Day of the Dead Food: Traditional Dishes, Drinks, and Candy for Your Ofrenda
Día de los Muertos, celebrated on November 1 and 2, is one of Mexico's most important traditions. Families build ofrendas (home altars) to welcome back the spirits of loved ones, and food sits at the center of every one. Each dish, drink, and sweet has a meaning, and many are the favorite foods of the person being remembered.
This guide covers the traditional Day of the Dead foods, what they represent, and how to put together an ofrenda, plus the ingredients you can stock up on at MexMax.
What Food Is Eaten on the Day of the Dead?
Day of the Dead food falls into three groups: foods placed on the ofrenda for the spirits, dishes the family shares during the celebration, and sweets made especially for the season. The most common include:
- Pan de muerto, a sweet bread decorated with bone shapes
- Mole, a rich sauce served with chicken or turkey
- Tamales, made with masa and wrapped in corn husks
- Champurrado and atole, warm corn-based drinks
- Hot chocolate, made with Mexican chocolate tablets
- Calaveras de azúcar (sugar skulls) and other candy
- Fruit, such as oranges, bananas, guavas, and tejocotes
- Calabaza en tacha, pumpkin candied in piloncillo syrup
What Is Pan de Muerto?
Pan de muerto ("bread of the dead") is a soft, round sweet bread flavored with orange blossom or orange zest and topped with sugar. The strips of dough on top represent bones, and the small ball in the center represents a skull or a tear. It is placed on the ofrenda and eaten with hot chocolate or champurrado. Most families buy it fresh from a local panadería in the weeks before November 1.
Mole: The Celebration Dish
Mole is one of the most traditional dishes for the Day of the Dead. Mole poblano and mole negro are made with dried chiles, spices, nuts, and chocolate, and served over chicken or turkey with rice. Because homemade mole can take a full day, many families start with a ready-made paste. Doña María Mole Original is a pantry favorite, and our mole collection also includes adobo, pipián, and verde varieties.
Tamales for the Ofrenda and the Family
Tamales are made in large batches for Day of the Dead, both for the altar and for sharing with visiting family. Pork in red chile, chicken in green salsa, and sweet tamales are all common. Start with a good masa such as Maseca Nixta Masa, and steam them in a large tamale pot from our Mexican cookware collection.
Day of the Dead Drinks: Champurrado, Atole, and Hot Chocolate
Warm drinks are a must on cool November nights. Champurrado is a thick chocolate atole made with masa, piloncillo, and cinnamon. Naturas Champurrado Drink Mix and Klass Atole make them quick to prepare. Mexican hot chocolate made with Abuelita or Ibarra tablets is the classic pairing for pan de muerto; browse more in our Mexican chocolate collection. Café de olla, spiced with cinnamon and piloncillo, is another favorite for the ofrenda. Many families also leave the departed's favorite drink, such as a soda, beer, or tequila.
Day of the Dead Candy and Sugar Skulls
Calaveras de azúcar (sugar skulls) are the best-known Day of the Dead candy. They are decorated with bright icing and often carry the name of the person being remembered. Alongside them, ofrendas often include traditional Mexican sweets:
- Mazapán, such as De La Rosa Mazapán, a peanut candy loved by every generation
- Cocadas (coconut candy), like El Super Leon Cocada Horneada
- Pepitorias (pumpkin seed brittle), like Las Trojes Pepitoria
- Tamarind candy and other favorites from childhood
Find more in our Mexican candy and mazapán and peanut candy collections.
How to Make an Ofrenda With Food
An ofrenda can be as simple as a small table or as large as several tiers. Most include these elements:
- A photo of the loved one being honored.
- Candles to light the way home. Many families use tall white candles or religious candles from our novena candles collection.
- Cempasúchil (marigolds), whose bright color and scent guide the spirits.
- Water and salt, for a spirit tired from the journey and for purification.
- Pan de muerto and sugar skulls.
- Favorite foods and drinks of the person being remembered, such as mole, tamales, candy, fruit, coffee, or soda.
- Papel picado, cut tissue paper that represents the wind and the fragility of life.
The most meaningful ofrenda ideas come from the person themselves: their favorite candy, the dish they always cooked, or the drink they enjoyed.
Stock Up for Día de los Muertos at MexMax
Grocery stores, Hispanic markets, and bakeries see demand rise for mole, masa, Mexican chocolate, champurrado, candles, and traditional candy every October. Families can also order everything they need for their ofrenda and celebration in one cart. Browse MexMax for case pricing on Mexican groceries, candy, and candles, and shop early so your order arrives before November 1.
Frequently Asked Questions
What food is traditionally eaten on the Day of the Dead?
Pan de muerto, mole, tamales, champurrado, atole, Mexican hot chocolate, calabaza en tacha, fruit, and candy such as sugar skulls and mazapán.
What is pan de muerto made of?
Pan de muerto is a sweet yeast bread made with flour, eggs, butter, sugar, and orange blossom or orange zest, decorated with dough shaped like bones and topped with sugar.
What food do you put on an ofrenda?
Pan de muerto, sugar skulls, fruit, and the favorite foods and drinks of the person being honored, along with water and salt.
Why are sugar skulls part of the Day of the Dead?
Sugar skulls represent the departed and are often decorated with their names. They show that death is part of life and is remembered with joy rather than fear.
What drinks are served on the Day of the Dead?
Champurrado, atole, Mexican hot chocolate, and café de olla are the most common, along with the departed's favorite drink.
When is the Day of the Dead?
November 1 and 2. November 1 honors children who have passed away, and November 2 honors adults.
Where can I buy Day of the Dead ingredients?
MexMax carries mole paste, masa, Mexican chocolate, champurrado and atole mixes, candles, and traditional candy, sold online with case pricing for stores and families.
