Agriculture in Iryna is highly reliant on external food sources, due to the island's extremely small size relative to its population. Many of the smaller islands in the Corvidan Archipelago export the vast majority of their annual yield to Irynian markets, but even this contribution is not enough to sustain the Irynian population alone. In the modern era, an increasing percentage of the food consumed by Irynians is grown on greenhouse galleys and in offshore aquaculture facilities. Even with the many innovations created by Irynians to combat their agricultural deficiencies, some compromises have been unavoidable. Crops that could not readily be grown in small spaces were abandoned in favor of reliable year-round producers, and the production of meat was restricted to ensure a healthy population of livestock for other animal source foods. To diversify their diets, some Irynians cultivate gardens on rooftops, balconies, or countertops. Arcane researchers have attempted to create synthetic food that would require no farming space at all, but those efforts proved too labor-intensive to be sustainable long-term.
The typical Irynian diet consists primarily of seafood, root vegetables, fruits and nuts. Common beverages include tea, fruit juice, and sugarcane juice. Some staple ingredients are:
The availability of food ingredients has also influenced Irynian culinary traditions. Because food waste is to be avoided at all costs, Irynians typically eat small meals throughout the day, a habit reinforced by their often-busy work schedules. Irynian restaurants are primarily self-serve, with a variety of dishes placed on a communal table for customers to choose from. In these restaurants, the plates on which food is served have two grooves on their underside, which slot into a pair of rails on the table's surface. This allows dishes to be slid back and forth between diners, or even moved remotely using magitech, with diners grabbing dishes as they pass by. Many Irynians also eat from food stalls, which sell food that can be carried in one's hands and eaten while walking.