Ancient Roman Food

Sadie Seaman

Breakfast
Breakfast was typically a light meal
Usually eaten in busy cafes and taverns
Lower class Romans would eat on bread dipped in wine and
sometimes cheese or olives were added
Upper class Romans would eat meat or fish, and fresh fruits
and vegetables

Lunch
Lunch was also typically a light meal
Everyday in Rome they would have a break in the day called
siesta where everyone went home and ate lunch
Wealthy Romans would eat bread, salad, olives, cheese, fruits,
and nuts
Poor Romans would eat porridge, bread, and cheese

Dinner
Dinner was taken very seriously by everyone
Wealthy families usually had 3 courses
Appetizers or Gustatio
Entrees or Prima Mensa
Desserts or Mensa Secunda

Dinner was usually when parties were held

Wealthy families had several dining room to have more guests
Diners would lie on their sides leaning on their left elbows
facing the table
Since there were no utensils, the servants cut up their
masters food
Poorest families ate porridge and bread, only buying meat and
vegetables only when there was enough money

Drinks
Romans never drank beer because they believed it was
barbaric since the Celts drank it
Romans drank wine