The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ ate with moderation. He did not eat to fill his stomach but to maintain his strength and strengthen his body to obey his Lord. He never showed excess nor sought luxury in food. His food was simple but full of blessing, and he thanked Allah even for the smallest portion, never despising what was offered to him.
He never rejected food nor was he picky. If he liked a dish, he ate it; if not, he left it. This reflects his great modesty and refinement. He approached food with a heart full of gratitude and a tongue full of praise, and he taught his companions to do the same. He always started eating by saying the name of Allah and encouraged others to do likewise.
He ate from what was in front of him and did not reach toward what was beyond his reach. He adopted a humble posture by sitting, often on his knees or with his left leg folded and his right extended. This position expressed respect for food and consciousness of God. He said: "I do not eat while reclining."
The Prophet ﷺ did not eat much meat nor always fill his meals with fats. He often ate dates, water, milk, or barley. He particularly liked barley bread, sometimes softening it with water. He also appreciated dates, especially the ‘ajwa variety, and recommended olive oil, which he considered from a blessed tree.
He was content with little and did not seek to be full, advising: "The son of Adam does not fill any container worse than his stomach..." He considered that excessive eating burdens the body, weakens the mind, and opens the door to negligence. He warned against overeating, saying: "The son of Adam does not fill a vessel worse than his stomach."
When he drank, he did so in three sips, blowing outside the container between each sip, beginning with the name of Allah and ending with His praise. He did not drink all at once and taught his companions this, saying: "Drink slowly, drink moderately, drink healthily."
In all his eating habits, he showed the way of moderation and mercy, teaching us to eat with modesty and to see food as a gift, not a right. Eating was never an end in itself but a means to strengthen the body for worship and work. He asked Allah for blessing, not quantity, and taught us that simplicity and gratitude are the source of true blessings.
Thus, the Prophet ﷺ ate: with calmness, gratitude, humility, and moderation, without waste or arrogance, showing us how to make food an act of worship.