Traditional Foods in Jamaica

Apart from the glorious atttractions on island Jamaica, the food is another great aspect. Jamaica's culture is very vibant and so this plays a roll in our food. We like to explore and experiment on our taste buds, but only in the right ways. This island is filled with lots of scrumptuous food just waiting to set your taste buds alive, especially spicy food. We have many rich spices and seasoning that we use along with natually grown fruits and vegetables. You haven't experienced Jamaica until you taste a naturally cooked Jamaican meal. There are many delicious meals in Jamaica and below a few traditional and everyday meals are listed. Keep in mind that there are many more dishes than listed below.

Traditional (Cultural) Foods

  1. Ackee and Saltfish with Dumplings or Breadfruit

    2. This is Jamaica's National fruit, ackee, cooked with saltfish and natural seasonings served with fried or boiled dumplings and/or breadfruit and/or fried plantains.

  2. Run Down

    3. The name of this meal appears to originate from the manner in which the fish is thoroughly cooked until it falls apart, or “runs down". This dish is made with salt mackerel mixed with cocunut juice served with boiled dumplings, yam, sweet potato and banana.

  3. Duckanoo (Blue Draws)

    4. This a type of pudding wrapped in banana leaf.

  4. Grater Cake

    5. Grater cake, also known as Grater Brute, is a dessert of grated coconut in a fondant of sugar in Jamaican cuisine.

  5. Gizzada

    6. This is also a coconut dessert.

  6. Toto

    7. This is simply coconut pudding.

  7. Coconut Drops

    8. This sweet dessert is diced cocounut baked in brown sugar.

Jamaican Meals

  1. Curried Goat with Rice and Peas
  2. Oxtail with Rice and Peas
  3. Jerk Chicken and Pork
  4. Escoveitch Fish with Bammy and/or Festival

    5. Escoveitch fish is fish that was fried then cooked down and served with uncooked onions,pepper, etc. that was soaked in vinegar. It is then served with bammy, a flat roll or pancake made from cassava flour, or festival, a sweet fried dumpling.

  5. Callaloo with Dumplings and Green Banana

    6. Steamed callaloo served with either boiled dumplings and green bananas or fried dumplings.

  6. Red Peas Soup

    7. This is soup that contains red kidney beans.

  7. Manish Water

    8. Despite the complicated or foreign name, this is simply goat soup.

  8. Crab

    9. Crabs are either boiled or curried and they're always extremely spicy.