From that time until the Flood, the Bible gives no indication that man included the flesh of animals in his diet. True, a distinction was made between clean and unclean animals, but this evidently was with regard to animals used for sacrificial purposes.​—Ge 7:2.

When Noah was commanded to take the animals into the ark, Jehovah told him: “As for you, take for yourself every sort of food that is eaten; and you must gather it to yourself, and it must serve as food for you and for them,” again seemingly having reference to food from the vegetable kingdom for the humans and the animals taken into the ark. (Ge 6:21) After the Flood, Jehovah allowed man to add flesh to his diet, saying: “Every moving animal that is alive may serve as food for you. As in the case of green vegetation, I do give it all to you. Only flesh with its soul​—its blood—​you must not eat.”​—Ge 9:3, 4.

Flesh as Food. God told Noah after the Flood that, along with vegetation, he could use for food every moving animal that is alive. (Ge 9:3, 4) But under the Law, the Israelites were restricted to eating what were defined as clean animals. These are listed in Leviticus, chapter 11, and Deuteronomy, chapter 14. The common people did not ordinarily eat much meat. But occasionally a goat or a lamb would be slaughtered for a communion sacrifice or in honor of a guest. (Le 3:6, 7, 12; 2Sa 12:4; Lu 15:29, 30) Among the more well-to-do, beef cattle were slaughtered. (Ge 18:7; Pr 15:17; Lu 15:23) Some of the game animals, such as the stag, gazelle, roebuck, wild goat, antelope, wild bull, and chamois, were eaten, and the meat was roasted or boiled. (Ge 25:28; De 12:15; 14:4, 5) The eating of blood was strictly forbidden, as was the eating of fat.​—Le 7:25-27.

Fowl were also eaten. The Israelites were miraculously furnished with quail in the wilderness. (Nu 11:31-33) Pigeons, turtledoves, partridge, and sparrows were among the clean fowl. (1Sa 26:20; Mt 10:29) Additionally, eggs were an item of food.​—Isa 10:14; Lu 11:11, 12.

Among the edible insects was the locust, which, with honey, formed the food of John the Baptizer. (Mt 3:4) Today locusts are eaten by some Arabs. A favorite preparation is to remove the head, legs, and wings, and then to coat with meal and to fry in oil and butter.

Fish were obtainable from the Mediterranean and also from the Sea of Galilee. Several of the apostles of Jesus Christ were fishermen, and Jesus, on at least one occasion, after his resurrection, prepared some fish over a charcoal fire for his disciples. (Joh 21:9) Fish were also dried, providing convenient food for travelers. The fish of Jesus’ two miracles of feeding multitudes were probably dried fish. (Mt 15:34; Mr 6:38) One of the gates of Jerusalem was named the Fish Gate, probably indicating that there was a fish market at or near it. (Ne 3:3) In the days of Nehemiah, the Tyrians carried on a fish trade in Jerusalem.​—Ne 13:16.