How does bread and games relate to The Hunger Games?

"Bread and games" is a phrase often associated with ancient Rome, used to describe how the ruling powers appeased the general public using food (bread) and entertainment (games). This concept doesn't directly parallel what happens in The Hunger Games trilogy.

In The Hunger Games series, the citizens do not get much entertainment or food provided directly by the governing body, the Capitol. However, "Panem et Circenses" (Bread and Circuses) was the original title for The Hunger Games trilogy, as Suzanne Collins thought it had a deeper connotation on what society wants and needs to stay peaceful: entertainment through violence with blood sports to distract us from real problems and maintain power and control over the general population. However, the title was deemed less marketable, especially to young adults.