Men hunted buffalo as well as other game such as elk, deer, and antelope. Hunters used bows and arrows until the 1870s when firearms became available. Women cultivated seasonal gardens of corn, sunflowers, beans, pumpkins, and squash. They also gathered a variety of wild fruit and berries, greens, camas roots, and nuts. They shared any food they found among all members of the community.

Major tribal hunts were held in the summer and fall, when buffalo put on winter fat and congregated in large herds. Food was more difficult to come by in the winter months. The natives held large feasts after successful hunts, and dried substantial amounts of meat to make into jerky for future use. The women, who were responsible for food preparation, conserved meat in the form of pemmican - a combination of dried meat pounded into powder, then mixed with melted fat and a dried paste from berries or other fruits and nuts - which would keep for years without spoiling. This portable, preserved food was important to the tribe through the lean winter months and to warriors away on raids.

In the 1700s, the availability of horses transformed the Sioux lifestyle, making it easier and faster to hunt across great distances. At the same time, European goods arrived on the Plains including new foods such as bread, sugar, and coffee. The securing of items for exchange took on great importance and buffalo hide was one of the key trading items.

When the buffalo population fell, the Sioux people faced starvation. Reluctantly, they adapted to a new way of life on reservations, where the U.S government distributed food rations, and farming became the way to live.

Today, several tribes in South Dakota have created a co-operative dedicated to raising buffalo on the Cheyenne River Sioux reservation. New generations of Sioux are beginning to get a taste of their traditional food.