Dr. Jeremy R. Doughty, USAC Resident Director in Rabat, shares a sample Moroccan day of eating.
Dive into Moroccan culture: Take advantage of a $500 discount off January 2027 Morocco program fees until October 15, 2026.
Food is an important part of daily life in Morocco, and living with a host family gives you an insider peek into the culture. Meals are fresh and often shared around the table. Here’s a snapshot of what a typical day of eating might look like while studying abroad in Rabat with University Studies Abroad Consortium (USAC).
Breakfast
Breakfast in Morocco is simple, filling, and centered around bread, tea, coffee, and orange juice. When you live with a host family, breakfast will be prepared for you each morning and shared around the table.
I enjoyed coffee, msemmen (a flaky layered flatbread), jam and honey, a hard-boiled egg, tomato slices, cheese, and harcha (a semolina bread that’s slightly crumbly and delicious with honey).
You’ll also commonly see baghrir (a spongy pancake with tiny holes that soak up butter and honey), khobz (round Moroccan bread), amlou (a delicious spread made from almonds, argan oil, and honey), jben (soft fresh cheese), and raïb (drinkable yogurt).
Lunch
Lunch will be on your own while studying abroad in Rabat. Living in the medina means you’ll have easy access to bakeries and market stalls throughout the day.
I ate a simple lunch of taktouka (a cooked tomato and roasted pepper salad), carrot salad, zucchini salad, and khobz. Meals like this are common and often served as small plates with bread for scooping and sharing.
You’ll find plenty of fresh fruit, vegetables, and bread available in the medina markets. If you’re looking for something different, Rabat also has a wide range of options including sandwiches, street food, cafés, and international restaurants.
Dinner
Dinner is also included with your host family. In Morocco, dinner is usually served later than what you might be used to — often around 8 or 9 p.m. It’s typically the main shared meal of the day and an important time for conversation with your host family.
I feasted with friends in the evening: chicken tagine with preserved lemons and olives; carrot salad; vegetable tagine with carrots, zucchini, turnips, and potatoes; taktouka; and beef tagine with prunes. Meals are usually served family style with everyone sharing dishes and using khobz to scoop food.
You may also see dishes like couscous with vegetables and meat (often served on Fridays), soups, grilled meats, omelets with herbs or vegetables, and simple vegetable salads. Fresh fruit is often served at the end of the meal. Mint tea is also common and may be offered throughout the evening.
Dietary restrictions
Students with dietary restrictions can often be accommodated, but it’s important to communicate your needs during the pre-departure process. This allows USAC to place you with a host family who can prepare meals that meet your dietary requirements. If you have food allergies, follow a vegetarian or vegan diet, or have other food restrictions, be sure to indicate this clearly on your program forms before departure.
Explore your options
- Rabat, Morocco
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