To most Romans the main meal of the day was in the late afternoon, from around the times of four to six. The morning and noon meals were normally light snacks, sometimes only bread and water. Since there was no refrigeration, slaves and free people shopped daily at the shops and street carts or in the city’s town square. Many of the foods we consider Italian today did not exist in early Rome. While the wealthy enjoyed spices that have been imported, in their meals, reclined on pillows and were served by slaves, many of the extremely poor or homeless ate cereal
