Hello everyone,
I shall soon be a new emigrant in Lausanne and have done some research on prices of food.

I have come to the conclusion that meat will be too expensive for me to afford regularly (at least at first), and that eating out is even more unaffordable. I am a passionate foodie and being from S Africa am a big meat eater - so the thought of that was a bit disconcerting, anyway.....

OK right - I then thought to myself - what about this huge lake they have there?

I am only a newbie but it seems to be very similar to the sea?

It even has huge ships sailing on it. People even DIVE in it! Surely it has "seafood" as well?

Or do you call it "lakefood" ?

So in other words - it stands to reason that the price of fish should be very cheap then at areas near the lake? Like Lausanne where I'll be living.

And fish is more healthy anyway.

So does this mean there are huge fish markets in Lausanne where one can buy really cheap, fresh and high quality fish daily?

Ok it would be fresh-water fish I suppose (I'm no expert I'm just thinking out aloud and guessing here).

Anyone have some answers about this for me perhaps?

Or have I gone completely mad?

Best regards,

Frank

It is well known fact that prices for common folks and big meat-eaters at the same time are rather quite prohibitive here in Switzerland. Many expats coming here become vegetarians for that reason. Alternatively, you can still go across the border and shop in Germany, Italy or France where meat should be more affordable.... or save for a nice braai. Another option is (like I do) wait entire year for my long holidays back to SA and plan to eat out almost every weekday and having the BIG braai's with boerwors, texan steaks, lamb-chops over the weekends

You have also options to buy fish at the fish markets or equip yourself with own fishing gear which is by the way fun as well

But why would the expats become vegetarians if the lake is full of cheap fish - if it is?

Oh jacek - Are there like facilities to have a braai or potjie there?? And in Lausanne?? This is something I really really wonder about - Like I can almost imagine a "braai area" by the lake LOL!

There a lots of SA expats communities on the EF around Zuerich area and I believe in summer time Saffas braai at the lake. Ocassionally I have a fish for dinner but usually it is fish fingers or fish cakes as the fish that I get in Baden is from freezer not the lake as it's a case of Laussane located at the lake

I see several signs on the Limmat and Zurisee of the various fish species, but do not see too many fishermen or lake fish on local restaurant menus. Are stocks low or does the city/kanton stock the lake at all?

Inquiring minds and all...

fduvall

I hate to burst your bubble here Frank, but the lake isn't quite as big as you imagine, and it's not very sea-like at all (apart from the sea birds that are around). There is a small commercial fishing industry, but the catches aren't big, and the fish is no cheaper than any other fish for sale here. Your vision of:

is not a reality. (I wish it was! I love fish too.) The cheapest fish is here to be found in the freezer section of grocery stores, where you can buy frozen fish from various places far, far away from Switzerland (often with suspect fishing practices, but that's another story). Fresh fish is expensive, and often not very good.

Heather

fish is the same price as meat.
if you know how to cast a line, you can catch your own fish out the lake without a boat very easy......

Fish is by no standards cheap... !! with lake or no lake! the quotas on fishing are rather strict! The most widely used meat in the Swiss German speaking part is pork .. closely followed by chicken...

-Fish ( native as well as foreign) is even more expensive than meat
-It is possible to have meat everyday,just not steak and fillet,but cheaper
cuts as well as poultry ( or is fowl the correct term?)
- fishing in the lakes and rivers etc is heavily regulated ( you need a
permit etc)
- there are so called ban times during months where you are not allowed
to fish for certain species or not at all to help the fish population to
regenerate

horse is a very cheap meat if you dont get put off...hell i dont..lol

Frank101, I assume you are going to be paid a Swiss wage, not a South African wage when you move out here so you should be able to shop and eat fairly well and still be able to eat meat.

Like an earlier poster mentioned, you can go to Germany or France to buy slightly cheaper meat, but beware: there is a limit to the amount you can bring into Switzerland.

Meat is more expensive here but you just have to get creative and buy some of the cheaper cuts and make delicious stews and casseroles instead.

I must agree with this. You need to very quickly stop mental converting prices here to rands. Unless you are a tourist, this is going to stress you out a lot.

Yes, things in general (not only meat) are very expensive when compared on absolute terms to SA. But, if you live in CH, then you earn a CH wage which would allow you to live comfortably.

I am also South African and have lived in Zürich for nearly 5 years. I eat meat on a daily basis (i know its grossly unhealthy) paying R70 for two pork chops, go out regularly paying R70 for a pint of beer, R128 for a single vodka orange etc etc..... but relative to my salary i am paying 9 francs for those chops, 9 francs for that beer, 16 francs for that vodka............. I hope you see my point.

Rabbit's cheap as well.

(Is this thread getting too fluffy...?)

That's a spirit boy! Stop converting and moaning about prices in rand. Just look at cost of living index in a given country. Switzerland is not the cheapest place to live in but with the salary here you are better off than in SA and guaranteed safety. Just keep on saving CH to plan a great trek to carnivorous countries during holidays. Btw is still "Carnivores" next to Krugersdorp open?

I am finding this thread very funny. But I have to get back to work so thats all I can say.

We cut down on our meat eating in Switzerland because of the shock at the prices coming from Canada. That is until we discovered shopping at carrefour in france. and only after a few trips did we find out about the limits. luckily we never got stopped, but we didn't cross at geneva but at an unmanned crossing. not because we were trying to be illegal but we liked the country drive.....

As soon as you arrive here forget completely about Rands - and just call money "Bucks"! You soon get used to it ..... 5 bucks for a bottle of beer in a restaurant, 16 bucks for 10 huge pork chops (+-R150!!!!)........ Its not painful at all!

My family are Braai Devotees - they only stop braaing when its too freezing to stand outside. We got used to using slightly different types of meat on the braai .... lots of chicken and pork, and lamb steaks. The pork here is absolutely delicious! There`s a large variety of sausages too. You will find at social barbeque occassions everyone braais sausages! (You keep your rumps and chops for at home!).

Sometimes, buying in bulk from a butcher shop can be more economical, or even from the fresh meat section in supermarkets where they display all the cuts (not packed in styrofoam) ..... you may have to re-learn the names of the cuts ... and they seem to cut meat differently here to SA!

But ..... you gonna miss Boerewors!!! ... We do!!!! We get friends to bring out "Boerewors spices" and sometimes make our own.

also after 5 at most coops they hit a 50% on sale by products..
buy and freeze ....

Are you kidding? I miss ocean basket more than anything!!! Plan to have a platter every day on our pilgramige in Feb.
If you like lamb the problem gets worse: it tastes funny, sorry but it really does and you can't get a decent tjop anywhere!
BUT red meat in general is lekker and not that expensive - look at what bread costs...
The food is not that bad and insurance is super cheap! Hahaha