Food in Belize generates a happy plate! I was in Belize for six weeks and in a word the food there is fresh. Fish and shrimp are always a good choice served with rice and beans. Fresh salad and fruit are usually on the side as well. When I say fresh I don't mean fresh off the truck. Fresh�with no preservatives. Besides fish or shrimp, other choices included chicken, pork and beef which were heavenly in their own right.

I expected Mexican Cuisine but got much more. I can't identify an exact category for the cuisine in Belize but really, who cares, it's fabulous. Rice is cooked in coconut milk and it's worth writing home about. Flavors explode in your mouth like popping the top off a shaken can of soda. Don't expect fast food it usually takes a bit to be served but it's well worth the wait.

My meals were accompanied by either a Belkin Beer or freshly squeezed cantaloupe, pineapple or watermelon juice. Every one of these drinks is unique and crazy delicious-I quickly became addicted.

Chinese food is popular in Belize. Most grocery stores and about half the restaurants are owned by Chinese people. Mexican food is authentic and delicious, very different from the Tex Mex the US has grown to love.

I do feel the need to extend a warning about one of their entr�es. Tamales. Mercy! I had a bad experience with a tamale in Belize. I love tamales and had craved one for several days. Difference in Belize is you can't run down to the local diner and get what you want. Yes, they have menus but a lot of times don't have what's on the menu to serve. As I walked around a village I ran upon a chalkboard that had TAMALES written across it. I got so excited and wasted no time plopping down at a table and ordering me up two tamales. I really wanted four because they're not very big but I thought I should be polite. I waited with anticipation of how good this tamale would be�everything I had eaten so far was so good, I knew the tamales would blow me away.

Finally, the plate was sat down in front of me. I was blown away already�couldn't get my fork fast enough. The tamales were bigger than a three egg omelet! There was no way I could eat two-so much for being polite. I took my first bite of the outside. WOW! It was awesome. I hurried to get the second bite in my mouth. I stopped chewing, my eyes popped out of my head as I spit out a large bone. Now, where I come from we have no bones in our tamales and this really raised my concern. I forked through my tamale and realized�they use the entire chicken. I said�the entire chicken. The things I found in my tamale made me gag right out loud. On my plate were bones, feet, butt-holes and beaks. I didn't eat anymore of that tamale. I gave them to a homeless man. In fact it took me a few days to get back to eating regular meals. I was traumatized by a tamale in Belize.

I highly recommend the cuisine in Belize but run from the tamales.

by Roxanna Kay for Helium.com