Best African & Caribbean Foods & Drinks
Few things are as soothing and nostalgic for me as the food and drinks from my childhood. If you’re unfamiliar with the world of Caribbean and African grocery stores, here’s a list of the most popular foods and drinks.
Most-loved African beverages and snacks
Indomie Noodles
Indomie Indomie Noodles Indomie is an instant noodles brand made by the largest producer of noodles worldwide, Indonesia based, Indofood. Even though Top Ramen reigns supreme in the United States, Indomie is the most well-known type of noodles used in Nigeria. The 1980s saw Indofood join forces together with Dufil Prima Foods, which is a Nigerian food manufacturer and set up the first factory in Nigeria. The rest is history. Indomie remains extremely loved in Nigeria and also among diaspora Nigerians all over the world. I’ll take a bowl or two of Indomie with an egg that has been fried anytime.
Chin Chin
Chin Chin is hugely well-loved snack throughout West Africa. These are tiny bits of crispy fried dough with just the right level of sweetness. Many recipes require evaporated milk and nutmeg, which is why they have sweetness in them. They will leave you reaching for a handful after a handful.
Vitamalt
As a kid in the era of Nigerian events, the 21+ crowd would drink a lot of adult beverages while we youngsters would drink one or two bottles of Vitamalt. An alcohol-free malt drink. Like dark beers, Vitamalt tastes nutty; however, it’s sweeter. Many Malt beverages aren’t alcohol-free.
Milo
My classmates at school were accustomed to Nesquik powdered chocolate, and at home, we used Milo, a malted chocolate powder created by Nestle. Although it was originally an Australian product, it’s widely used in Asia in Asia and Africa. Like many drinks made from chocolate powder, you mix it with hot milk, hot water, or both. Evaporating water creates Milo from the syrup that contains malted barley or wheat, which is then vacuum-sealed until it turns into tiny pieces.
TomTom
Although it’s not clear why these hard candy candies in black and white from the 1970s came to the name they have today, TomTom remains by far the most well-loved sweet in Nigeria. It’s a Cadbury product. They have the menthol, minty taste that makes them particularly popular when someone feels some cold symptoms approaching. There are also lesser-known flavours like Strawberry, Fresh lime, Honey & Lemon. TomTom is personally not my favourite. However, the trademark swirled black and white packaging is difficult to miss.
Peak Milk
I don’t believe I have any memory of my mother drinking milk from a carton or the jug. However, Peak Milk, powdered milk, is always her favourite drink, particularly in her coffee or tea. Peak Milk is originally from Holland, and however, it has also been produced in Nigeria from the 1950s onwards. It is also available in the form of a liquid; however, powdered milk is an excellent option for travel because it doesn’t require refrigeration. A couple of teaspoons of powdered milk may also be used to enhance the form of freshly baked bread.
Roasted Groundnuts
The roasted groundnuts are a delicious snack available everywhere in Nigeria. They are a must-have snack that will surpass the peanuts roasted in the U.S. to shame. The process begins by washing and then taking the peanuts out of the water and letting them dry out in the sunlight. After drying, you prepare a pan either over the stove or on the flame, adding the garri or sand (ground cassava) then adding the peanuts. Sand and garri hold heat and allow the peanuts to roast more quickly to prevent burning. After roasting after cooling, the nuts are then cooled, the skins scrubbed off, and then stored in an airtight container. One of the most popular combinations globally is roasting groundnuts with bananas.
