Staple foods include:
Te ika (fish) – often grilled, dried, or cooked in coconut cream.
Te bun – a type of dense coconut bread.
Te bwabwai – a traditional pudding made from fermented taro.
Pandanus fruit – eaten fresh or made into syrup for sweet treats.
Coconut toddy – a sweet drink from coconut sap, sometimes fermented into a local liquor.
Since freshwater is scarce, many Kiribati people rely on coconuts for hydration. Traditional meals are prepared in underground ovens, similar to Polynesian cooking methods.
Western food is available in South Tarawa, but the outer islands rely on fishing and homegrown produce.