That’s the way the Greek have dinner!

There are many things that have carried on in civilization from the time of the ancient Greeks; they contributed literature, philosophy, democracy, theater, and the Olympics. But how much of the what they ate and how they dined have continued into current-day Greece?

Some foods, like pasteli (Greek sesame honey candy), have undoubtedly been around a long time. But unfortunately, historians may never know for sure about ingredients and dishes in ancient Greek food. In terms of their eating style, the ancient Greeks ate as in modern times, with three meals a day. They woke and ate breakfast, they broke from work at midday for lunch, and then they ended the day with dinner and perhaps a little dessert.

Dinner was and still is the most important meal of the day in Greece. In ancient times, it was when everyone would gather with friends—not family—and discuss things like philosophy or maybe just daily events.

Men and women normally ate separately. If a family had slaves, the slaves would serve the men dinner first, then the women, then themselves. If the family didn’t have slaves, the women of the house served the men first, and then they ate when the men were finished.

Dinner was when most of the foods were consumed. The ancient Greeks would eat eggs from quail and hens, fish, legumes, olives, cheeses, bread, figs, and any vegetables they could grow, which might include arugula, asparagus, cabbage, carrots, and cucumbers. Meats were reserved for the wealthy.