Groceries, floating berries, chocolate crunches, other coded names Nigerians call food items

If there is one thing you can’t take away from Nigerians, it is the ability to create their own happiness regardless of the current economic situation of the country.

It’s no news the increase in the price of petroleum has doubled the price of almost every good and services, but Nigerians would never trade their happiness for it. Call it suffering and smiling, apologies to legendary Afrobeat singer, Fela Anikulapo Kuti, but Nigerians are unarguably all-round creative people.

In this piece, Tribune Online takes a look at how Nigerians on social media have re-christened some of the country’s cherished local food items with coded names. 

1. Groceries (Garri)

At first, when you hear the word “groceries,” what comes to your mind is food and other household items that are regularly purchased for consumption and use within a household. However, ‘groceries’ is the latest name given to your innocent Cassava flakes, otherwise known as Garri. Yes, beloved life-saving Garri has now become a new phase of stylishness.

2. Floating Berries (Groundnut)

Drinking Garri without groundnut is somehow considered a soft taboo by some people, perhaps because they both perfectly complement each other. So, it is expected that groundnut will not be left out in the trending renaming of food items. Groundnut, which is mostly taken alongside Garri, has been given the name “Floating Berries.” The name seems most befitting since groundnut indeed floats on the surface of Garri’s water.

3. Chocolate Crunches (KuliKuli)

KuliKuli, as it is fondly called, is the perfect alternative to groundnut for most Garri lovers. If Groundnut could get a new coded name, then it would be unjust for KuliKuli to be left out of the trend. KuliKuli, which is made from groundnut, is now referred to as “Chocolate crunches” by some Nigerians on social media.

4. Sweetener (Sugar)

If there is a name that seems the most fitting for sugar, then it will surely be ‘sweetener’. In case something comes to your mind, bury it. Sugar is more like a utility food item that is considered indispensable in some foods such as Garri, Pap, and Custard, among others. The importance of sugar in adding sweetness to these foods can never be overemphasized; hence, giving such a name to sugar is like a match made in heaven.

5. White Caramel (Milk)

Milk, which is white, nutrient-rich liquid produced by female mammals, especially cows, has also been renamed ‘white caramel’. The importance of milk can never be overemphasized, as it is a major source of essential nutrients like calcium, protein, and vitamins.

Bonus: Others include Roasted corn (Crunchy peas), Suya (Lamb chops), and Kilishi (Beef Jerky), among others.

Which among them did you think we skipped? Share with us in the comment section.