5Legumes and Vegetables – Food for Everyday Life
For ordinary ancient Greeks, vegetables and legumes were the foundation of daily meals. Meat was expensive, so poor families relied on foods such as lentils, beans, peas, chickpeas, onions, garlic, cabbage, and wild greens.
These ingredients were simple, cheap, and nutritious. They gave people protein, energy, and vitamins without needing expensive meat.
This tradition continued in Corfu for many years. Older Corfiot generations often ate lentil soup, beans, chickpeas, potatoes, wild greens, seasonal vegetables, and olive oil. During difficult times, especially during wars and poverty, these humble foods helped many families survive.
Worth knowing: Many traditional Greek dishes today still come from this simple ancient way of eating.
