Roman Food

Common Ancient Roman Food

• Breakfast or ientaculum, was bread or a wheat pancake eaten with dates and honey.
• Lunch or prandium, consitsted of fish, cold meat, bread and vegetables, often leftovers from dinner the night before.
• Dinner or cena, varied among classes. The poor ate a simple meal of vegetables and porridge, whereas the wealthy enjoyed several course meals of exotic food and wine.

rarities in ancient rome

• Pork was a common meat, along with sausages. Beef however was uncommon in rome being more common in greece. meat was scarce and difficult to get unless you were wealthy.

Cooking and preparation

• The ancient Romans cooked over an open hearth with hanging kettles or a preheated oven that baked food as it cooled down.
• In the country or wealthy homes kitchens were a room attached to the back of the house.
• In cities, commoners shared a public kitchen buying bread and cooking simple meals on a common hearth and saved them for later.