FOOD

The majority of Roman meals were centered around grain (bread), oil and wine, porridge. Bread was especially important, and was the single most eaten food in Rome. For meats, oysters and fish were especially popular; along with, pork, which was in high demand. The Romans also had some stranger dietary norms, such as eating dormice and snails. They would eat a variety of cakes and tarts; along with, fruits, nuts, and vegetables.

Romans loved their wine, whether it was heated, watered down, or spiced. Even diluted wine was common. Thinkquest (Ben C.)

Ancient Roman food was a way to show off a person's wealth, and if you were rich, you would often have banquets.The times that meals were eaten were in the morning, mid morning, late afternoon, and then another light meal, usually consisting of bread and cheese before bed. Romans did not often eat meat but if they did they often had many different types of vegetables, spices, and sauces. http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/roman_food.htm Ike Lanier

Romans enjoyed a variety of condiments with their foods. The Romans ate bread with most meals, which could be accompanied with sausage and cheese. The diet that a Roman had, depended on their wealth and social status. Rich people ate more delicacies, such as oysters and pork, while poor people's meals consisted mainly of grains. In 122 BC A law was made which prevented the prices of grains from rising, so nobody would starve. Grain was usually bought in a one month's supply at a time. Romans did use silverware, but they also ate with their hands. Rich people used fine tableware, while the poor usually had pottery tableware. The Romans ate breakfast, lunch and dinner (at sunset), but lunch was typically a lighter meal, and dinner was the main meal of the day. The rich Romans had an appetizer, a main dish, and dessert for dinner. Romans used honey as a sweetener instead of sugar, and olive oil was used not only for food, but for lighting fuel and cosmetics as well. (Claudia Fernandez) "food in the Roman Empire." World History: Ancient and Medieval Eras. ABC-CLIO, 2011. Web. 7 Nov. 2011.

In the early roman empire, Meals were usually prepared by a female slave or the mother in a family, and the children waited on parents. Meals were eaten with family members around a table with stools. In poor families, people usually ate bread, cheap fruits, and vegetables, which they commonly grew themselves. They also ate porridge made from their vegetables. To help poor roman citizens get food, a program called annona was made, which allowed them to exchange tokens called tesserae for food. In wealthy families, slaves spent all day preparing meals, and children adults ate separate meals. In the dining room, people sat on couches that surrounded a table. Dinner consisted of many courses and was waited by slaves. Some appetizers were shellfish, salad, eggs, and cheese. The main course was usually a meat course. The final course, or dessert, was fruit, dates, or cakes. (Maddy Cole) http://library.thinkquest.org/CR0210200/ancient_rome/roman_meal.htm

Roman Fast Food Snack Bars (Judy Sun): -Needed to supply food for workers rushing to start working, much like modern day civilization -architectural evidence supplied by structures identified as snack bars in Pompeii -served- —Warm goods (indicated by ovens) —dates —figs —cheese —cakes —nuts —bread —a variety of drinks were served as well -customers- —merchants and travelers —poor as well, since only the wealthy could afford kitchens http://ancienthistory.abc-clio.com/Search/Display/792265?terms=Roman+food

In ancient Rome, three meals were eaten a day; lentaculum, or breakfast, the prandium, or lunch, and the coena, or main meal. The lentaculum usually consisted of loaves of bread, and the wealthier classes would also have eggs, cheese, milk, honey, and fruit. The prandium was made up of leftovers from the coena of the day before, and was eaten in the early afternoon. Finally, the coena was a feast that started around 3:00 pm and could last until very late in the night. The richer classes would dine on couches, while the poorer classes would just use a regular table and chairs.

http://www.roman-colosseum.info/roman-life/ancient-roman-meals.htm

(Kristin Stratman) Romans depended on grain for bread, a staple food. Because there wasn't much good land in Italy to grow it, Romans relied on imports and trade. Olive oil was extremely popular in ancient Rome like it is today. Many people had vineyards, which led to wine being the main drink. Porridge was the main food for a while before bread. They ate breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Dinner was the main meal. http://www.enotes.com/food-encyclopedia/rome-roman-empire (Stephen Liao)

For most of the Roman people, the meals were centered around grain (corn), oil, wine, and bread. Wealthy people could have more wild foods. Fish, oysters, and pork were very popular. At home, people cooked things like cakes, tarts, and pastries. Vegetables were imported: cabbage, lettuce, asparagus, onion, garlic, radishes, and beans. Fruits, nuts, spices, herbs, and sauces were also available. Tucker Robinson

http://library.thinkquest.org/26602/diet.htm