Easy homemade snacks to make when guests arrive unexpectedly
By Katemarthason Okudo, September 26, 2026Unexpected visitors can quickly change the plans for the day, especially when there is little food in the house, and there is no time to make a full meal. In many Kenyan homes, however, a few simple ingredients can be turned into snacks that are enough to serve guests with a cup of tea or a cold drink.
From mandazi and pancakes to boiled sweet potatoes and roasted groundnuts, some familiar Kenyan snacks do not require complicated recipes. They can also be made using ingredients that are commonly found in the kitchen.
Mandazi remains a simple favourite
Mandazi is one of the snacks that can come in handy when guests arrive. A basic dough made from flour, sugar, milk or water and a raising agent can be prepared, shaped and deep-fried until golden.
It can be served warm with tea, coffee or even eaten on its own. The dough can also be flavoured with ingredients such as cardamom or grated coconut when they are available.
Mandazi is also a familiar food in Kenya. The Kenya National Bureau of Statistics includes mandazi among fried and salty foods recorded in its food and nutrition data.
Pancakes can be ready in minutes
When there is limited time, pancakes can be another practical choice. Flour, eggs, milk or water and a little sugar can be mixed into a batter and cooked on a lightly greased pan.
They do not need complicated preparation and can be served as they come off the pan. A little honey, fruit or peanut butter can also be added if available. The batter can be prepared in advance while the pan heats, allowing several pancakes to be made within a short period.
Sweet potatoes need little preparation
Not every snack needs to be fried. Sweet potatoes can be boiled and served warm with tea, especially when they are already available at home. The same applies to arrowroots, cassava and maize. These foods can be boiled or roasted and served without turning them into an elaborate recipe.
Boiled or roasted roots and tubers such as cassava, yams, plantains, potatoes and sweet potatoes can be used as snacks, alongside foods such as roasted maize and groundnuts.
This makes them useful when there is little time for cooking.
Groundnuts make an easy addition
Roasted groundnuts are another option that requires very little preparation, particularly if they have already been bought roasted. They can be served on their own or alongside fruit and tea.
For a slightly different snack, groundnuts can also be crushed and mixed with other ingredients to make a simple spread for bread or chapati.
The combination can make a small serving more filling without requiring a lot of cooking.
Chapati can become a quick snack
Leftover chapati does not have to remain in the fridge until the next meal. It can be cut into smaller pieces and served with avocado, eggs, groundnut paste or leftover vegetables.
A fresh chapati can also be prepared if there is enough time, although it generally requires more preparation than pancakes or boiled snacks. The idea is to work with what is already available rather than trying to prepare an elaborate meal simply because visitors have arrived.
Keep the snack simple
When guests arrive unexpectedly, the goal does not have to be preparing several different foods. One or two simple snacks served with tea can be enough. A few bananas, oranges or slices of avocado can therefore be added to the table alongside a cooked snack.
What matters most is making use of the ingredients available at home. A plate of warm mandazi, boiled sweet potatoes, pancakes or roasted groundnuts can turn an unexpected visit into a relaxed tea-time moment without spending hours in the kitchen.