Shocking! So many Hungarians can’t afford meat and fish
Over the past few years, several crises have affected the world including the coronavirus pandemic which adversely impacted people’s lives and the catering industry but several other sectors of the economy as well.
Then, there is the global issue of inflation and, on top of all of that, since Russian armed forces launched an attack on neighboring Ukraine, the forint has hit a historical low, reaching the long-feared threshold of 400 forints per euro.
All of these events have badly impacted the Hungarian economy and since there were already existing problems when it came to salaries and the standard of living in Hungary, the forint’s collapse made things even worst.
24 processed the data of Eurostat from 2020 and found that the worsening standard of living is present in people’s ability to purchase adequate food, especially among those who are already at risk of impoverishment.
Once again, Hungary is on top of a list that it should have aimed to avoid.
“Food poverty”
According to the news outlet, while on average 8.6% of EU citizens cannot afford to consume meat, fish or another vegetarian equivalent at least once every other day, this ratio is 12.8% in Hungary.
Unfortunately, in this regard, Hungary is at the 4th place. From the dataset, it becomes clear that Bulgaria is in the worst situation. There, a total of 26% of the population cannot afford to buy such food products every other day.
Surprisingly, however, the second place is taken by Germany, where this rate is over 15%, closely followed by Romania standing at 14.7%, closing the top three with the highest rate of people unable to afford adequate food.
On the other end of the scale stands Cyprus with only 1.1%, but as usual, Scandinavian countries also have a low rate of “food poverty”.
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According to the definition of Eurostat, people are at risk of impoverishment if their income is no more than 60% of their respective country’s median wage.
Since the median wage in Hungary was a little over 180,000 forints (~ € 474), this concerns people who earn 108,000 forints (~ € 285) or less, writes 24.
In this comparison, Hungary managed to slide a little lower, but with a high rate, it still stands at the 5th position, while Bulgaria, unfortunately, kept its position.
“Internet poverty”
24 writes that Eurostat also gathered data about the percentage of people who have no internet access which nowadays is an essential service.
In this regard, Hungary is even worse, standing at the 3rd position in both demographics.
If we take the entire population, a total of 4.9% cannot afford to have their own internet provider. However, it must be noted that it is still half of Bulgaria’s, which stands in the 2nd place, and almost one-quarter of that of Romania.
Read alsoWho is responsible for the fuel price panic in Romania and Hungary?
Source: 24.hu, Eurostat, Dialy News Hungary
I think that the term ‘vegetarian alternative’ needs to be clarified. If this means the plant based products that emulate meat, this distorts the statistics as they are are usually more expensive than the meat that they try and emulate – they are sold as premium products within supermarkets. Either way, there are many hearty meals that can be made without meat or these emulation products or with the use use of only a little bit of meat. I made a corn chowder on Friday for my Hungarian family and they were very impressed! Hungarians need to be more open to other menus and move away from the meat heavy and stodgey accompaniments that are the standard fare here. A revolution in what Hungarians eat would be no bad thing.
Newsflash: the prices in Hungary fired up way before the Ukranian-Russiaan mess…. This country made food expensive while people are starving and unemployed during covid lockdowns…. Not talking about if you do work- the salaries are like in 3rd world country
Living in District V – Budapest from Australia – we have found overall Hungarian people – Open – to trying food, dishes, menu, the style and preparation of food, cooking procedures and ingredients used.
Our local pub – we made – Australian Sausage Rolls – and took them into the pub for staff to try which got a thumbs up topped with a bit of Tomato Sauce or Ketchup as it is refered to in Hungary.
Meat Pies or Smaller Party Pies – and a Family Meat Pie – add Vegitables if you like – in Filo Pastry – topped with a Gravy Sauce – Onion Gravy Sauce is pleasant – served with Mashed Potatoes & Vegetables – why not ?
Pasties – small – medium & Large – beef mince & grated vegitables – in Filo Patry – great Family Meal with a Sauce and Vegitables. – Why not ?
Egg & Bacon Pie – in Filo Pastry – why not ?
Sausage Rolls – in Filo Pasty – why not ?
Potatoe Cakes – Australians LOVE them.
VERY Large Potato – skinned & washed – then cut into slices – not wedges – but width of Potato – not to thin – then into a Batter – then into a Deep Fryer or Large Saucepan – of HOT Cooking Oil – YUM.
Australians – after removing from the cooker – love to “Drown” them in White Vinegar and Salt or Tomato Sauce.
Dim Sims – Australians LOVE them – either Fried or Steamed.
Chicken Rolls – Australian Love them.
The ingredients of these – Mince – can be Chicken Mince or Beef Mince.
Chicken Rolls or Spring Rolls – are a much LARGER version of the mini spring rolls.
They are – Mars Bar size evan slightly longer.
Length & Thickness wise – much larger than the mini spring rolls we purchase at our Asian Supermarket.
Dim Sims – difficult to explain but would be on easy to find on computer site.
ALL – these food types – if we shopped in Australia – you can purchase in your Local Supermarket.
These Australian “Icon” meals – either “on the run” or sit down at home and enjoy a Family Meal to-gether – you can buy in take-away Shops – everywhere in Australia.
We Love Hugarian Food and cook it in our house and shop at our wonderful fresh produce markets in Budapest – spread ourselves around and NEVER not try what looks “Different”.
We Love Black Puddings – and Hungary have YUM one’s – that I smother in Ketchup ///
NEVER know – some of these “Iconic” Australian meals that I have explained – could get tried in Budapest, Hungary.
Charles Dickens wrote in Oliver Twist of – “Food Glorious Food”. – and is the title of the opening song in the Musical – Oliver.
NEVER let us forget those amongst us – that don’t have FOOD on there table.
We ALL can make a BIG differance to that growing HUMAN Tragedy – little bit more of this and that – for OTHERS – in Need.
The RICHNESS and Rewards – in doing the simplest of DEEDS.
@Kati
I like reading your comments as you’re open minded. I remember a few years ago a distant relative here (in her 60’s) was looking at a carbonara meal (which another relative had made) and her face was an absolute picture!! In the end she played it safe and chose the pörkölt!!
I stopped eating meat over 1 year ago & it stopped the terrible leg cramps i had suffered with since childhood. I had actually done it for my heart because within 2 months of not eating meat your body starts to repair the most important aspects of your health. But even before that I did the environmentally responsible eating plans: meatless Monday, tofu Tuesday, Vegetable Wednesday, Terrible Thursday, fish-fry Friday, Shameless Saturday & Sunday was the day that I ate things like ‘toad in a hole’, French toast, cheese omlette, toasted tomato, while cooking a huge pot of all kinds of mixed vegetable soup or chowder rich with cream for the lunches of the following week. I find that any combo of root vegetables & sliced cabbages & 2 cans of rich dark Baked Beans & 1 can of corn or green beans or peas makes a wonderful thick soup…tht I occasionally add ketchup to as part of the basic spices aspect for flavour. Simmer slowly after adding the water from washing out the tins that were opened. You can always add handful of rice, barley, lentils or diced potato to bulk it up and change it up. This is cooking on a tight budget for me…so that I can buy real estate since I am a carpenter & love to keep active & move a lot.
And, yes at first I missed that sausage that I had been flavouring soups with for years to not have to buy spices; that meatloaf or bacon from the Thursdays or chicken from Saturdays…but I found that when I had not eaten any meat for a few weeks, I lost the craving completely. Still love sardines on toasted bread slathered in real mayonnaise & a bunch of lettuce or a tuna sandwich or fish chowder. But once a week of such expensive food is enough. Someone once quoted a passage from the bible to me to the effect that God gave man seeds & leaves to eat and animals to help with our work. So that was in the back of my mind for years, encouraged me when environmentalists started explaining how much fresh water & land it takes to raise meat, especially destructive beef etc. and by targeting my days of the week with small goals of menu planning I was making the changes towards eliminating meat well before prices went up for all foods. I mean, when my kids were young I raised and butchered meat rabbits, still keep a flock of hens for free-range eggs. Still grow vegetables in rented raised bed in a village where I go for my monthly shopping etc. Making changes is not that difficult in our multicultural world where it is easy to try wonderful foods from other cultures that have always been reliant on mostly non meat diets. I mean, I’d happily eat nothing but BarBQ steak every meal of every day. But I’d never travel or build or renovate houses which have allowed me to live in a wide range of types of communities. I find the best place to save $ is on food. Eat to live, don’t live to eat. Who said that gem?