The Quapaw had a healthy diet. They fished with nets and spears along the well-stocked Mississippi and Arkansas Rivers they lived on. They also hunted animals, especially buffalo and deer. Foraging for nuts, such as acorns and chestnuts, and other forest goods supplied them with another source of nutrient-rich food.
Although hunting and gathering practices were still important to Quapaw diet and ceremonial life, agriculture was their primary food source. As with most Native American tribes, the main food source for the Quapaw was a primarily a trio of vegetables: corn, beans, and squash. The Quapaw were perfectly situated to farm on the rich soils next to the river. They never had to worry about depleting the soil of nutrients because a flood carrying soils from thousands of miles away would act as a natural fertilizer. This is part of the reason that the cultures along the Mississippi were arguably the most complex societies north of Mexico. Food was plentiful, so they could spend their time advancing their culture.