What did ancient Egyptians eat? Do you know the types of food what ancient Egyptians ate? If you do not, then the information contained in the following sections will help you in understanding that. Although Egypt is a hot country, the River Nile flooded the desert regions and made the soil fertile. This was a huge bonus for farmers who would cultivate seasonal crops and sustain themselves from selling their crops.

The flooding of the river caused silt to deposit. The silt provided the required fertility for cultivating crops. Farmers used to make a good harvest and all was well.

It is important to note that the type of food what ancient Egyptians ate was not really a raw meat and game food. Rather, the primary food source was wheat. Wheat bread was a common delicacy. Bread making units thrived during this period. It was during the Egyptian period that bread making from wheat took its roots according to some historians.

Egyptians Eat and Drink

What did Egyptians eat and drink? In addition to wheat bread, quite surprisingly ancient Egyptians drank beer. The beer was made of Barley. The beer was not just a rich man’s indulgence. It was drunk by the rich and the poor. In fact, historical inscriptions suggest that beer was actually a common homemade item.

Given that beer was very much a part of local dining, the wine was equally popular. But wine was expensive to make. The wine was made in special cellars employed by the rich. The taste of ancient Egyptian wine was a mix of grapes and plum.

Meat Intake of Ancient Egyptians

Egyptians ate meat, but again, only the rich could afford meat, while the poor would have contended with wheat bread. The poor ate meat only on certain occasions, while the rich ate it regularly.

Ancient murals show ancient Egyptians hunting for fish in the Nile. They also hunted for birds and other types of game. Most fishing and hunting activity happened along the River Nile. The captured meat was never eaten raw. This was a distinctive quality of ancient Egyptians and a positive move towards civilization.

The meat was always roasted. Another interesting fact is that only seasoned meat was what ancient Egyptians ate. The meat was seasoned with salt, pepper, and coriander.

Feasts in Egypt

It is interesting to understand on what did ancient Egyptians eat during feasts. Temple priests used to organize festivals and feasts. The rich and the poor attended these gatherings. The festival of the God of Amun was a month-long festival in ancient Egypt. A lot of free wine and beer was distributed along with meat, bread, and other savories.

It is always desirable to know what did ancient Egyptians eat. To understand what ancient Egyptians ate we wish they had left cuisines and recipes inscribed on the numerous papyrus and wood inscriptions they left behind.