy dip after eating.
One of the causes of the low vegetable consumption is that Belgians mainly eat vegetables during the main meal and less at other meal times throughout the day. With a new campaign, VLAM is therefore committed to a more spread out consumption of vegetables throughout the day, with an extra focus on vegetables during lunch. “Adding vegetables to the midday lunch should become a matter of course, a new routine,” it says.
Online campaign
The campaign, which mainly targets 18 to 34 year olds, takes shape through a series of short online videos with television maker Hakim Chatar, under the slogan ‘Smos everything, just flame vegetables on your lunch’. He shares ways you can easily add vegetables to classic lunch dishes.
“The emphasis is on feasible solutions that fit into the busy lives of students, young employees and young families: fast, affordable, tasty and without complicated cooking techniques,” VLAM concludes.