What kind of food did the first humans eat in the Bible?

December 20, 2025 •

2 min read

According to Genesis 1:29, the original human diet was strictly plant-based, consisting of fruits, grains, nuts, and vegetables. This initial provision reveals what kind of food did the first humans eat in the Bible before the Fall and the Great Flood.

Quick Summary

Before the Flood, the biblical diet for humanity was plant-based, featuring fruits, grains, nuts, and vegetables. Later, a significant shift occurred, allowing the consumption of meat after Noah's flood.

Key Points

Original Diet: In Eden, the first humans were given a vegetarian diet based on plants, fruits, and grains.
No Apple: Scripture does not name the forbidden fruit, contradicting the popular apple myth.
Post-Flood Change: After Noah's flood, humans were permitted to eat animal meat, changing the diet.
Shifting Covenants: Dietary changes align with the theological shifts after the Fall and Flood, moving from a perfect state to a fallen world.
Dietary Staples: Even after meat was allowed, staple foods in biblical times remained plant-based, including items like bread, legumes, and olives.
Health and Holiness: Biblical teachings often connect dietary choices to personal health and purity.

The Edenic Diet: A Plant-Based Beginning

In the opening chapters of the Bible, Genesis describes the Garden of Eden and the initial provisions God made for human sustenance. Genesis 1:29 states that God gave humans "every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat [food]". This verse is interpreted as indicating a vegetarian diet for Adam and Eve.

The Foods of Eden

The 'Edenic diet' would have included plant-based foods such as:

Fruits.
Grains and seeds.
Nuts.
Vegetables.

The Forbidden Fruit: Dispelling the Apple Myth

The Bible does not identify the specific forbidden fruit from the "tree of the knowledge of good and evil"; the idea that it was an apple is considered a myth not supported by scripture. The apple association likely stems from a medieval Latin pun. While other fruits have been speculated, the exact fruit remains unnamed in the biblical text. For more details, see {Link: Bible Study Tools https://www.biblestudytools.com/bible-study/topical-studies/what-exactly-was-the-forbidden-fruit.html}.

The Dietary Shift After the Flood

After the Flood, a change in dietary allowance is noted. Genesis 9:3 records God permitting Noah and his family to eat animal flesh, stating, "Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things". This introduced an omnivorous diet after the previously vegetarian one.

The Later Biblical Diet

Later in biblical history, particularly among the Israelites, the diet included a variety of foods. While meat was consumed, it was often less frequent than plant-based staples. Common foods included bread, legumes, dairy products, fruits, and vegetables. Dietary regulations also distinguished between clean and unclean animals.

Comparison: Before vs. After the Flood


Feature	Before the Flood (Eden)	After the Flood (Noah)
Diet Type	Primarily plant-based / Vegetarian	Omnivorous
Food Source	Fruits, grains, nuts, and vegetables	All living things, in addition to plants
Relationship with Animals	Peaceful coexistence	Dominion over animals
Theological Context	Reflects a perfect, pre-sin state	A new covenant in a fallen world

Conclusion: Understanding the Biblical Dietary Narrative

The biblical narrative indicates that what kind of food did the first humans eat in the Bible evolved from a plant-based diet in Eden to include meat after the Flood. This shift corresponds with changes in humanity's state and relationship with God and creation. The Bible highlights God's provision and guidance regarding food, emphasizing principles relevant to health and holiness. For additional information on when meat consumption began, refer to {Link: EPM.org https://www.epm.org/resources/2014/Apr/29/when-did-man-begin-eating-meat/}.

Frequently Asked Questions

According to Genesis 1:29, Adam and Eve ate a plant-based diet, consisting of every seed-bearing plant and every fruit-bearing tree.

No, the first humans did not eat meat in the Garden of Eden. God specifically designated plant life as their food.

After the Flood, God established a new covenant with Noah and his family, giving them every moving creature as food in addition to plants. This reflected the changed world and human condition after sin.

The Bible does not name the forbidden fruit. The common belief that it was an apple is a widespread myth and not based on scripture.

The Bible does not mention cooking in the Garden of Eden. It implies that food was readily available and could be eaten directly from the plants and trees.

While some speculate the dietary changes post-Flood may have impacted human longevity, the Bible does not specify a cause-and-effect relationship between diet and the shortening of lifespans.

Some religious traditions interpret the Edenic diet as the ideal, while others note that the Bible later sanctions eating meat. Interpretations vary, with some seeing the change as a response to a fallen world.

In later Old Testament times, the diet included staples like bread, lentils, beans, grapes, figs, olives, and some meat, primarily for special occasions.