In a mud-brick home, the kitchen was often at the back, open to the sky so smoke could escape. What was cooking? Mostly bread.
Key idea
Everyday food was bread and thick beer made from grain, with onions, garlic, beans and lentils, fish from the river, and fruit like dates and figs. Meat was mostly for feast days.
Why it works
Food came from what grew best by the Nile. Wheat and barley grew in the black mud, so bread and beer were eaten every day; beer was thick, almost like a soup, and gave energy. Cattle took a lot of land and food to raise, so beef was a treat for the rich or for festivals. Honey made food sweet; there was no sugar.
Worked example: Paid in bread
Workers who built the pyramids were paid partly in bread and beer. Why would that be useful pay?
- There were no coins yet.
- Everyone needed bread and beer every day.
Answer: It was food that everyone needed, and there was no money yet.
Common mistake
Thinking Egyptians ate like kings every day. Most people ate simple bread and vegetables. Bread often had bits of sand and grit from grinding the grain, and scientists can see how it wore down the teeth of mummies.