Tamales. Although enjoyed throughout the year, tamales are a popular Day of the Dead food eaten during the long nights of celebration during Día de los Muertos. Tamales come in different shapes and with a variety of flavors, typically consisting of filling wrapped with masa inside of a corn husk and steamed.
So the Dia de Los Muertos food is as assorted as the altar decorations. For example, traditional Day of the Dead foods in Mexico include pan de Muerto and sugar skulls, tamales, moles, and more. People use traditional Day of the Dead food as ofrendas for the altars.
Three foods traditionally associated with Day of the Dead include mole negro, hot chocolate, and pan de muerto (bread of the dead) and different variations are staples on altars throughout Mexico. Read below for more on these three dishes and their significance.
In addition to sugar skulls, another food special to Día de Muertos is pan de muertos, a bread that's sprinkled with sugar and topped with bone-shaped decorations. Other popular Mexican dishes served for the occasion include tortilla soup, chalupas, tamales and caramel flan.
Families create the altars with photographs and candles as a way for their departed loved ones to find their way back to their living relatives, and the food and ofrendas serve both as nourishment for the deceased after their journey as well as enticement and motivation for them to come back to the land of the living.
Next up, desserts, which some might say are the most important part of the celebration. We've included traditional pan de muerto, churros, tres leches cake, and flan, as well as some not-so-traditional spins, like our churro cookies, our sopapilla cheesecake bars, and our Day of the Dead cookies.
Vegetables and fruits play an important role in the celebration because they're used to decorate the altars with the deceased's favorite foods and drinks. Chili peppers, onions, tomatoes, tomatillos, jicama, apples and oranges are some of the most popular ingredients.
Some people believe the spirits of the dead eat the "spiritual essence" of the ofrendas food, so though the celebrators eat the food after the festivities, they believe it lacks nutritional value. Pillows and blankets are left out so the deceased can rest after their long journey.
Dogs and Candles: Dogs were believed to guide the ancestral spirits to their final resting place in the afterlife. Candles represent fire and are a light guiding them back to visit the land of the living.
Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, is a uniquely Mexican holiday rooted in Aztec and Catholic traditions that celebrates those who died before us. As a fruit with a rich history in Mexico, mangos are perfect for Day of the Dead celebrations.
A feast for the dead and breakfast for the living
While recipes vary by region, traditional pan de muertos is usually a blend of water (or milk), butter, anise seeds, sugar, flour, and orange flower water (via Food & Wine).
Are sugar skulls meant to be eaten? No, sugar skulls are intended as decorative items only. Although they're made from edible ingredients, they are super-hard when finished.
The most popular Day of the Dead flowers used for celebrations are cempazuchitl flowers, also known as “marigolds.” Decorating for Day of the Dead is one of the most beautiful things about the holiday, and flowers are often a big part of these decorations.
processing International Fruit Day
The idea developed under the aspect of sustainibility and became even clearer. Sharing and eating fruits/vegetables together was soon made up to International Fruit Day which is celebrated July 1st each year. The vote for Fruit Of The Year and motto each year were soon added.
Sugar skulls represented a departed soul, had the name written on the forehead and was placed on the home ofrenda or gravestone to honor the return of a particular spirit. Sugar skull art reflects the folk art style of big happy smiles, colorful icing and sparkly tin and glittery adornments.
Churros. Brought to Mexico by the Spanish, churros are a sweet, cylindrical pastry now found throughout Mexico. They are not traditional food during Day Of The Dead per se; however, they often are sold by vendors on the streets, and they go fabulous with champurrado!
This Dia De Los Muertos Cake is made with three layers of delicious vanilla white cake, topped with cream cheese frosting and decorated with Day of the Dead sugar skulls! This beautiful cake is colorful and super tasty! This post/recipe was created for #HalloweenTreatsWeek!
And seeing as its roots come from Mexican culture, you can safely assume that most of the cocktails involve a generous helping of mezcal or tequila. Check out our collection of Día de los Muertos cocktails for a delicious way to raise a glass to your loved ones this weekend!
The skulls mean more than just death: Skulls feature prominently in Day of the Dead celebrations, even down to making little sugar skulls to place on alters. In pre-Hispanic times, the indigenous Mexican population viewed the skull as both a symbol of death and re-birth.
Monarch butterflies play a role in Día de los Muertos because they are believed to hold the spirits of the departed. This belief stems from the fact that the first monarchs arrive in Mexico for the winter each fall on Nov. 1, which coincides with Día de los Muertos.
Day of the Dead (Dia De Los Muertos) is a two day holiday that reunites the living and dead. Families create ofrendas (Offerings) to honor their departed family members that have passed.