In a small restaurant kitchen in Tunisia, Wahida Dridi carefully washes a batch of snails, preparing them for iftar, the meal that breaks the daily fast during Ramadan.
“They are boiled first, then removed from the water, which is later used to cook pasta or vermicelli. You can cook whatever you want with it. It’s very delicious and has many benefits,” she explains, stirring a pot of the peppery delicacy.
Traditionally, red meat is a staple on the iftar table. But as Tunisia battles its worst economic crisis in decades, meat has become unaffordable for many families. With beef prices soaring to $18 per kilogram, snails—once considered a niche delicacy—have emerged as a cheaper protein alternative, selling for around $9 per kilogram, half the price of beef.
From Delicacy to Daily Staple
In the town of Akouda, snails are no longer a rare find. Market vendors now sell them alongside meat and vegetables, catering to cash-strapped families looking for affordable meal options.
“Snails are better for cooking than lamb,” says Mohammed, a resident of Akouda. “If lamb meat costs $19, a bowl of snails is just $1.60. And they are medicinal—they feed on rosemary and thyme.”
What was once an occasional treat has now become a lifeline for many struggling households.
A Booming Trade for the Unemployed
Beyond the kitchen, snails are also providing a new source of income for many unemployed Tunisians.
In the muddy fields outside Akouda, 29-year-old Kamal spends hours collecting snails, a job that sustains him and many other young Tunisians without work.
“Many young people from our area work in this field now,” Kamal says. “It’s profitable, beneficial, and quite in demand.”
With unemployment at one of the highest levels in the region, snail harvesting has become a means of survival in a struggling economy.
As Ramadan continues, snails are not just filling plates but also helping families navigate an increasingly difficult financial landscape proving that in times of crisis, resilience comes in many forms.
