Long before modern kitchens and celebrity chefs, ancient civilizations were already enjoying meals that we still serve today. Many of these timeless dishes have stood the test of time and innovation. Today, we’re bringing you 10 of the oldest foods still eaten around the world, proving that good taste truly never goes out of style.
10. Burger (100 century AD)
Who knew the Burger that most fast food places serve has a long history? Its earliest version was called isicia omentata, made with minced meats, caul fat, pepper, pine nuts, and garum fish sauce. They were pressed together and cooked over a flame. In 19th-century America, the “Hamburg” steak became popular in New York restaurants, where they eventually placed it between slices of bread.
9. Chocolate (1500 – 400 BC)
Those mass-produced treats and chocolate-flavored ice cream all started with a cacao tree. The Mayans, Aztecs, and Toltecs first cultivated the cacao trees to make a chocolate drink. They were used for ceremonies and as medicine. Cacao somehow found its way to Spain, where the beans were sweetened with sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla. It also made its way to the European ports, where it was used to produce cocoa powders and chocolate bars.
8. Dumplings (3000 BC)
There are days when we like to enjoy some Dumplings from our favorite Chinese place. It dates back to ancient China, where cooks would wrap meat and vegetables in a dough. With this, the concept spread through the trade route, which made different cultures adapt their own, like Italian ravioli or empanadas from Latin America. Today, you can easily get them from fine dining to frozen packs at the grocery stores.
7. Cheese (8000 BC)
Cheese can easily be found today and added to every meal, but have you ever wondered how they were discovered? Accidentally, they’re made by an Arabian merchant who stored milk in a pouch of a sheep’s stomach. The combination of its stomach lining, camel’s movement, and heat from the desert created the first cheese. The Romans elevated Cheese as an art form, creating aged varieties.
6. Porridge (10000 BC)
In case you don’t know, Porridge represented one of the first grain dishes that dates back to the earliest agricultural civilizations. The ancient Middle East used to make barley porridge, while Ancient Greeks used to make “puls” out of it. Today, they come in different variations of oatmeal, congee, and even the popular grain bowl.
5. Bread (10000 – 2200 BC)
Bread is probably one of the most important foods out there since they’ve been around since the Neolithic period, more than 12,000 years ago. The oldest known one is from 14,000 years ago, which coincided with the introduction of farming technology with different grains and grain mills. They resembled flatbreads, which are a mix of sticky dough and water. They were baked on hot rocks or clay tiles, which some bakeries still do today!
4. Pancakes (11650 BC)
Pancakes may not come to mind when thinking about ancient dishes. However, these breakfast favorites date back more than 70,000 years. Researchers found that the Shanidar Cave system in Iraq showed that people used to pound seeds soaked in water into a paste. They’re formed into patties before cooking, resulting in the earliest form of pancakes. Ancient Greeks and Romans ate them with honey, and Queen Elizabeth ate pancakes with milk. Today, you can find them in many diners and fast food places.
3. Soup and Broth (20,000 years ago)
Soup is one of the world’s most versatile dishes, as you can literally create anything with it. Way before those Campbell soups in a can, our ancestors used to make them when they discovered waterproof cooking tools. They created the first soup using animal hides, clay pots, and heating stones. Different ingredients like bone broths and herbs were used to make different soup varieties.
2. Noodles and Pasta (2000 BC)
Noodles were created independently in ancient China and the Mediterranean. Chinese noodle-making dates back 4,000 years to millet or wheat, along with techniques of rolling and cutting. Meanwhile, Mediterranean civilizations developed their own when the Arabs introduced dried pasta. Italian cooks created different regional specialties with the sauce they add to the pasta.
1. Roasted and Grilled Meats (over 400,000 years ago)
Yup, that summer backyard grill you’re doing annually is a modern form of an old technique. Cooking meat over fire is known as one of the earliest forms of culinary technique. Archaeological evidence suggests humans controlled fire by cooking meat over 400,000 years ago. Today, you can get any roasted or grilled meat from any restaurant. It’s also widespread enough for different cultures to incorporate their take.