Staple food (Agriculture Glossary)

Staple food : Also simply staple.

A food that is eaten routinely and in such quantities that it constitutes a dominant portion of a standard diet for a given population or demographic, supplying a large fraction of energy needs and generally providing a significant proportion of the basic nutrients needed for survival or health. Specific staple foods vary by location and culture, but typically are inexpensive or readily available foods that are suitable for storage over long periods of time without decaying; examples include cereals, starchy tubers or root vegetables, meat, fish, eggs, and dairy products.