Aztec Food

Introduction The Aztec people ate a Variety of foods many of them are still eaten in Mexico today. They grew crops, hunted animals, caught fish and kept animals for food.

Farming The Aztec farmers had a special way of creating land for farming. Their capital city Tenochtitlan was built on swampy ground. Farmers would measure out a plot within the lake and build a willow fence around it. The plot would then be filled in with mud where crops were planted. Canals were left between each plot so that they could be reached by boat. The main crop was maize, or corn, and also tomatoes, beans, chillies, squash and peppers.

Maize Maize was very important food to the Aztecs. It would be ground into flour on a stone slab and then used to make flat bread, named tortilla, which looked like a pancake. This was cooked on a clay disc known as a comal. Maize was also made into a type of porridge called atole.

Hunting and Fishing The Aztecs did not eat much meat in their diet as it was regarded as a luxury that only the richer people ate. However they hunted iguana and rabbits and also fished. Turkeys and dogs were kept for meat. Bees for honey.

Cocoa The cocoa bean was very important to the Aztecs and was used as money. They also used them to make a thick chocolate drink. This was not sweet like the chocolate we eat today but was flavoured with chillies and other spices.

Choose your level to complete the quiz Aztec Food Quiz Choose your level to complete the quiz Level 1 Level 2 Level 3

Level 1 Quiz Aztec farmers built a __________ fence around their plots. The main crop grown by Aztec farmers was ______________. Tortilla was a flat ________ made from maize and looked like a _____________ . _________ was a type of porridge. Aztecs thought _________ was a luxury. Aztecs hunted and _____________ . ___________ were kept for honey. _________ beans were used as money.

Level 2 Quiz In which country is Aztec food still eaten? What type of ground did Aztecs farm? How did the farmers reach the plots? Name two crops grown by Aztec farmers? What is a tortilla? Where was the tortilla cooked? What was the name of the porridge made from maize? What types of meat did the Aztecs eat? What two uses did they have for the cocoa bean? How was the chocolate drink flavoured?

Level 3 Quiz Use a Google search to find out more about the Aztec diet and complete the following activities: What did the Aztecs eat with a tortilla? How did the Aztecs use honey? What are the differences and similarities between the Aztec diet and a modern Mexican diet. Make a menu for an Aztec meal.