Whether you're trying to plan your own authentic Day of the Dead celebration or simply hoping to learn more about this sacred Mexican holiday, read on to explore what traditional foods are eaten and the culinary customs that bring Día de los Muertos to life. 'It’s a very Mexican thing to have extreme sadness with extreme joy at the same time.' It’s about joy and color and flavor and celebration, all the mixed emotions,' James Beard Award-winning chef Pati Jinich tells Oprah Daily. It’s not morbid, and it’s not about being spooky. 'This tradition is rooted in the native Mexican belief that life on earth is a preparation for the next world and of the importance of maintaining a strong relationship with the dead,' Aguirre says. Many of these traditional Day of the Dead foods are also made by Mexican communities in places like Los Angeles. It’s a time when families get together and build altars to honor family members who have died. The holiday showcases the breadth of Mexican cuisine and recipes, with a mix of savory dishes, sweet treats like sugar skulls which are especially popular with children, bright colors, and spices depending on where in the country you're celebrating. El Dia de Los Muertos (Spanish for Day of the Dead) is on November 1st and 2nd. 'The food varies depending on the region.' 'During this time, people adorn these special altars-known as ofrendas-with cempasúchil (marigold) flowers, burning copal (incense), fresh pan de muerto (bread of the dead), fruits, candles, sugar or chocolate skulls, photographs and mementos of the departed,' says Juan Aguirre, Executive Director of the Mexican culture non-profit Mano a Mano. They're decorated with things that the person loved during their life, and food is a crucial component of the altars specifically and of Day of the Dead as a whole. One of the most sacred customs of the holiday is the preparation of altars that serve as a tribute to the deceased. Mexicos's Day of the Dead or Día de los Muertos is an ebullient holiday, occurring from November 1 to November 2, that honors the lives of loved ones who have passed.

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