Travelling is not complete without some good snacks. Sometimes it is the desire to taste something new and other times the duration of the journey mandates getting something to snack on. So here are the top 9 favourite street food Nigerians enjoy snacking on while travelling.
1. Gala
That it is professionally packaged and can be taken with any soft drink on the go, makes this the first choice for most inter-state travellers. Also, it is available all over the country on travel routes and any commercial road where traffic builds up. Food security/safety is guaranteed with this snack.
2. Plantain Chips
The process of frying and drying out ripe and unripe plantain guarantees some level of food safety that makes this the ideal snack to enjoy on a road trip. It comes in ripe and unripe versions. It’s crunch makes it fun to snack on.
3. Groundnut
There are different servings of groundnut that makes for a good travel companion. Vendors can boil it in the shell (salted and unsalted), process it into kuli-kuli like it’s done in Northen Nigeria, or roast it and serve it with banana like it is done in the South.
4. Suya
The appeal of this Northern Nigerian barbecue red meat with tasty spices is hard to ignore especially when it is available in the day time at car parks or travels stops. There are different varieties of suya besides cow meat, like ram suya and chicken suya. The smell of the suya draws you in and the heat of the pepper makes you grab a cool drink.
5. Boli
Roasted Plantain also known as Boli, which is usually served with roasted groundnut, is also a top choice for travellers because it is filling. You get to choose between the ripe, unripe and semi-ripe roasted plantain. Some street vendors (like the sellers at Lokoja) make a special sauce to accompany the Boli as an alternative to eating it with Groundnut.
6. Roasted or Boiled Corn
This is another filling street food is roasted or boiled corn. Best eaten when it is hot and paired with coconut if roasted or pear/elubo when boiled. Maize is a seasonal crop that only comes out at specific times of the year. When it’s in season, Vendors usually sell both boiled and roasted corn along travel routes.
7. Edible Worm
This is a south-south road travel delicacy. These big, tasty, skewered worms are usually dried. They are great for snacking after a main meal because they aren’t as filling as eating the other options of street food.
8. Peppered Snail
Depending on how the snail gets cooked, the peppered snail can become addictive. The snail is skewered in succession and tempered with the pepper sauce to make it more delicious.
9. Bobozi
Bobozi, a fermented Cassava best served with Coconut, is a southern delicacy that travellers indulge in. It’s moisture and fibre content, reduces the need for soft drink accompaniment. Best taken during a short inter-state or intra-city trip.
There are many street foods in Nigeria but very few are ideal for snacking while travelling due to the need to prevent a stomach upset. Did we miss anyone? Share your travel snacking preference as a comment.
Featured image source: uacfoodsng.com