If you want to take a meal in Kenya,there are always foods you won’t miss in a menu. There are,however,popular meals for every tribe and the one for all Kenyans.
Below are the most popular meals in Kenya
Ugali
Ugali is the most popular meal in Kenya.At least every Kenyan, white or black takes ugali once a week.
Ugali is made of maize floor and can be eaten with vegetables, meat or milk.
Ndizi/Matoke/Bananas
At least 70 % of Kenyans eat bananas as alternative to ugali.
Matoke is most popular in Gusii land,where the ethnic tribe substitute the meal with ugali when need be.
Chapati/Mandazi/Bread
Chapati/Mandazi/Bread are more popular than any other food in Kenya, especially during breakfast.
If you gate crush any event or home during breakfast, you are likely to find the family eating any of the three chapati,mandazi or bread)
Goat/beef/chicken/fish
Meat is a favourite meal for Kenyans. If an important visitor knocks,there are high chances meat will be served as a sign of respect.
Meat in Kenya can be boiled, fried or roasted but most people like boiling it because of the soap.Those who take beer like roasted meat mixed with pepper.
Githeri
Githeri is a mixture of maize and beans or maize and peas. The meal is mostly popular in Kenyan schools and among urban dwellers who can’t afford expensive meal.
Githeri is also popular in Central Kenya, where the Kikuyu tribe is dominant
Sukuma Wiki (Kales)
Sukuma wiki is common among all classes. But it’s mostly preferred by the poor who can’t afford meat. The rich also eat sukumawiki when it’s mixed with meat,chicken or fish
Mukimo
Mukimo is a favourite meal amount the Agikuyu tribe. The food is also gaining popularity in other parts of the country.
Mukimo is a mixture of pumpkin leaves, potatoes, beans and even meat. They are all cooked together to produce a delicious meal. If you distract a kikuyu eating Mukimo,you will see fire.
Indigenous vegetables like saga and managu
Some decades ago,managu and saga were reserved for wild animals, but nowadays most Kenyans take the meal.
Since these vegetables have health benefits, they can serve as the best alternative to meat
Rice
Rice is also popular among Kenyans.
This meal can be taken at any given time-breakfast,lunch or supper.
Cooking rice takes not more than 20 minutes,which is why many Kenyans prefer the meal.
Rice can be eaten alongside meat, sukumawiki, cabbages, fish,potatoes,tea or chicken
Mothokoi
Mothokoi is a meal that is popular among the Akamba community.The meal is usually taken during lunch or supper.
Roasted maize/Mahindi Choma
Do you know in a single day,more than 2 million Kenyans eat roasted maize?
Pilau
Pilau is most popular among the urban dwellers and people at the Coast.This is amixture of meat,rice and pilau masala.
Initialy, only people at the coast were taking pilau but nowadays even people in rural areas feast on piau
Kachumbari
Kachumbari is a mixture of tomatoes,onion and red pepper.This meal is taken alongside roast meat,pilau or boiled meat
It is prepared during special occasions like Christmas celebrations, weddings and birthday celebrations
Cabbage
Cabbage also ranks as one of the most popular foods in Kenya.Cabbage can be eaten with ugali, rice,meat,beans etc.
With just Ksh20, you can enjoy a meal of cabbage+ Ugali
Beans+ Ugali
Beans+Ugali is also popular not only in schools,but also in villages.This is a very delicious meal and mostly recommended by doctors.
If you can’t obtain proteins from meat, you can resort to taking beans.
Porridge
Porridge is rare in towns but very popular in villages.Porridge can be prepared from maize flour,wheat flour or flour from finger millet.
If you have diseases like diabetes, you can always be told to take porridge
Ugali+ fish
Ugali fish is very popular among the Luo tribe. The entire community believe there is no any other food that can make them happy apart from ugali and fish.
Beer
Traditional beer as well as beer from East African Breweries and Keroche industries is popular among many Kenyans.
It is estimated that 47 % of Kenyans take beer
Ugali + matumbo
Matumbo is animal intestines, which comprise of gizzard, liver and heart.Kenyans love matumbo so much that they can stop everything they were doing to feat on this.The most preferred matumbo are from cattle and goat
Fermented milk
Fermented milk is very popular in Kenya. Some tribes use a guard to ferment milk while others buy fermented milk from popular milk procession companies.
This kind of milk can be taken as a meal during lunch or supper.
The Kalenjins mix fermented milk with herbs, which they refer to Mursik
Eggs
Eggsare are a product of chicken and are popular among all Kenyans. Most people fry eggs together with onions and tomatoes while others boil them.
If you pass along the streets of major towns, you’ll see people selling boiled eggs.
Chips
Chips a favourite meal among the young generation and urban dwellers. This meal is common among fast food joints.
Chips are prepared from potatoes.
Samosa
Samosa is prepared from a mixture of meat and flour.A samosa can be taken during breakfast or when you are in a hurry and you want to eat something to keep you going.
