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Which foods were eaten by Mesoamerican peasants before the Spanish conquest?

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Map of Mesoamerica showing the geographic distribution of various Indigenous peoples, with regions labeled for groups such as the Maya, Nahua, Zapotec, Mixtec, Otomi, Mazahua, Huastec, Tarasco, and others across present-day Mexico and parts of Central America. Boundaries indicate the approximate areas inhabited by each group. — Mesoamerican Indian Distribution of Meso-American Indians.

Before the Spanish conquest, the diet of the average Mesoamerican peasant was relatively uniform and primarily plant-based, relying heavily on a core trio of crops: corn (maize), beans, and squash.12

Corn served as the essential staple, providing approximately 90 percent of the caloric intake for many Mesoamericans. Peasants prepared it by boiling dried kernels in lime-impregnated water to soften the hull, then grinding the grain on stone tools known as manos and metates to create a dough. This dough was typically fashioned into tortillas or mixed with water to form a gruel called posol.12

These staples were commonly accompanied by sauces made from chili peppers and tomatoes, along with boiled beans, which provided vital vegetable protein. While the peasant diet was low in animal protein, it was supplemented by various secondary crops depending on the local environment, including sweet potatoes, cassava, avocados, and prickly pears. At higher altitudes, peasants also consumed pulque, a fermented beverage made from the sap of the maguey plant.23