Good Eatin'

When people wonder about my life in Uganda, one of the most commonly asked questions is "What do you eat there?"

While some aspects of life in Uganda can be very difficult to get used to, food is not one of them. There are fewer prepackaged, processed foods available here, and fast food chains are virtually non-existent (for which I'm thankful). It's very easy to eat almost entirely locally-sourced food if you so desire.



While I buy bread, eggs, and dry & canned items at one of the small supermarkets in town, I do the majority of my produce shopping at the central market. I feel fortunate that we have year-round access to fresh, locally-grown produce.

the fastest food available

Once a week, a very hard-working man also comes by our homes with a large crate attached to his bicycle. It's always overflowing with organic produce: collard greens, lettuce, parsley, cilantro, fennel, basil, cucumbers, celery, etc. We're blessed by his hard work!

true drive-through convenience

Prepping and washing produce is an important step in preparing good food here and staying healthy. There are a variety of methods to cleaning your produce, but I choose to soak anything I won't be cooking or peeling in a highly diluted bleach-water solution. This kills any bacteria, amoebas, or anything else that might be lingering.

Another commonly asked question is "Do you like the local food?" I'm very thankful to say that I do.

When eating at a Ugandan friend's home or when dining at a local restaurant, more commonly known as "hotels" (though there is no lodging involved), you'll receive one or multiple of the following:

matooke (cooked, green bananas),

rice,

white potatoes (known as Irish potatoes),

sweet potatoes (also white in color),

cassava,

millet bread (think brown, sticky play dough),

chapati,

posho (maize flour cooked in water until it has a dough-like consistency),

or pumpkin.

These items are known "food." Your food will also be served with a sauce: meat sauce, g-nut sauce, or beans. Occasionally, some vegetables can also be mixed into the sauce, and a shredded cabbage salad or a slice of avocado might be served on the side.

mashed matooke for 60

pumpkin and g-nut sauce... my favorites!

rolex: fried egg wrapped in a chapati

Finally, living in Uganda is great motivation to make things from scratch that I normally wouldn't bother with back home. And because my stove runs on gas, I'm still able to prepare meals even when power is out for long periods of time. Cooking by candlelight isn't ideal, but it's doable!

granola and a new batch of vanilla extract that should
be ready for use in about two months

crepes with passion fruit syrup

passion fruit juice...
i love everything passion fruit

I promise this won't turn into a food blog.