The islanders food tastes are simple and they make do with basic stuff.that is easily available - yams, manioc and taro root are grown widely so they form the staple diet. The national dish of Vanatu is Laplap, a gummy mixture of manioc, taro or yam cooked with wild spinach and grated coconut. Normally they add any kind of meat to it and then it is wrapped in banana leaves and baked in an oven.