{"id":124133,"date":"2025-09-25T05:00:25","date_gmt":"2025-09-25T15:00:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hawaii.com\/?p=124133"},"modified":"2025-09-25T14:17:27","modified_gmt":"2025-09-26T00:17:27","slug":"guide-to-hawai%ca%bbi-canoe-crops","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hawaii.com\/guide-to-hawai%ca%bbi-canoe-crops\/","title":{"rendered":"The Ultimate Guide to Hawai\u02bbi Canoe Crops"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"pounding<\/a>

To make Hawaiian pa’i’ai or poi kalo (taro) is steamed and pounded with water. Courtesy of Hawaii Tourism Authority. Photo by Heather Goodman.<\/p><\/div>\n

This article contains affiliate links.\u00a0<\/i><\/b><\/h6>\n

Curious about traditional Hawaiian Food? <\/b>While most visitors think of shave ice, pineapple and musubi as Hawaiian foods, they are not. These came hundreds of years after Hawai\u2019i was discovered by Polynesians settlers and are considered \u201clocal food,\u201d as opposed to Hawaiian. Even poke, as we know it today, was developed long after Hawai\u02bbi became a part of the U.S.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What are Hawai\u02bbi canoe crops?<\/h3>\n

When we think about traditional Hawaiian food today, we are referring to “canoe crops” \u2013 staple foods that were brought to the Hawaiian Islands over 1000 years ago by canoe \u2013 which include ingredients such as kalo (taro), \u02bbulu (breadfruit), niu (coconut), mai\u02bba (banana), \u02bbuala (purple sweet potato) and \u02bb\u014dlena (turmeric) just to name a few.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Canoe crops were more than just <\/span>sustenance to Native Hawaiians. They were used for clothing, shelter, medicine and rituals. \u02bbUlu is a symbol of food security, while kalo \u2013 the most important of the canoe crops \u2013 is considered the ancestor of all Hawaiian people.<\/span><\/p>\n

Although Native Hawaiians have grown these crops for centuries, they are not always easy to find in grocery stores or on restaurant menus. But seeking them out provides not only the reward of learning more about Hawaiian culture, it’s also an opportunity to taste something new and delicious.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Why Trust My Advice?<\/b><\/h3>\n

I am not Native Hawaiian, nor am I a cultural practitioner. I am a food writer and former chef who has been cooking and learning about the foods of different cultures around the world for almost 30 years. The first thing I did when I moved to Hawai\u02bbi nine years ago was start a project called the “Year of Ingredients” where I chronicled a different local Hawai\u02bbi ingredient every day for a year straight. In my research I learned where to source these ingredients, how to cook them and what their medicinal benefits were. During that time, I began touring local farms, leading farmers market tours and hosting farm-to-table dinners on O\u02bbahu. Continuing down the rabbit hole eventually led me to volunteering regularly with \u02bb\u0101ina-based organizations, and farms, islandwide that grow traditional Hawaiian crops, and becoming an \u02bbulu ambassador for the Hawai\u02bbi \u02bbUlu Cooperative<\/a> \u2013 a local non-profit I have written articles and guides for and developed recipes and products for utilizing canoe crops. Locals know me best as “The Healthy Locavore” \u2013 my IG handle and name of my blog \u2013 someone who is passionate about personal and environmental health, local agriculture and supporting local businesses. <\/span>After 10 years of writing about food and travel for publications nationwide, I still find the most joy in writing about the foods of Hawai\u02bbi.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Woman<\/a>

You can find canoe crops like kalo and \u02bbulu at produce markets in Chinatown on O\u02bbahu. Photo by Ketino Photography.<\/p><\/div>\n

Where can I learn more about Hawai\u02bbi canoe crops?\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n

If you are interested in learning more about Hawaiian staple foods, there are several ways to go about it.<\/span>\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

Learn Before You Taste<\/b><\/h3>\n