Why Do Hawaii People Love Spam?

Growing up here in Hawaii, Spam was the quintessential comfort food. I played a lot of sports when I was a kid, and often after a game, one of the parents would bring homemade Spam musubis (a spam musubi is like sushi, but instead of fish, you have Spam), and that’s where my love affair with Spam began.
Spam gets a bad wrap, especially from people from the mainland. I think it’s a combination of it comes from a can and that it’s surrounded by weird clear gelatin. I went to college in Oregon, and I had two White roommates who both repulsed Spam and couldn’t wrap their heads around why I loved that pink block of meat so much. Well, it was my life’s mission to have them at least try it. I fried up some Spam marinated with shoyu and sugar, accompanied with over-easy eggs and rice, and when they both reluctantly took a bite they were hooked. They seriously thought the only way to eat Spam was straight out of the can.
Let me give you a brief history lesson on Spam. A common misconception is that Spam is a mash-up of a million unidentified ingredients, but the reality is that it’s made up of only pork, salt, water, potato, starch, sugar, and sodium nitrite. Spam was invented in 1937 by Jay Hormel, the son of George Hormel who founded the Hormel company in 1891 in Austin, Minnesota.
Spam was initially targeted at housewives, but it soon exploded onto the global scene during World War II when the U.S. military purchased 100 million pounds of Spam to feed American and allied troops overseas.
Hawaii was a war zone during World War II, and Spam grew in popularity out of sheer necessity due to not only the U.S. military’s presence here but also the government’s racist restrictions on the island. There was such a large Japanese population in Hawaii, the US government couldn’t logistically place them all in internment camps as was the case in parts of the country. Instead, the government placed harsh sanctions on the commercial fishing industry which were mainly run by Japanese-Americans, and a large source of Hawaii’s protein essentially vanished. Thus Spam became an integral part of local people’s diet.
Today, out of the 1.42 million people here in Hawaii, we consume a whopping 7 million cans of Spam. Spam is ubiquitous throughout the island. You’ll often see it in local restaurants, 7-11 stores, and even at McDonald’s (not kidding). In Hawaii grocery stores, you’ll see an aisle stacked with various Spam flavors like bacon, jalapeno, teriyaki, garlic, cheese, and tocino (which is my personal favorite).
Indeed Spam isn’t the most nutritious or healthiest thing to eat, but it’s a symbol of Hawaii people’s ingenuity and resilience. During those turbulent War times, we had to make do with what we had, and we figured out a myriad of ways to make Spam delicious.
It doesn’t matter if you love it or hate it, as a local kid born and raised in Hawaii, I’ll always have a special fondness for Spam because it’s a taste of home.
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[@shaneohawaii]

Spam is the best.

[@ElectricalExistence]

"racist" restrictions... you mean restrictions on people belonging to the nation that attacked us lol. im no fan of the government and its lust for war, but any nation would be wise to keep people belonging to the nation they are at war with from being able to aide their enemy. japan did it, we did it, china is doing it right now. you make yourself look like an idiot when you cry racist constantly. i know full well our government provoked japan into attacking hawaii. that being said the japanese living there would have been smart to leave the island if they didnt want to be placed under some sort of restrictions. just like i would not remain in china if i lived there and america went to war with china.

[@ShelbyTheCreator_]

@@ElectricalExistence Bro..

[@chris2302]

I remember purchasing Spam-flavored Macadamia Nuts at Walmart in Honolulu when I was vacationing in Hawaii back in 2018 and thought that they were good.

[@Drew-ql3gq]

Agree 💯 especially in fried rice I am moving to Waikiki Hawaii from Rhode Island

[@samgarcia205]

Spam is my childhood, my mom would slice it a little thinner than normal the outside would be crunchy with that moist center. We would have it with eggs for breakfast and leftovers we would make spam sandwiches. If you don’t like spam it’s cause you haven’t eaten it in the right way.

[@mondogecko3279]

CUZ ITS FUCKIN’ DELICIOUS!!😂🤓

[@islemj6958]

Aloha broda, I love your video !!!! My boyfriend is from tahiti and her mother grew up in Hawaii and it's a family thing to eat spam. I was like your roomate saying it was yuk but I've understood the history behind. In French Polynesia they also love Corned Beef, they eat this with Uru (bread fruit) and soya sauce. I think the history is the same because Corned Beef was the main meal for French troops during WW2 so I assume because French Polynesia is and old colony of France, vetenrans have bring their favorite treat back home.

[@MarcusEye]

I’ve always liked spam, never disliked it. Cool video brother!. Thanks🤟

[@rickym.9907]

Bro, my wife was always repulsed with this delicacy when I would fry it up at home...ahhh the signature smell of Spam. Well, during our recent trip, she took a crack at Spam Musubi during our visit to Zippy's and I shed a tear while inhaling my Zip Pac as she admitted that she liked it. I was suspicious only to be affirmed when we went for sushi and she ordered a Spam roll. 😂 Spam for the win!

[@TaliShlafer]

I have a special place in my heart (and stomach) for spam musubi ❤️

[@einstein512]

I really enjoy all your clips. Short, informative and funny.

[@MaevaStardust]

I am from Philippines and while we do not have Spam there, we do have meatloafs and maling. When I moved here in the states and saw Spam on the grocery store shelf, I knew I had to stock up because it just looked like what I ate growing back in the Philippines, the sliced canned meat we called Maling. I fry it usually for breakfast and put it on top of garlic fried rice with sunny side up egg (runny yolk). It’s freaking delicious. Even my kids adore Spam. It’s one of our staple.

[@wickedwanda6014]

My brother who lives in Honolulu took me to the restaurant that served only SPAM. Great restaurant! Love my adventures in Hawajj

[@thelastdefenderofcamelot5623]

作り方はすぐ分かりました。ありがとうございます。 As a Japanese I figured out to make it in the first 30 seconds. Thank you.

[@billfegles2822]

The first time I saw Spam and eggs on the menu at McDonalds in Honolulu, I had to try it. I go back almost every year and, of course, get my favorite Spam and eggs at McD's.

[@BlkMagickGaia3]

I lived in Wahiawa from 1990-1992 & was shocked to see spam at McDonald's !

[@jessmorillo3779]

Im fried eating spam, fried eggs and plantains right now, i love me some spam

[@chuckmangione4747]

I’m fried and eating fried spam, eggs and ramen with some cholula hot sauce. Good stoner food.

[@happymonk4206]

This video makes me want to go out and buy SPAM.

[@eliselandonsmusic5126]

Yeah the Spam Tocino is the best! they have stacks of it in the commissary here in Cali and I remember I was the only one buying it and then one day I went back to get my fav Spam Tocino but there was none, I was like pissed, and then I saw this other Filipino dude who stack all the Spam Tocino in his cart and I was like SOB!

[@robertkelton5831]

Fried Spam, salt, pepper, and miracle whip on Texas toast! .......mic drop......

[@euphoniahale5181]

Thanks for the history.

[@debbydibella5824]

Mahalo for the explanation and history! Sending this video to mainland haole friend.

[@jeffsmith5978]

Great video.......and history lesson too😊.

[@richarwalker]

Very Very Interesting! I love your research!!!

[@kevindaniels7824]

If the good lord didn't want us to eat Spam he wouldn't have invented Hawaii

[@salomonsandoval5919]

Thanks I was looking for a video like this

[@shotbygilmaddy213]

We didn’t find out about musubi until after we left Hawaii. Next time we go, we will definitely be trying it 😝

[@lillyfoot19]

I’ve definitely have gotten many of my friends hooked to spam musubi

[@savenification237]

im eating spam rice and eggs right now

[@pittmanfh]

I recall Spam being a food in our home from very early in my childhood. Was it a staple food, no. But it was there. People might want to stock up on it these days with all the bullshit happening.

[@alicemiriah]

Made it to 31 without trying spam. I keep saying I’m going to finally try it, but because the sodium is high, I’m afraid of it lol

[@Rahsaun77]

Low sodium and hot n’ spicy are my favorites.

[@jensue109]

You DON'T HAVE TO SWARE, please.

[@possum9827]

We native americans eat spam religiously especially for breakfast

[@cecetheworld]

Oh my gosh I was definitely wondering this exact question when I visited, thanks so much for the entertaining and educational video! Heheh Spam musubi is friggin delicious and the wall of spam flavours in the grocery store had me scratching my head, what is Tocino flavour!? 😝 I've always loved spam though! Ps. I love that you shoot your videos in all these different and beautiful locations 😸

[@MrJJA714]

Tocino i believe means bacon in spanish

[@itskitty808]

Who eats Spam straight outta the can? 🤨 I can't wrap my head around the fact that mainland people actually eat it straight out of the can. I guess they weren't told they're supposed to cook it.

[@HM-yr1vr]

A haole who only enjoys fast food and frozen dinners.

[@samuelirving928]

I’ve never seen anyone do it! Lol! Sounds awful

[@OriginalKingRichTv]

@@samuelirving928 I use to do it as a kid

[@Kiri..]

Actually spam is precooked so it is eatable as “raw” and it does not taste that bad but it’s not good to say

[@samyoung4758]

What kind of sugar and how much do you use in your recipe?

[@VisionaryHi]

It taest so good ! 😬

[@tatankahanska120]

Spam Musubi is da best!!!

[@MegaHockeypuck1]

.. Spam sandwiches on wonder bread with ketchup !!! tha' best !

[@samutraifin]

i really wanna try spam but... its hard to find some in Finland

[@mommyharris1111]

Spam gets such a bad wrap. I grew up eating fried spam sandwiches and it reminds me of a very special time. Just goes to show you that people are silly.

[@DannieKamete]

bad rep(utation)?

[@musicvibes70489]

Here in Hawaiʻi we love spam grew up eating this no matter what

[@sfcrmsa]

I get my spam musabi from Aiea Manapua and Snacks and other good stuff.

[@happymonk4206]

I will scavenge and I will eat SPAM.

[@savenification237]

im puerto rican tho

[@JorgeL721]

That's f disgusting.....here I am eating spam out of the can.

[@fredtaylor9792]

Placing Japanese in internment camps wasn't racist... it was horribly wrong but Japanese isn't a race. Placing other Asians in those camps assuming they're the same people is racist. Hating Japanese for being Asian is racist. Racism isn't about nationality.