The Belgian Red Cross has launched the “What’s for Dinner Tonight?” campaign to provide high-quality food aid, in collaboration with prominent Belgian chefs.
Over 600,000 people in Belgium currently rely on food aid, including some 90,000 in Brussels.
The initiative aims to ensure balanced nutrition for those in need while restoring their dignity by giving them the freedom to choose their food. “We are not merely meeting an immediate need; we are also contributing to the long-term health of recipients,” said Véronique Walbaum, head of anti-poverty initiatives at the Belgian Red Cross.
It's about 'giving people back a sense of dignity...'
In the organisation’s social grocery stores, recipients pay 50% of the price of the products, which they can select freely, just as they would in a regular supermarket. This approach moves beyond traditional charity, promoting a sense of autonomy and social inclusion. “Offering choice is about giving people back a sense of dignity and independence,” the organisation emphasised.
Food aid is obtained from three main channels: the solidarity purchasing platform Solifood, surplus food collected from supermarkets—valued at an estimated €2.5 million annually—and items provided by the European Social Fund. Around 1,700 trained volunteers help operate these stores and distribute the food, adhering to social and sanitary standards.
To mark the campaign’s launch, Michelin-starred chef Isabelle Arpin prepared a full menu using ingredients sourced from a Red Cross social grocery store. “I’m here to show that even with simple ingredients, you can create delicious dishes full of flavour, without needing to be a professional chef or have lots of equipment,” she said.
Making healthy, delicious meals with accessible ingredients
Arpin, who works at Auberge du Château de Leignon in Namur, also stressed the importance of enjoying food while prioritising health.
“It’s vital to enjoy meals with your family while taking care of your body. Health is important, as is eating fresh. It’s not just about relying on processed products. Thanks to these grocery stores, with some creativity and minimal equipment, one can craft enjoyable meals.”
Arpin added that having a chef cook with products from a social grocery store “demystifies cooking” by showing that healthy and delicious meals can be made with accessible ingredients.
Ten other chefs and culinary influencers, including Julien Lapraille, Pierre Résimont, Pascale Naessens, and Lionel Rigolet, have joined the campaign. The best recipes will be compiled into a booklet, symbolically gifted to campaign donors.
