Staple food

From ArticleWorld

A staple food is one considered essential to the eating habits of a culture, is consumed in significant quantities, and is nutritious. Generally staple foods are starches, both vegetable and cereal, including grains and non-grasses. Staples must be supplemented with vegetables, fat, and protein in order to form complete, balanced meals. They are also ideal candidates for fortification with vitamins and dietary minerals, because benefits accrue to the maximum number of people. Finally, reserves of staple foods are generally maintained by governments in order to assure food security in difficult times.

• Common cereal staples include:
  • rice
  • wheat
  • maize
  • millet
  • buckwheat
  • teff
  • sorghum
  • quinoa
  • wild rice
  • amaranth
  • rye
  • oats
  • spelt
  • barley

• Common root vegetable staples include potato, sweet potato, yam, cassava (manioc), and taro.
• Staple cereals and vegetables are prepared in countless ways: as bread leavened and unleavened, flatbread and pancakes, porridge, mash, noodles, etc.
• Staples are usually paired with:
  • vegetables
  • pulses
  • meat
  • fish
  • poultry
  • beans
  • soya products
    
  • fats or oils such as butter, vegetable oil, including that from nuts and olives, lard, or other rendered animal fat.