Ancient Greeks’ Diet A Perfect Balance
Ancient Greeks are known for their love of food and socialising. The landscape, local produce and meat
availability, and seasonal agricultural practices of the time shaped their diet. Typical Greek diets were
unrefined, contributing to their cultural perceptions of athleticism and good health.
Greece is a rocky land of mountains. Its location in the Aegean and Mediterranean seas creates a warm climate suitable for growing produce and herbs and to tend to smaller livestock like poultry, sheep, and goats.
Lower classes regularly ate fish, while the upper ruling classes enjoyed the exclusiveness of eating red meat. Another significant portion of an average Ancient Greek diet includes dried fruits and nuts, beans,
legumes, grains, olive oils, fish, eggs, cheese, honey, watered-down wine, and yogurts. These food
staples were minimally processed and used for travel and short and long-term storage.
Let’s explore the Ancient Greek diet further.
Ancient Greeks’ Three Meals A Day Breakfast
Ancient Greeks ate a light breakfast of bread dipped in wine. Researchers believe barley bread was the
most common. They got some carbs, protein, nutrition, and hydration to get them started. Sometimes,
they ate teganites from wheat flour, olive oil, honey, and fermented milk. It was like a pancake with
honey and cheese toppings.
Lunch
Ancient Greeks found bread, olives, cheese, figs, nuts, fruit, salted fish, and vegetables at midday. It
wasn’t a heavy meal and helped to avoid going into a “food coma.” This second light meal fueled them
through the remainder of the workday.
Dinner
In Greece today, dinner is the biggest meal of the day, as it was in ancient times. It is a moment to
gather with friends and visit about the day. Ancient Greek men and women ate separately. If a home
enslaved people, which was common for many households in that day and age, enslaved people served
men, women, and then themselves. On the other hand, if the home didn’t enslave people, men were
still served first, and women ate after the men were done with their meals. The women waited on them.
At dinner, wider varieties of foods were part of the services, which included eggs, fish, bread, beans or
legumes, vegetables, cheeses, and figs. Desserts were available on special occasions like religious
festivals and served with bits of honey.
Wine and Snacks
Snacks Fresh and dried fruits, nuts, and bread were portable snack options. Ancient Greeks also valued pastilli (sesame bread rings) sold by vendors. They were eaten with with wine
Wine
Ancient Greeks loved wine much like people do today. Greek women were responsible for fetching wine
and water for all meals. Getting drunk was frowned upon by the culture. It demonstrated a lack of self-control. Greeks often watered down wine to prevent impairment or to stop someone from getting more inebriated.
Plant and Animal Based Products
The Ancient Greek diet perfectly balances plant and animal-based products. This concept means the
Greek diet was wholesome, well-balanced with nutrition, and adequate daily protein. Good food was
within reach but seasonal, from the poorest to the wealthiest Greeks. Over the centuries, each region of
Greece developed its own cooking methods (using olive oil) and recipes.
Ancient Greeks’ Ancient Recipe(s)
The British Museum’s website (bristishmuseum.org) shares several Ancient Greek recipes from “The
Classical Cookbook” by Andrew Dalby and Sally Grainger. The book is available for sale at the British
Museum’s Shop. Greek ingredient lists include food used for medicine and celebration. The recipes’
instructions and ingredient lists are simple and short. That’s fascinating! Modern recipes can be quite a
bit more complicated and have longer lists of ingredients.
See the example below:
Cabbage the Athenian way
Oribasius, a Roman doctor, borrowed a recipe from Mnesitheus, a Greek medical writer from Athens.
“Cabbage should be sliced with the sharpest possible iron blade, then washed, drained, and chopped
with plenty of coriander and rue. Then sprinkle with honey vinegar and add just a little bit of silphium.
Incidentally, you can eat this as a meze.”
Ancient Greeks’ Implementation of the Mediterranean Diet
The Mediterranean diet, as it is called in modern times, focuses more on plant-based food, healthy fats,
and olive oil while incorporating other elements of the Ancient Grecian diet. Researchers have
discovered regular eaters of this modern diet can help reduce risks of heart disease, stroke, and
diabetes. They may also extend their lives and lose weight. The Mediterranean diet includes whole
grains, nuts, seeds, beans, legumes, olive oil, fish, and poultry. Eat eggs in moderation. Limit red meat,
refined grains, highly processed food, and sugary sweets and drinks.
Local grocers and online retailers throughout the United Kingdom (UK) have easy and regular access to
all kinds of whole foods, sometimes in and out of season. Visit any Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Asda, or
Morrisons to find healthy options. Online retailers are also excellent choices to find high-quality snacks
and foods. See Walnut Tree, Buy Wholefoods Online, Whole Foods Market UK, Whole Food Earth, and
Grape Tree are quality places to start looking and buying.
The Ancient Greeks had a good diet for their people. Modern humankind can take a page from their “enjoying life manual” and improve. Making little changes over time can improve well-being in the long run. Everyone’s diet can use more minimally processed foods.
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Supplied under own brand or white label to prestigious stores, palaces, castles, stately homes, garden centres, delicatessens, farm shops, hamper companies, department stores and gift shops.
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Our charitable contributions
Walnut Tree supports Future Dreams Breast Cancer Charity with dried fruit for their care packages. www.futuredreams.org.uk
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