Most Popular Foods and Meals in Kenya

Learn about the most popular homemade and street foods in Kenya. Whether it is breakfast, lunch, or dinner meal, these dishes are a common choice for many Kenyan families and individuals. Along the coastal areas of Kenya like Mombasa, Lamu, and Kilifi, people have their own special favorites, such as pilau, biryani, Mahamri, and seafood.

1. Sukuma Wiki

Sukuma Wiki, also known as Kales, is one of the most popular vegetables in Kenya. Many people like it because it’s not expensive, and you can easily find it in groceries or Mama Mboga shops. It is usually accompanied with ugali.

Learn how to cook Sukuma Wiki

2. Ugali

Ugali is stable food in Kenya made using cooking flour (milled white maize). For most families in Kenya, Ugali is a must-have for dinner or lunch, and it is usually accompanied with Sukuma wiki or meat. There are various types of cooking flour, and the taste of your Ugali might be a bit different depending on the brand you use. Examples of high quality cooking flour brands in Kenya include hostess, Soko, Jogoo, Pembe, etc

Learn how to prepare Ugali

3. Meat

Cow and goat meat are the most popular meat types in Kenya. Cow meat is a bit cheaper than goat meat, so you will easily find it in most butcheries. They are normally cooked by boiling, deep-frying, or grilling.

Learn how to prepare family meat stew.

4. Githeri

Githeri is a popular dish in Kenya, especially in the central region. It is a common choice in many secondary boarding schools and backstreet hotels in Nairobi.

Here is Githeri Recipe

5. Chapati

Chapati is a popular food in Kenya, even though it’s not eaten as often as Sukuma Wiki and Ugali. Many Kenyans usually have it for breakfast with tea, but it’s also great for lunch or dinner with Meat, Beans, or any stew. The flavor of Chapati can vary a bit depending on the brand of baking flour used to make it and the expertise of the chef.

Here is how to cook soft Chapati

6. Mandazi

Mandazi is a common breakfast food that is usually enjoyed with tea in Kenya. Mandazi is more popular than Chapati because it’s easy to make and can be found in many local eateries, often known as “Kibanda.” You can get Mandazi for as low as Kenya shillings 10 in a Kibanda.

Learn to how make mandazi.

7. Rice (Mchele)

If you visit a Kenyan family or attend an event where they are serving food, you are likely to find rice, commonly known as “Mchele” in Kiswahili. The taste of rice varies based on the brand of rice and how it’s cooked. Better quality rice tends to be more expensive. Examples of recommended rice brands include Pure Mwea Pishori Rice, Sunrise with Orange Package, Fatma, etc.

Learn how to prepare Rice dish

Photos by 7daysmeal.com.

We have prepared all the foods listed above and shared their recipes on the latest recipes page.