Many Western travelers get nervous when considering a trip to an exotic destination such as Rwanda; their biggest concern is what they will eat.  Others, relish the thought of embarking on a trip to a new destination, specifically because they welcome the thought of trying new local foods.  Of course, tropical destinations such as Rwanda, have a plethora of fruits and vegetables that may be available in the West, but at a huge premium; mangoes, papayas, pineapples, passion fruits, avocados, cassava, jack fruit are all plentiful in Rwanda.  Staples such as tomatoes, onions, peppers, potatoes, cabbage and carrots are also readily available in local markets across the country.

The Rwandan diet consists mainly of sweet potatoes, beans, corn, peas, millet, plantains (bananas), cassava (a root vegetable) and fruits.  German colonialists introduced the potato to Rwanda, and now it is quite popular amongst locals, particularly French fries.  In terms of meats, chicken and beef are

the most popular; near the lakes, fish is regularly consumed as well.  In Rwanda, meals are not lavish by any means, and the food is simple and the focus is sustainability; people eat in Rwanda to survive.  Rwandese dishes are either boiled to produce stews or pan fried.

A traditional Rwandan breakfast consists of sweet potatoes and porridge.  Lunch and dinner is usually one of the following combinations:  boiled beans, bananas and sweet potatoes or cassava.  A dish of cassava and corn is called Umutsima; cassava leaves with eggplant and spinach is called Isombe; fried plantains is called Mizuzu.  All of the foregoing are common dishes eaten by locals; preparation is in a sauce and a starch such as Ugali (cornmeal), rice, French fries or Chapati

(flatbread) is served with them.  Snacks are most commonly fruits such as avocados, bananas, mangos, pineapples and papaya.  On the side of the road, there are vendors in most urban centers roasting corn and barbecued meat (usually beef or goat).

Kigali, the capital has a lot of international-food restaurants.  Here in the city you can find pizza shops, Indian, Chinese, Italian, French and Japanese.  All of these restaurants have full menus with a variety of starters and main courses.  Outside of Kigali, in the villages, one cannot find such a variety of offerings; the only exception being the town of Butare, which does have a couple of restaurants other than those serving only local dishes.

The large hotels, lodges and resorts all have restaurants that serve International cuisine; these establishments cater to tourists and their menus offer both local dishes as well as different more traditional Western foods.  The ingredients for both the International and Rwandese dishes are the same; it is the preparation and combination of foods that differ.  Local dishes are not spicy or hot; blandness is the norm.  Hotels serve eggs, pancakes, fruits and cereals for breakfast.

For travelers, there is little to be nervous about with respect to eating in Rwanda; the dishes are simple, made from well-known ingredients and prepared without a lot of sauces and spices.  There are few surprises, such as in neighboring Congo, where monkey is regularly eaten, or in Uganda, where the traditional breakfast favorite is a stew of bananas and cows intestine; the favorite snack in Uganda is fried grasshoppers.  So, when you come to go Mountain Gorilla tracking, birding or hiking one of the volcanic mountains in Rwanda, you have nothing to fear in terms of what you will eat.