Tag: Communal dining

According to a 2025 World Happiness Report analysis, roughly one in four Americans reports eating all their meals alone, a significant 53% increase from 2003, highlighting a growing trend of dining solitude. Yet, decades of research indicate that the act of sharing a meal with others is profoundly beneficial for our physical and mental well-being, suggesting a reversal of this trend is in order.

Teff, the tiny ancient grain used to create Ethiopia’s most famous dish, has been cultivated in the country’s highlands for thousands of years. That dish, and the most eaten food in Ethiopia, is injera, a spongy, fermented flatbread that serves as the foundation of nearly every meal. It is both a plate and a utensil, embodying the nation's rich agricultural history and strong tradition of communal dining.

The most notorious element of the Spartan diet was *melas zomos*, or black broth, a notoriously unappetizing concoction of pork, blood, and vinegar that symbolized their rigorous discipline. However, to truly understand what was a typical Spartan meal, one must look past this grim reputation to their entire dietary philosophy.