Hawaii is a great food destination. Waves of immigration have created a diverse scene, from Portuguese donuts to one of the nation’s oldest chinatowns to grocery stores with fresh fish poke, to neighborhood cafes serving the typical Hawaiian plate lunch that highlighs this diversity by combining Polynesian, North American, and Asian influences all in one meal. 

One of the more unusual options is a SPAM musubi. They are everywhere, from food trucks to convenience stores to cookbooks to murals. 

It’s a slice of grilled SPAM atop a block of rice, wrapped in seaweed- although creative versions can be found (we had ours deep-fried). 

SPAM’s (SPiced hAM) history on the island dates back to the 1940s. Before statehood, Pearl Harbor in Honolulu was a port that became the home of the Navy’s Pacific fleet in WWII. It was during this time that SPAM became a culinary staple. Because of its long shelf life, cheap cost, and versatility, it gained popularity not only with military folk but also with locals. No one really knows who first combined it with Japanese onigiri to create musubi, but it has now become a cultural symbol of Hawaii, and another example of a delicious cultural mash-up. 

Hawaiians consume the most SPAM per capita: about 7 million cans a year!

For another cultural mash-up, how about a 7-11 breakfast of rice, scrambled egg, Portuguese sausage, SPAM, and maple Sausage links?

Note: Although food costs on the islands are  pricey, there are ways to keeps costs down. There is a fantastic food truck culture, plenty of fresh fruit stands, grocery/convenience stores that have prepared foods – and weather that is very picnic friendly!