Nutrition in Ancient Greece is undoubtedly the basic requirement for a good physical life of man. At certain times and seasons, we find differences in eating habits, both in the number of meals and in the consumption of certain foods.
In Ancient Athens the barren land of limited production, frequent wars, and the difficulty of communication made the Athenians eating poorly in contrast with the Boeotians and Thessalians, who lived in more fertile lands and enjoyed abundance of goods. The most austere of all were the Spartans, whose best food was a black broth made from pieces of pork, blood, vinegar, and salt.
In classical Athens, the first meal was the "Akratisma" (bread soaked in wine) accompanied by olives and figs, at noon they ate the "Ariston", and in the evening there was always a luxurious meal the "Deipnon".
The bread was a central part of the diet and was initially baked at the home, but later, with the advent of the bakery industry, most families obtained their bread from the bakery. The use of meat was limited and in classical times was consumed more by the classes of wealthy landowners who raised sheep, cattle, and goats on the plains of Thessaly. In Attica, there was no livestock farming and meat, with the exception of pork, which was expensive.
The meat was eaten fresh, smoked, and also in sausages. The most popular preys were hares and deer, but also birds such as partridges, pigeons and pheasants. Fish also took a leading position among the delicacies of the classical era. In the fish market, you can find seagulls, sardines, rattlesnakes, hawks, mullets, sea bass, angelfish, etc. The Athenians loved salted fish as well as sea urchins, crabs and squid. The various herbs from the fields of Megara and Boeotia had solid food, which was sold at a very high price, which is why it was considered a luxurious food for the Athenians. In contrast, cabbage, onions, bulbs, garlic, endives and leeks were widely used in the meals of all social classes. Legumes were eaten in the form of porridge, cooked in oil and mixed with vinegar, wine, or honey.
After the main meal, people enjoyed fruits and sweets such as raisins, almonds, chestnuts and walnuts, and fruits such as pears, apricots, citrus fruits, apples, pomegranates and figs. They always accompanied their meals with wine made from grapes and, less frequently, apples, apricots, pomegranates, or quinces.
