The traditional foodways of Kenya have been endangered for a while due to historical reasons as well as influences in the form of modern lifestyles. People looked down upon local foods and considered them to be poor and backward.
When Kenya realized that a decline in food diversity and knowledge would have serious consequences for human health as well as food and nutrition security, the country committed to protecting related practices and expressions in 2007.
Two major initiatives were launched in collaboration with community groups and scientists. The first step was to inventory traditional foods, focusing on traditional vegetables, recording about 850 indigenous plants with local names. The next step involved the detailed documentation of indigenous use and related knowledge (such as recipes and customs) and practices and ceremonies. The final step was to promote the food.
The second initiative was a pilot project to identify and inventory traditional foodways. This was in partnership with primary school children and the Department of Culture and the National and International Museums of Kenya. They consulted with community leaders to raise awareness about threats to traditional foodways.
Since then, other activities related to both initiatives have been undertaken independently by local institutions, and several other similar initiatives have been launched in Kenya, Ethiopia, and Burkina Faso.
No single dish can be considered representative of Kenya's culinary diversity. Native foods are different for different communities. There are staples such as maize and other cereals depending on the region, including millet and sorghum eaten with various meats and vegetables. Among the traditional foods you will find ugali, sukuma wiki, and nyama choma.
Depending on what foods are locally available in each area of the country, there are distinct differences among them. The consumption of grains is a staple food for communities that grow grains (Kikuyus, Embus, Merus, Kisii, et cetera). There are also other communities such as the Luo community and the coastal community that have fish and seafood as their staple food as it is readily available there. Foods made from sorghum are more commonly found in semi-arid areas like Turkana.
Food eaten by working families varies by ethnicity and preference as you move towards the city. It is more common for working families to eat rice and stew, as well as dishes such as chapati, which is a staple that originated in India (similar to the flatbread parantha), chicken stew, and other dishes.