What Does The Staff Of Life Mean?

The phrase staff of life is used to refer to something that is a basic item or a necessary item of food. It refers to a staple food that one is generally used to having everyday, something that can comprise a whole meal. In most cases, the term staff of life is usually meant to denote basic foodstuffs, especially bread. In some areas however, especially coastal regions, generally rice is the staff of life. It can also mean anything which is made using flour or meal or even grain.

This phrase, that makes use of the word staff to denote support, was first documented in the year 1638.