What did the Aztecs eat for food?

What did the Aztecs eat for food?

While the Aztecs ruled, they farmed large areas of land. Staples of their diet were maize, beans and squash. To these, they added chilies and tomatoes. They also harvested Acocils, an abundant crayfish-like creature found in Lake Texcoco, as well as Spirulina algae which they made into cakes.

How did the Aztecs feed such a huge city?

As such, growing enough food to feed the urban populations of the Aztec cities was of major importance. Many inhabitants of all of the Aztec cities were involved in planting, cultivating and harvesting the empire’s food. Three crops formed the staples of the Aztec diet: maize, or corn, beans and squash.

How did the Aztecs live daily life?

They worked as farmers, merchants, artisans and warriors. They lived in more moderate homes and could not afford as elaborate clothes or art. Regardless, there are several key aspects to consider about the daily life of most Aztec people, such as: clothing, education, entertainment, food, homes, religion and work.

What was the Aztec main crops?

Once the floating island was secure and useable, the Aztecs used it to plant their principal crop: corn. They also grew various vegetables (such as avocados, beans, chili peppers, squash, and tomatoes), and sometimes—even flowers. Unfortunately, the Aztecs had no animals or machines to help them work the land.

How was Aztec food prepared?

The beans were soaked in water for several hours and then boiled until they were soft, which is the same method still used today to prepare whole beans. The Aztecs would also mix the beans with other ingredients, such as vegetables, to make soup or stew. Occasionally, the Aztecs would eat meat with their beans.

How did the Aztecs cook food?

The Aztecs cooked their food over a fire. They would hang cooking pots over hearth fires for boiling or stewing. They also steamed food like tamales…

How did the Aztecs cook their food?

How did the Aztec feed their people?

The basis of Aztec diet was corn (maize). They cultivated numerous varieties of corn, as well as many other crops including beans, amaranth and squash. This mix of items provided a balanced diet that had no significant vitamin or mineral deficiency.

What was the Aztec family life like?

Aztec families were very close knit. Children were considered gifts from the gods, but were expected to be obedient to their parents and elders. Children who became orphaned lived with aunts and uncles or other family members. Fathers were responsible for raising their sons, and educated them until they began school.

What did Aztec slaves eat?

The body parts of sacrificed slaves could be taken home and eaten with maize and salt as an extension of their sacrifice. It was a great honor to be given the opportunity to sacrifice a human in a public setting in the Aztec Empire.

How did the Aztecs get their food?

The Aztec diet was dominated by fruit and vegetables, as domesticated animals were limited to dogs, turkeys (totolin), ducks, and honey bees. Game (especially rabbits, deer and wild pigs), fish, birds, salamanders, algae (used to make cakes), frogs, tadpoles and insects were also a valuable food source.

What did the Aztecs eat and drink?

They ground the maize into flour to make tortillas. Other important staples were beans and squash. Besides these three main staples the Aztecs ate a variety of foods including insects, fish, honey, dogs, and snakes. Perhaps the most valued food was the cocoa bean used to make chocolate.

What was daily life like in the Aztec Empire?

Most of daily life in the Aztec Empire depended on a person’s social status, whether they were a member of the nobility or of the commons. That status determined what people ate, what they wore, their style of house and their occupation.

What did the Aztecs do for the poor?

Homes for the poor comprised of huts and included tiny gardens where the poor could grow their own food. The key staple diet of Aztec food was corn, or maize. It was used to create various foods as well as drinks. Aztec also made use of beans, tomatoes, potatoes, chilies and different kind of dry fruits such as cashews and peanuts.

How did Aztecs grow food on Lake Texcoco?

Aztecs grew large portions of their food ingredients by using floating gardens on Lake Texcoco. They did this by setting up canoes with layers of dirt and then growing different kinds of vegetables on the dirt. These canoes floated on the water and were anchored to the bottom of the lake or to the nearby trees.