Foods and Spices in the Bible That Starts with A

Reading through the Bible and happening upon a food here or there that they eat sounds really boring. They’ll say something like “cake” and you think, “Oh CAKE!” Yum. But it’s not like our cake today at all. No frosting, none of that, right, so it just sounds boring.

I thought to myself, “You know…it couldn’t ALL be boring. It couldn’t all just be bread, fish, and wine. Jesus came to Earth, He chose THAT particular time era. What was it like for Him?”

Those thoughts permeated my mind, swirling around, and so I wanted to create a couple resources for myself and for you of what food was like for the people in the Bible.

First up, is this ultimate collection of all foods and spices in the Bible, organized by biblical foods A to Z below.

And here you’ll find more helpful posts and tools for yourself and your family all about foods in the Bible…

Biblical Foods and Spices From A to Z in Scripture

This food in the Bible by letter A–Z list is bursting with real foods and spices in the Bible. Some will make you smile with recognition, and others might make you go, “Wait… THAT’S in the Bible?!” 🤯

Whether you’re digging into God’s Word with your kids, prepping a fun Sunday school lesson, or just curious about what people actually ate in Bible times (spoiler: it wasn’t chicken nuggets 😅), this Bible foods list is a great conversation starter and a beautiful reminder that God truly cares about every little detail of our lives (1 Corinthians 10:31).

Yes, even what’s on our plate. 🍞🥣💕

These biblical ingredients in Scripture are such a fun way to connect the Bible to our everyday life. Be sure to check out more of my other A-Z lists for more fun! 🥳

Almonds (Genesis 43:11, Numbers 17:8)
Aloe (Song of Songs 4:14)
Anise (Matthew 23:23 KJV)
Apples (Song of Solomon 2:5; side note: the Bible does not explicitly name the fruit of the tree in the Garden of Eden as an apple or any other specific fruit. It simply refers to “the fruit of the tree”!)

Foods and spices in the Bible that starts with B

Barley (Deuteronomy 8:8, Ezekiel 4:9)
Beans (2 Samuel 17:28, Ezekiel 4:9)
Bread (Genesis 25:34, 2 Samuel 6:19, 2 Samuel 16:1, Mark 8:14)
Butter (Proverbs 30:33)

Foods and spices in the Bible that starts with C

Cake (1 Kings 19:3-9)
Calamus (Song of Songs 4:14)
Calf (Proverbs 15:17, Luke 15:23)
Caper Berry (Ecclesiastes 12:5 NASB)
Cassia (Exodus 30:24, Ezekiel 27:19)
Cheese (2 Samuel 17:29, Job 10:10)
Cilantro (from the same plant as coriander; cilantro is the leafy part and coriander is the seeds – Exodus 16:31, Numbers 11:7)
Cinnamon (Exodus 30:23, Revelation 18:13, Song of Songs 4:14)
Coriander (Exodus 16:31, Numbers 11:7)
Corn (Matthew 12:1 KJV)
Cucumbers (Numbers 11:5)
Cumin (Isaiah 28:25, Matthew 23:23)
Curds (Isaiah 7:15)

Foods and spices in the Bible that starts with D

Dates (2 Samuel 6:19, 1 Chronicles 16:3)
Dill (Matthew 23:23)
Dove (Leviticus 12:8)

Foods and spices in the Bible that starts with E

Eggs (Job 6:6, Luke 11:12)

Foods and spices in the Bible that starts with F

Figs (Nehemiah 13:15, Jeremiah 24:1-3)
Fish (Matthew 15:36, John 21:11)
Flax (Proverbs 31:13)
Flour (2 Samuel 17:28, 1 Kings 17:12)
Frankincense (Song of Songs 4:14, 1 Chronicles 9:29)

Foods and spices in the Bible that starts with G

Garlic (Numbers 11:5)
Goat (Genesis 27:9)
Gourds (2 Kings 4:39)
Grapes (Leviticus 19:10, Deuteronomy 23:24)
Grape Juice (Numbers 6:3)

Foods and spices in the Bible that starts with H

Honey (Genesis 43:11, Exodus 33:3, Deuteronomy 8:8, Judges 14:8-9)
Hyssop (1 Kings 4:33)

Foods and spices in the Bible that starts with I

none

Foods and spices in the Bible that starts with J

Juniper Berry (Isaiah 55:13 NASB)

Foods and spices in the Bible that starts with K

Kernels (Leviticus 2:14 CSB)

Foods and spices in the Bible that starts with L

Lamb (2 Samuel 12:4)
Leeks (Numbers 11:5)
Lentils (Genesis 25:34, 2 Samuel 17:28, Ezekiel 4:9)
Locusts (Mark 1:6)

Foods and spices in the Bible that starts with M

Mallow Juice (Job 6:6 ESV)
Mandrakes (Genesis 30:14)
Manna (Exodus 16:31-35)
Melons (Numbers 11:5, Isaiah 1:8)
Milk (Exodus 33:3, Job 10:10, Judges 5:25)
Millet (Ezekiel 4:9)
Mint (Matthew 23:23, Luke 11:42)
Mulberries (2 Samuel 5:23 ASV)
Mustard (Matthew 13:31)
Mustard Seeds (Mark 4:31)
Myrrh (Genesis 43:11, Matthew 2:11)

Foods and spices in the Bible that starts with N

Nuts (Genesis 43:11)

Foods and spices in the Bible that starts with O

Olive Oil (Ezra 6:9, Deuteronomy 8:8)
Olives (Isaiah 17:6, Micah 6:15)
Onions (Numbers 11:5)
Oxen (1 Kings 19:21)

Foods and spices in the Bible that starts with P

Partridge (1 Samuel 26:20, Jeremiah 17:11)
Pigeon (Genesis 15:9, Leviticus 12:8)
Pistachios (Genesis 43:11)
Pomegranates (Numbers 20:5, Deuteronomy 8:8)

Foods and spices in the Bible that starts with Q

Quail (Psalm 105:40)

Foods and spices in the Bible that starts with R

Raisins (Numbers 6:3, 2 Samuel 6:19)
Rue (Luke 11:42)

Foods and spices in the Bible that starts with S

Saffron (Song of Songs 4:14)
Salt (Ezra 6:9, Job 6:6)
Sheep (Deuteronomy 14:4)
Spelt (Ezekiel 4:9)
Spikenard (Song of Songs 4:14)
Sweet Cane (Jeremiah 6:20)

Foods and spices in the Bible that starts with T

Tamarisk (Genesis 21:33) – a coastal, salt-tolerant shrub whose tender young tips are used as a spring green in Greek cuisine. Known for its salty taste, often boiled and served with lemon and olive oil.

Foods and spices in the Bible that starts with U

Unleavened Bread (Genesis 19:3 Exodus 12:20)

Foods and spices in the Bible that starts with V

Venison (Genesis 27:7 KJV)
Vinegar (Ruth 2:14, John 19:29)

Foods and spices in the Bible that starts with W

Water (1 Kings 19:3-9)
Wheat (Ezra 6:9, Deuteronomy 8:8)
Wine (Ezra 6:9, John 2:1-10)

Foods and spices in the Bible that starts with X

none

Foods and spices in the Bible that starts with Y

Yeast (Leviticus 2:11, Matthew 13:33)

Foods and spices in the Bible that starts with Z

none

A to Z Bible Food List: Food Prices

Very little is known about food prices in the Bible, however, there are a few verses on the matter…

One se’ah of fine flour and two of barley sold for a shekel (2 Kings 7:1, 2 Kings 7:16)
Two sparrows sold for a farthing (sparrows were eaten in Bible times; Matthew 10:29)

Notable Verses About Food as Metaphors

1 Corinthians 10:31
Matthew 4:4
John 4:34
1 Corinthians 3:2-3
Matthew 5:13

What Are Foods That You Are Not Allowed To Eat Biblically?

There are no named foods to not eat in the New Testament. Jesus declared all foods clean in latter generations in Mark 7:19. God also gave Peter a vision that implied former unclean animals could be eaten in Acts 10:15. When Jesus died on the cross, He fulfilled all Old Testament laws (including animals sacrifices and clean/unclean foods.)

You are free to eat anything you’d like now, according to Scripture; however, here’s a list of clean and unclean foods in the Old Testament meant for those in that culture in that time era, which was intended to set them apart from the culture around them.

How Did They Purify and Sanitize Water in Biblical Times?

In Bible times, they primarily relied on simple techniques like allowing the water to settle or straining and boiling it. These methods helped to remove some impurities and pathogens.

Why Study Foods and Spices in the Bible?

Foods and spices in the Bible aren’t just random details like I thought they were. As I studied it all out more in depth, I realized they help paint the full picture of biblical life. They show how people lived, what they ate, how they seasoned their food, what they traded, what they offered to God, and even how the Lord used ordinary things to teach spiritual truths.

As you read through this list of Bible foods and herbs, you’ll start noticing how often food appears in Scripture, from honey and milk to figs, lentils, cumin, and Frankincense.

What Foods and Spices are Mentioned Most in the Bible?

Some of the most well-known foods and spices in the Bible include bread, fish, figs, grapes, honey, lentils, milk, olive oil, pomegranates, wheat, cumin, frankincense, and myrrh. These are mentioned in different ways throughout Scripture and I wanted to include not only a foods list but a biblical spices list as well and combine them because they both often carry practical and symbolic meaning for each one.

Foods and Spices in the Bible That Starts with A – Z

Biblical Foods and Spices From A to Z in Scripture