Our Food. Our Culture. Our Health.

Food is more than nourishment in the Puerto Rican community—it is history, identity, family and love. From arroz con gandules and pernil to tostones, alcapurrias and empanadillas, our cuisine carries generations of tradition and tells the story of a people shaped by Taíno, African, Spanish and Caribbean influences.

But alongside that rich culinary heritage is a growing health concern: Type 2 diabetes and other diet-related health conditions affecting Puerto Rican and Latino communities.

Puerto Frito takes a personal and culturally grounded look at the relationship between our food and our health. Traveling between Puerto Rico and Puerto Rican communities in the United States, the documentary explores where our food traditions came from, why fried and rich foods became such an important part of our culinary identity, and how changing economic, social and cultural environments have influenced the way we eat today.

Through conversations with food historians, physicians, nutritionists, chefs, families and individuals living with diabetes, the film moves beyond statistics to examine the human stories behind the health crisis.

However, Puerto Frito is not about telling Puerto Ricans to abandon their food or their culture. Instead, it asks a more important question:

Can we change the way we prepare and enjoy our food without changing who we are?

By highlighting chefs, families and community members who are finding creative ways to make traditional Puerto Rican dishes healthier, Puerto Frito offers a message of hope and empowerment. 

This film will ultimately challenge us to consider whether the next generation can inherit not only our recipes and traditions, but also a healthier relationship with the food we love.

Because preserving our culture doesn't mean keeping every recipe exactly the same. Sometimes, preserving our future means changing the recipe.