A food staple is the main food a people group eats.

For example, native Hawaiians eat taro. Many people in Africa rely on a starchy root called cassava. Those in tropical cultures often eat mostly plantains. (Plantains are fruits that look like bananas. But they don’t get sweet until they turn dark brown. Fried yellow plantains taste more like potatoes than bananas.)

Each culture’s staple depends on the geography and resources God has provided. Staples are usually cheap plant foods that can give people a lot of energy. You’ve probably eaten many of the world’s staple foods—especially ones like maize (corn), potatoes, soybeans, wheat, and yams.

FAVS

But have you tried . . . 

 . . . fermented shark? Vikings settled Iceland centuries ago. Iceland is too cold for crops like wheat or corn. But its waters make a perfect home for 13-foot, poisonous Greenland sharks! Vikings cut off the sharks’ heads. They buried the bodies in holes. They piled rocks on top. The sharks fermented. Meanwhile, the poisons leaked out. The Vikings dried the sharks. Then they sliced the meat and ate it. How do today’s Icelanders know when a shark is ready to eat? They just have to give it a sniff. They’re checking for the delicious aroma of . . . ammonia and rotten cheese! To an outsider, it totally stinks!

. . . a hairy spider? People in Cambodia haven’t always eaten fried tarantulas. They started in the 1970s. Back then, radical communist leaders led their country into terrible poverty. People were hungry. They ate anything they could catch! Today, Cambodians still like the taste of fried tarantulas. And many people there are still very poor. They can make money selling fried tarantulas to tourists. The crunchy snacks cost about one dollar each.

. . . a kangaroo burger? Many people in Australia today get a little squirmy when they think about eating kangaroo. But the original Australians ate it all the time. Kangaroo meat is healthy. It tastes like venison or beef. Past Australians especially loved fire-roasted kangaroo tail.