5 Tasty and Fresh Latino Springtime Snacks

From left to right: Brazilian grilled pineapple, Puerto Rican piragua, Colombian tostones, Mexican fruta con chile and Venezuelan cocada
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Spring is the perfect season to enjoy snacks made from nutritious ingredients like fresh fruit. These snacks are more than just delicious treats, they're a true reflection of the rich and diverse culinary traditions of Latin America.

So, get ready to indulge in these 5 easy-to-make snacks that are perfect for springtime (or any time, really.)


Grilled Pineapple

This popular Brazilian street food and BBQ favorite features fresh pineapple slices seared over charcoal or flames until they reach the perfect level of caramelization and char on the outside while remaining juicy and sweet on the inside. Whether it's served as a side dish or as a topping for meat, like a sizzling steak or pork, this treat adds a deliciously fresh and fruity twist to any meal.

Ingredients:

  • 1 pineapple
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 1/4 cup lime juice
  • 1/4 tsp. cinnamon
  • Pinch of salt
  • Skewers

Instructions:

  1. Preheat grill to medium-high heat.
  2. Cut off top and bottom of pineapple, remove skin.
  3. Cut pineapple into slices/chunks.
  4. Whisk brown sugar, honey, lime juice, cinnamon, and salt.
  5. Thread pineapple onto skewers and brush with mixture.
  6. Grill for 2-3 mins per side until lightly charred and caramelized.
  7. Remove from grill and serve warm.

Cocada

If you're looking for a cool and refreshing drink to quench your thirst on a hot day, look no further than Cocada. This beverage is made with creamy coconut milk, sweet sugar, and ice, creating a perfect balance of flavors and textures. It's a popular drink in the Caribbean and Latin American countries, especially in Venezuela. Give it a try!

Ingredients:

  • 1 can of coconut milk (13.5 oz)
  • 1/2 cup of sugar
  • 2 cups of ice
  • 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
  • Shredded coconut for garnish (optional)

Instructions:

  1. Blend coconut milk, sugar, ice, and vanilla extract until smooth.
  2. Adjust sweetness by adding more sugar if desired.
  3. Pour the cocada into glasses and sprinkle shredded coconut on top.

(Note: For a cocktail, add a shot of rum or preferred liquor to the blender when blending ingredients.)

Tostones

If you have yet to try Dominican tostones, you're missing out on a crispy and savory slice of heaven. They’re made by frying up unripe green plantains twice until they're crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. It’s the perfect side dish to complement any meal or to enjoy as a filling snack with your favorite dipping sauce.

Ingredients:

  • 2 green plantains
  • 2 cups vegetable oil
  • Salt, pepper, and garlic powder (optional)

Instructions:

  1. Peel plantains and cut them into 1-inch thick rounds or chunks.
  2. Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
  3. Fry plantains for 2-3 minutes until golden brown.
  4. Remove plantains from oil and flatten them with a tostonera or the bottom of a glass cup.
  5. Return plantains to the hot oil and fry for another 2-3 minutes until golden brown and crispy.
  6. Remove tostones from oil and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and garlic powder (if using).
  7. Serve hot as a side dish or snack.

Piragua

If you're craving a sweet treat to cool down on a hot summer day in Puerto Rico, you can't go wrong with a Piragua. This shaved ice dessert is a Puerto Rican classic that will satisfy your sweet tooth and leave you feeling refreshed.

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups of water
  • 1 cup of granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup of fruit juice (passion fruit, mango, or any other flavor you prefer)
  • 4 cups of shaved ice
  • Paper cones

Instructions:

  1. Boil water and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat until the sugar dissolves. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until syrup thickens.
  2. Remove from heat and stir in fruit juice. Cool to room temperature.
  3. Pack paper cones with shaved ice.
  4. Pour fruit syrup over the ice.
  5. Serve immediately and enjoy your Puerto Rican Piragua!

Note: You can experiment with different fruit syrups or other toppings, such as condensed milk or caramel, to create your own unique flavor combinations.

Fruta con Chile

This refreshing snack is a hit among street vendors and markets all over Mexico. They slice up fresh, juicy fruits like mango, watermelon, and pineapple, and give them a sprinkle of chili powder and lime juice that adds a zing to every bite. Our mouths are watering already.

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups of mixed fresh fruit (mango, watermelon, pineapple, jicama, etc.)
  • 1-2 tablespoons of chili powder
  • 1 lime, cut into wedges

Instructions:

  1. Wash and slice the fruit into bite-sized pieces.
  2. In a small bowl, mix the chili powder.
  3. Squeeze some lime juice over the fruit and sprinkle the chili powder on top.
  4. Mix the fruit gently with a spoon or your hands to ensure that the chili powder is evenly distributed.
  5. Serve the fruta con chile with lime wedges on the side.

Note: You can adjust the amount of chili powder and lime juice according to your taste preference. You can also experiment with different fruits to create your own unique flavor combinations.

hands holding up yellow protest signs that say Hands Off Our Bodies
Photo Credit: Gayatri Malhotra via Unsplash

Originally published in Common Dreams. Reprinted with permission.

The Latino electorate will prove decisive in securing reproductive freedom and abortion access through ballot measures around the country, particularly in states where Latinos are a significant portion of the electorate.

In November, abortion rights measures will appear on ballots across ten states, including Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Nevada, and New York, where Latinos make up a significant portion of the electorate. For decades, pundits and politicians have recycled long-held misconceptions about Latino voters and abortion access, citing our conservative and religious beliefs.

Anti-abortion extremists have long fueled these misconceptions through misinformation and disinformation campaigns targeting Latino communities with egregious lies and inflammatory rhetoric about abortion. Yet, polling, focus groups, and direct interactions with Latino communities have debunked these outdated tropes.

The Latino electorate will prove decisive in securing reproductive freedom and abortion access through ballot measures around the country, particularly in states where Latinos are a significant portion of the electorate.

For Latinos, the freedom to decide, a pillar of our American democracy, is critical. Meanwhile, Latinos are being hit directly with anti-abortion efforts that take away that freedom such as the six-week abortion ban put into effect by the Florida Supreme Court and the 1864 abortion ban upheld by the Arizona Supreme Court. In the wake of the Dobbs decision, people of color and Latinas have felt the impact of a lack of abortion access, an element of basic healthcare.

A 2023 report by the National Partnership for Women and Families estimated that nearly 6.5 million Latinas, or 42% of all Latinas of reproductive age in the country, live in a state that either had or was likely to ban abortion. Ironically, it will be abortion access and anti-choice efforts to restrict freedom of choice that will mobilize Latino voters this election.

In a poll conducted by three national reproductive justice organizations, 87% of Latinas named abortion and women’s rights as one of their top priorities as they head to the polls. Another battleground poll conducted by Somos PAC and BSP Research found that 61% of Latino registered voters expressed a more positive/favorable view of Kamala Harris after hearing that she will protect abortion rights, versus only 19% of Latinos who said they had a more negative view of Harris after hearing that.

In key states to secure the White House and both chambers, Latinos make up large chunks of the electorate: Arizona (25%), Colorado (15%), Florida (20%), Nevada (20%), and New York (12%). In the face of unprecedented attacks on basic healthcare access and targeted attempts by extremists to mislead and divide our community on this issue, this November Latinos will be key deciders on abortion access across the country.

Mari Urbina, Managing Director of Indivisible, Battleground Arizona Lead and former Harry Reid advisor.

Héctor Sánchez Barba is president and CEO of Mi Familia Vota (MFV).

This Viral Video Game Is Changing the Face of Voter Outreach

In 2024, voting campaigns have evolved greatly, to say the least. Creativity is now the name of the game and tongue-in-cheek humor is expertly leveraged to drive action. One example of that is Bop the Bigot, a revival of a viral game created in 2016 by Bazta Arpaio, an Arizona activist group, as part of a campaign to unseat Maricopa County’s Sheriff Joe Arpaio. Arpaio lost his re-election to Paul Penzone that year.

The game has now been updated for the current election cycle and relaunched by On Point Studios, with new features added to enable players to find out what’s on their ballot, confirm voter status, and register to vote.

Much like its former 2016 version, the game allows users to take out their political frustrations by virtually “bopping” GOP candidates in the head. It’s very similar to whack-a-mole, except the mole is replaced by former President Donald Trump, Ohio’s Senator J. D. Vance, and Kevin Roberts, President of the Heritage Foundation, which is spearheading Project 2025.

cartoon renditions of Donald Trump and J.D. Vance around a Bop the Bigot logoPromotional image provided by On Point Studios.

B. Loewe, Director of On Point Studios, came up with the concept for this game when working as the Communications Director at Bazta Arpaio in 2016, and is the executive producer of this revamped version. In the first version of the game, Bop the Bigot players used a chancla (flip flop) to “bop” the characters, tapping into Latino culture by leaning on the childhood experience of being set right by a flying chancla from a fed-up mother or grandmother.

This year, the chancla is replaced by a more current element, a green coconut, referencing Kamala Harris’ coconut tree meme. There are also side characters like “the couch,” cat ladies, and more coconuts. All references to jokes about Vice-Presidential candidate Vance, or insults Vance has made about women on the campaign trail.

Another new addition is that Harris’ laugh is immortalized as the game-over sound effect, an unexpected detail that adds even more humor and levity to the game.

cartoon renditions of Donald Trump, Kevin Roberts, and J.D. Vance around a Bop the Bigot logoPromotional image provided by On Point Studios.

Bop the Bigot, which is playable on desktop and mobile, is intended not just as a way to vent political frustrations, but also as a tool for activism and securing voter engagement.

For example, the game supports the work of Mexican Neidi Dominguez Zamorano, Founding Executive Director of the non-profit organization Organized Power in Numbers by using the “game over” screen to prompt players to donate to it and support their efforts.

Organized Power in Numbers is focused on empowering workers in the South and Southwest of the U.S. through collective action and comprehensive campaigns. Their mission is to create a large-scale movement that challenges the status quo and advocates for workers' rights, and racial and economic justice.

Currently, Dominguez Zamorano is leading worker outreach to 2 million working-class voters in the South and Southwest through doorknocking, texting, and calls with the help of local groups in North Carolina, Arizona, New Mexico, and more.

“We have been blown away by the enthusiastic reception for the video game. We knew we wanted to be part of its creative approach because our movement needs more fun and laughter. We need more ways to connect with nuestra gente so we can feel joy among all the absurdity we witness every day,” Dominguez Zamorano shared with Luz Media via email.

“Our people are gente trabajadora and we deserve to feel uplifted even in our toughest moments. We are deeply involved in the South and Southwest so we know what’s at stake in this election and we’re happy this can be a resource to mobilize, raise spirits, and get out the vote," she concluded.

Dominguez Zamorano is a committed activist for immigrants and workers' rights, known for her strategist skills and expertise. She played a key role in the campaign to win DACA and has also held roles in major campaigns, including as Deputy National States Director for Bernie Sanders' 2020 presidential campaign. In addition to her work with Organized Power in Numbers, Dominguez Zamorano is serving as a Senior Advisor to Mijente’s Fuera Trump Initiative.

Grassroots efforts like these have taken on new life in 2024, with Bop the Bigot adding to the larger, ongoing fight against political apathy and disinformation. Just as it did during the 2016 race, the video game uses humor to soften the serious task at hand—getting people to the polls.

"We want the game to be a fun and comical outlet for anyone who’s been insulted, frustrated, or harmed by Trump in the past and everyone who is ready to move forward as a country after election day," explained Loewe in a press release. "The proposals in Project 2025 and the beliefs of Trump and Vance aren’t just weird, they’re truly harmful. We wanted to give people a humorous and peaceful way to smack down their racism and sexism. We hope it makes people laugh and also feel empowered and motivated to get to the polls on or before election day."

With a mix of satire, sharp political critique, and nostalgia, the game is a call to action. The upcoming election, which is getting closer by the minute, has sparked fierce activism and creative yet grounded initiatives like these aim to ensure voters are engaged, especially young Latinos and disenfranchised groups.