Ancient Egyptian Food

Food & Drinks in Ancient Egypt

Many tourists who travel to Egypt are keen to know more about the lives of the Pharaohs. They are interested to understand more about their lifestyles and habits. Food is among the most important elements of anyone’s life. The same applies to the ancient Egyptians.

Due to the Nile floods in ancient times, the Pharaohs has many corps of vegetables and fruits that formed most of their food. This is in addition to honey, dates, raisins, meats, birds, and fish.

Bread in Ancient Egypt

Bread, the same as it is until today, was significantly important for the Pharaohs. Historians assert that there were more than 40 kinds of bread that were baked in ancient Egypt. Some types contained pressed dates, some were baked without yeast, while the bread of the poor was rather blackish in its color due to the usage of poorer types of flour. The “Semeed” bread was the one consumed by the rich as it was produced out of the best types of grains.

The Food of the Pharaohs

Among the most important grains of the ancient Egyptians, there were the barley, wheat, and wheat flour. In terms of legumes, the Pharaohs mainly used to eat lentil, fenugreeks, cowpea, Peaches, thermoses, chickpeas, and beans.

The vegetables the ancient Egyptians knew included cabbages, lettuce, onions garlic, and “Malana”, which is some type of chickpeas. Grapes played a significant role in the lives of the ancient Egyptians. They used it to produce various types of wine. Ancient Egyptians loved easting pomegranates, apples, and Siwan dates. This is in addition to pear, sycamore and melons.

Meats and animal products were exclusive for the rich. Cattle were largely brought up in ancient Egypt. Cow milk was used for the nutriment of children and as a component of medicine as well.

Eating Habits of the Pharaohs; The Rich and the Poor

The ancient Egyptians were mainly divided into two types; the royals and the commons who used to have meals on smaller tables. They used to consume three meals a day, with one of them, mainly the supper which witnessed the attendance of all family members. Bread was a main component of all meals they also used to have deserts made out of pies and jams after the main meals.

The meals of the rich and the royals were huge and they included grilled bulls, gees, and birds. This is in addition the best fruits, eggs, sweets, bread and beer.

Among the most important habits of the ancient Egyptians is that they never over-ate as they were keen to preserve their health and their nice body shape. This is apparent from many historical records of the Pharaohs.

Food, God’s Offerings, and the Afterlife in Ancient Egypt

The ancient Egyptians believed that their gods were like humans. This meant that they needed food and drinks. This is why the religious rituals of the ancient Egyptians included presenting offerings to the gods in fixed timings every day to the symbols of these gods including all sorts of foods, drinks, and flowers.

This in addition to the food of the afterlife. The Pharaohs believed that after death, people are resurrected again and they needed food and water to survive. This is the main reason why they included various types of food with the belongings of the deceased so they can eat them in the afterlife.