Ghana Trip: Life in Ghana: Ghanaian Food

Ghanaian food is probably one of the biggest adaptions that I’ve had to make. Ghanaians eat a lot of meats like goat and chicken which are paired with a starchy side which can be banku, kenke, or fufu or rice. These meals don’t usually come with a vegetable which is a big difference from the well-balanced meals I’m used to in the US.

Breakfast here is not really a meal that is seen as any different from lunch and dinner so there are not many foods that are designated “breakfast” foods like back in the US. This aside, we are still able to eat cereals like Rice Krispies, Weetabix, and Corn Flakes which are sold here along with eggs, toast, and pancakes.

Lunch is a different affair. While breakfast and dinner are normally cooked and eaten at home giving us the flexibility to cook whatever we want, at lunch during the day, my brothers pack food from home while my parents and I eat at one of the dining halls at the university. I will admit that I’m not the most experimental person when it comes to lunch food so I stick with my fish, plantains, and spicy noodles dish which I have most times (every day).

There’s quite a selection in the halls and it is here that you see a little bit of the hierarchy system that’s established across the school. The hall is split up in two parts; one side has many tables with benches where the students sit, and the other side contains a single long table that is elevated above the students. Faculty sits at the table and is served their dinner by a wait staff while the students must stand in a line to collect their food.

Dinner is the meal that is more of a toss-up for our family. About 1-2 nights a week our family goes out to dinner which opens up many options for us. In Greater Accra, the more urbanized region of Ghana were are staying in, there is a wide selection of foods to choose from. There are a fair number of pizza places and KFC’s around and even more Chinese and Thai places. When we eat at home, my dad usually cooks curry, some kind of fish or chicken stew, or some sort of pasta dish.

I think my biggest disappointment lies in the baking department. The prices for cookie/brownie mix are C R A Z Y and my family has no real need to buy flour, baking soda and powder, things that could be used to make items from scratch. All I want for my birthday is to make some nice chocolate chip cookies! If someone told me 6 months ago that in 6 months I would be stripped of my precious cookie dough, I probably would laugh in their face. I guess this kind of represents my whole stay here in Ghana in a way. You really don’t notice what you have until it’s gone and you really need to appreciate what you have while you have it. Big lesson learned so far: Treasure what you have while you have it because it could be much, much worse.