Haitian Food 101

When you move to another country, you sign up for many new things from climate & currency to language & diet. The first thing that people often associate with Haitian food is rice and beans- which is absolutely correct!

Food is a huge & interesting aspect of a country’s culture.  In the United States, there is such diversity & variety.  In one week, we can easily travel the globe just through the food on our plates, Chinese, Italian, Mexican, Thai and so many more.  If I’ve had Italian food one night and it’s suggested a couple days later, I’ll often think, “I just had that.”  So spoiled!  The thing about being in another country is that you eat a specific kind of food every day.  I know it seems obvious, but it’s just different and takes some getting used to.

The day-to-day menu and routine revolves around a certain rotation of specific local ingredients, inexpensive staples, spices and a variety of meats.

Food is something we take for granted so easily in the U.S.  It’s always available and nearly everywhere we turn, we see a grocery store, coffee shop or restaurant. It’s also more than just sustenance & a source of energy.  Food brings people together to celebrate, socialize and entertain.  We care for people by preparing & lovingly serving food to welcome them into our home.  We watch TV shows about food, research the new places in town to indulge in something different and spend a lot of time & energy planning our days around our next meal, snack or treat. So much of life revolves around food. Don’t get me wrong. I love food. I’m thankful for it, love to prepare it, share it and talk about it. Let’s be real; I take dozens of pictures of food.

However, being in Haiti has caused me to step back and rethink a few things about how I view what I eat.

In Haiti, the plan is for the day.  What will we buy, cook & eat today.  That’s all.  Electricity is a luxury and refrigeration almost non-existent.  Many streets are lined with vendors selling rice, fruits, vegetables, meat, beans, eggs, oil and spices.  Simply getting the food needed for the day can be a struggle. Many go without.  I saw a baby boy in an orphanage hanging onto life due to malnutrition. He was just skin & bones, which I think would cause anyone to ask a few questions about the extravagant abundance experienced by so many and then this little guy nearly dying due to not having anything. Praise God he is in a safe place receiving the care he needs! I cannot imagine what a parent must experience to lack the resources to care for their own children. 

Where we live at the guesthouse is an exception as we have the privilege of having a generator to power a refrigerator, but it’s definitely the exception.

I’m not exactly sure how to really rethink or make changes in how I view food because these questions are still very much QUESTIONS in my mind.

Even here, I’ve taken a lot of food pictures already.  Tim doesn’t quite understand this quirk of mine, but he goes with it.

What I’ve learned so far about Haitian food:

• White rice is eaten almost every day.

• Haitians eat 2 meals a day- one in the morning & one at about 4:00. Part of the 2^nd meal might be saved for later in the evening. Both meals are similar- rice, meat, beans, Haitian Spaghetti, pictured below. (includes spaghetti, hot dogs, mayo & ketchup)..not cereal & toast. ;)

my first 7 am BBQ chicken experience

• There are a few basic carbs eaten every day- rice, mayi moulen (corn porridge, see below), spaghetti, & millet.

• Meat is a small part of a meal and often in a red sauce.

• Beans are also included in most meals either with rice or as a bean sauce.
• Food preparation is a time-intensive process from shopping, transporting, cleaning, pealing, chopping and cooking. It can often take all day to prepare one meal.

• Shopping at a market is not a walk in the park. Hot & crowded! 

• Food doesn’t come from a package or box. Its all prepared from scratch.

• Plantain chips, bought off the street, are super tasty. They are about $0.25 a bag.

• Peanut butter is spicy. 

• Hot sauce is put on everything. (Too hot for me!)

• There are a number of stores where American brands can be purchased, but they come with quite a price tag.

$87!

Juice on sale for $7.50 USD

$40 for these 7 things

• The best fresh fruits & juices! Grenadia juice is my favorite. (passion fruit)

So there you have it...Haitian food 101!