Top 10 Most Consumed Foods in the Middle East: Everyday Staples Across the Region

Food in the Middle East varies enormously from country to country, but several ingredients appear again and again on everyday tables.

From flatbread and rice to chicken, chickpeas, yogurt and dates, Middle Eastern diets combine ancient food traditions with modern influences from Asia, Africa and Europe.

There is no single official ranking covering every Middle Eastern country, so the list below should be read as 10 of the most commonly consumed and culturally important foods across the region, rather than a strict sales chart.

One thing is clear: cereals remain central. FAO data indicate that average cereal consumption in the Middle East and North Africa is around 200 kg per person annually, significantly higher than the global average, with wheat traditionally serving as the region’s main staple.

...[ Continue to next page ] By: Kriti Vaid