10 African Snacks That’ll Make You Miss Boarding School (In a Good Way)

For those of us who went to boarding school in Nigeria or Africa, you already know that snack time was sacred. Snacks were more than food, they were currency, peace offerings, and the one thing that could make you instantly popular or the coolest kid on the block 

Fast forward to living in the U.S., and you suddenly find yourself missing those dormitory moments: sharing chin chin under your bunk bed, hiding gala in your locker, or trading plantain chips for cabin biscuits.

Good news? MamaJones Africa has them all. Here’s our top 10 list of African snacks that’ll hit you right in the childhood feels  and your taste buds.

1. Chin Chin

That sweet, crunchy, bite-sized goodness you could munch on for hours. Whether it was a quick snack before lights out or smuggled into class, chin chin was the real MVP.

2. Plantain Chips

Sweet or spicy plantain chips were the ultimate snack for late prep. They made you the cool kid if you had extras to share.

3. Cabin Biscuits

Dry? Yes. Boring? Never. Cabin biscuits were perfect for dipping in tea or eating straight from the pack during visiting day.

4. Gala Sausage Roll

That glorious combination of soft bread roll and seasoned beef filling. If you ever paired it with a chilled bottle of La Casera, you had an elite taste.

5. Kuli Kuli

Groundnut paste turned into crunchy sticks of joy. Kuli kuli was best enjoyed with garri soakings, but let’s be honest, we ate it plain, too.

6. Coconut Candy

Those little brown nuggets of caramelized coconut were pure magic sweet, chewy, and totally worth the sticky fingers.

7. Puff Puff(frozen or mix)

When the dining hall auntie made puff puff, it was war. These golden, fluffy balls were worth queuing twice for.

8. Groundnut (Peanuts)

From roasted to sugar-coated, groundnuts were that snack you could eat nonstop while gisting with your friends after lights out.

9. Bobo or Viju Milk Drink

Small enough to hide in your locker, sweet enough to feel like a treat. They were childhood in a bottle.

10. Kilishi (African Beef Jerky)

For the snack bosses only. Spicy, chewy, and packed with flavor, kilishi was the ultimate visiting day prize.

The best part? You don’t have to just remember these snacks , you can eat them now and today. At MamaJones Africa, we stock all your favorite African boarding school snacks and deliver them to your door anywhere in the U.S.

Whether you’re reliving the memories or introducing these classics to your kids, there’s something magical about the taste of home.

Shop the Boarding School Snack Collection Now → Here