April 2025 Issue
Cultural Foodways: Tasting the Caribbean
By Janet Helm, MS, RDN
Today’s Dietitian
Vol. 27 No. 4 P. 10
Celebrating Its Distinct, Multifaceted Cultural Identities
Caribbean cuisine is truly a bubbling melting pot—shaped by the cultural traditions of the indigenous populations of the islands combined with the influence of enslaved Africans and European colonists, including Spanish, British, French, and Dutch. While there are shared ingredients like tropical fruits, seafood, and aromatic spices, each Caribbean Island has its own signature dishes and culinary practices reflected by its unique histories, local agriculture, and demographics.
Increasingly, people understand that the Caribbean is not a monolith. As profiled in The New York Times,1 a new guard of chefs is getting specific about a cuisine that is often flattened into one large region. I recently visited several West Indies islands to get a taste of the differences.
I visited a bustling spice market and rural spice plantation on Grenada, known as “Spice Isle,” and took two Caribbean cooking classes—one on St Kitts and the other on Dominica—which helped me become more immersed in Caribbean food culture.
“Caribbean cuisine is a representation of the cultural and migratory influences the region has experienced since Christopher Columbus landed on its beaches in 1492,” says Daria Eugene, who taught the cooking class I attended on the heavily forested Dominica, known as the “nature island” of the Caribbean.
“Like its flamboyant history, Caribbean food is as colorful as it is tasty,” she says.
The resulting multicultural mix in the Caribbean is known as Creole. We may think of Creole as the cuisine in Louisiana, yet the roots are from the Caribbean. It is cuisine born from the fusion of European, African, and indigenous influences.
Eugene, owner of Cooking With Daria, guided us through the hands-on cooking class and rum tasting in her home. The menu included Creole chicken, fried plantains, coconut pumpkin rice, and chocolate ice cream with chocolate-infused rum sauce. She also reviewed the multiple fresh herbs that are dominant in Caribbean cooking and are revered locally for their “food as medicine” qualities.
On St Kitts, we made jerk chicken, West Indian steamed fish with tomatoes, vegetable escovitch with green bananas, red beans and rice, and coconut bread pudding with rum-soaked raisins.
Other popular Caribbean dishes include the following:
• Cou-cou and flying fish: Barbados’ national dish that features a side resembling polenta made with cornmeal and okra, with fried or steamed flying fish, which glide above the ocean’s surface using large, winged fins.
• Macaroni pie: A favorite Bajan comfort food that I tried together with flying fish at the famous Oistins Fish Market in Barbados. The creamy baked macaroni and cheese is flavored with grated onion, ketchup, mustard, and sometimes hot sauce and spices. Many locals consider it the unofficial national dish of Barbados, and it is commonly served as part of Sunday family lunch.
• Ackee and saltfish: Jamaica’s national dish features sauteed ackee fruit and salted cod with onions, peppers, and tomato.
• Doubles: A popular street food from Trinidad and Tobago made of fried flatbread filled with spiced chickpeas and tamarind sauce.
• Pepperpot: A long-simmered beef or pork stew with earthy spices, wiri wiri peppers, and cassareep, a syrup from the juice of the cassava root that’s like molasses. The dish originated in Guyana and is traditionally served at Christmas and other special events.
• Souse: Rooted in African culinary traditions, souse is a tangy, pickled pork dish that showcases the ingenuity of enslaved people who made flavorful meals using discarded parts of the pig, such as ears, feet, and tails.
Health Risks in the Caribbean
The Caribbean is faced with escalating rates of obesity and type 2 diabetes, and some experts blame the Western influx of fast-food restaurants and imported, heavily processed foods for these increased health risks.2
Annalee Gray Brown, a nutritionist and founder of Nourish Caribbean in Jamaica, says the diets of people living in the Caribbean have been heavily influenced by marketing and the increased accessibility of foods high in fat, sodium, and sugar. Caribbean islanders have the highest intake of sugar-sweetened beverages in the world.3 And despite many traditional plant-based dishes, the intake of fruits and vegetables in the Caribbean is quite low.4
Brown says she helps clients in Jamaica build healthier—while still enjoyable—diets.
“I often support clients in adjusting how some culturally common foods are prepared to maintain flavors while improving the nutrient composition to align with their nutrient needs,” she says.
The Caribbean Public Health Agency is encouraging the return of Caribbean cultural foodways and indigenous staples and has implemented multiple programs to improve the health of Caribbean people.
“There’s a misconception that Caribbean food is all fried, heavy, or unhealthy,” says Patricia Pauyo, MS, RDN, owner of Pathway Nutrition in New York who is originally from Haiti. In her practice, Pauyo’s mission is to empower individuals to manage chronic diseases and embrace a healthier lifestyle without compromising their cultural culinary heritage.
“I always tell my clients that they don’t need to give up the foods they love and grew up with to be healthy—it’s about balance, not sacrifice,” she says. “For me, it’s all about making cultural foods work for your healthy lifestyle, not against it.”
At its core, Caribbean cuisine is fresh, diverse, and inherently nutritious, Pauyo says.
Amber Alexis, MSPH, RDN, owner of The Cultural Dietitian in Trinidad and Tobago, practices what she calls culture-focused nutrition. Similar to Pauyo, she helps support clients to eat healthily without avoiding cultural foods.
Integrating Caribbean Foods and Flavors
“For dietitians looking to integrate Caribbean foods into their practice, my biggest advice is to fully embrace and celebrate the cultural foods of your clients,” Pauyo says.
“Get curious—take the time to learn and understand the history and traditions behind the dishes,” she says.
Caribbean cuisine is deeply rooted in resilience, creativity, and cultural pride.
“Always remain teachable—you might be the expert in nutrition, but your client is the expert of their body and their culture,” Alexis says.
“Ask questions about a food that you’re not familiar with—what are the ingredients? Is it used for a special occasion or daily use? And then, with your guidance, show them how to use that food in a nutritionally supportive way.”
Pauyo says the spices, herbs, and cooking techniques from the Caribbean can bring excitement and vibrancy to any dish.
“There’s so much variety and creativity in our cuisine, offering endless opportunities to create flavorful and nourishing meals.”
— Janet Helm, MS, RDN, is a global food analyst and public relations strategist with 20+ years agency experience working with food and beverage brands and agricultural commodity boards. She started her own consultancy, Food at the Helm, and is a sought-after speaker on food trends.
References
1. Wilson K. Exploring Caribbean food, island by island. The New York Times. January 17, 2024. https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/16/dining/caribbean-food-chefs.html
2. Guariguata L, Garcia L, Sobers N, et al. Exploring ways to respond to rising obesity and diabetes in the Caribbean using a system dynamics model. PLOS Glob Public Health. 2022;(5):e0000436.
3. Singh GM, Micha R, Khatibzadeh S, et al. Global, regional, and national consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages, fruit juices, and milk: a systematic assessment of beverage intake in 187 countries. PLoS One. 2015;10(8):e012845.
4. Oladele CR, Colón-Ramos U, Galusha D, et al. Perceptions of the local food environment and fruit and vegetable intake in the Eastern Caribbean Health Outcomes Research Network (ECHORN) cohort study. Prev Med Rep. 2022;26:101694.
Caribbean Pumpkin Rice
Vegetables are often added to rice for color and nutrition, like this pumpkin rice dish we prepared at Daria Eugene’s cooking school in Dominica, Cooking With Daria. This recipe is published in her cookbook, Cooking Caribbean With Daria. Calabaza squash is the West Indian pumpkin used in this recipe, but you can substitute butternut squash or kabocha squash. The rice is cooked in coconut milk for a creamy, flavorful dish.
Ingredients
3 cups coconut milk
Salt and pepper to taste
2 cups long grain rice, rinsed
1 cup shredded pumpkin (or butternut squash)
2 T finely chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 sprig fresh thyme
Directions
1. Add coconut milk to a medium pot, add salt and pepper, and bring to a boil. Add the rinsed rice, cover, and reduce heat.
2. Let the mixture simmer until rice is almost cooked. Stir in the shredded pumpkin, onion, garlic, and thyme. Simmer until the pumpkin is cooked. Fluff with a fork before serving.
CARIBBEAN PANTRY
Plant-Based Ingredients
Coconut: Coconut milk, water, oil, flour, and dried and shredded flakes.
Tropical fruits: Pineapple, mango, papaya, guava, passion fruit, and dragon fruit.
Plantains: Known as “cooking bananas,” the fruit is primarily used in savory meals, often fried, mashed, boiled, and roasted; boiled green bananas are also frequently used.
Tamarind: The pulp is cooked into sauces, marinades, chutneys, drinks, and desserts.
Sorrel: Vibrantly tart, red petals from the hibiscus plant that are used frequently in drinks and desserts.
Ackee: A savory fruit native to West Africa that has a buttery, slightly nutty flavor with a texture like scrambled eggs when cooked. Only canned ackee is available in the United States because the unripe fresh fruit contains a natural toxin called hypoglycin A and it has been banned by FDA.1
Soursop: A green-yellow fruit with prickly skin that tastes like a mix of strawberries and apples; the leaves are used to make an herbal tea.
“Ground provisions” or tubers: Cassava (yuca), taro (dasheen), eddoes, sweet potatoes, yams, pumpkin, and other local root vegetables.
Breadfruit: Similar to ground provisions, although this starchy fruit grows on trees; it’s served roasted, boiled, and fried.
Pigeon peas: Small legumes that are a staple in Caribbean cuisine, commonly used in stews and soups, and combined with rice for the quintessential Caribbean dish of rice and peas. (Black-eyed peas, kidney beans, black beans, and yellow lentils are also frequently combined with rice.)
Okra: Featured in cou-cou—a creamy dish made with cornmeal—and added to rice, curries, and stewed meats.
Spices, Herbs, and Flavors
Allspice (Pimento): Often called Jamaica pepper, allspice is a cornerstone of Caribbean cooking, especially in jerk seasoning; the flavor combines notes of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.
Nutmeg and mace: Prominent in Grenada, nutmeg is used in both sweet and savory dishes, while mace (the lacy covering of nutmeg) offers a milder, sweeter flavor.
Cinnamon: Used in desserts, breads, stews, and rum punch.
Cloves: Add a warm, slightly sweet depth to marinades, curries, and stews.
Turmeric: Used in curries and rice dishes, turmeric contributes its golden color and earthy taste.
Thyme: A ubiquitous herb in Caribbean kitchens, thyme is used to flavor soups, stews, and rice dishes.
Culantro: Similar to cilantro but with a stronger flavor, it is a staple in sofrito or green seasoning—a blend of fresh herbs, green onions, and garlic that is the base for marinades and many common dishes.
Parsley: Commonly used as a garnish or in green seasoning.
Scotch bonnet peppers: These fiery peppers are central to jerk marinades and add heat and fruitiness to Caribbean dishes.
Jerk seasoning: A blend of allspice, Scotch bonnet peppers, thyme, cinnamon, and other spices; jerk seasoning is iconic in Jamaican cuisine.
Curry: A sweet, mild blend of turmeric, allspice, and cinnamon that differs from Indian curry.
Reference
1. Hypoglycin A and ackee fruit. FDA website. https://www.fda.gov/food/natural-toxins-food/hypoglycin-and-ackee-fruit. Updated March 5, 2024. Accessed January 10, 2025.