Apologies if the premise of this question is incorrect, or if this is out of the scope of this subreddit.

My understanding is that, in cultures which lived in areas where growing wheat, barley, rye, etc., bread seemed to be the preferred way to consume these cereals. (And still is!) The cultural importance of bread is referenced in English slang and phrases ("bread" or "dough" as money, "breaking bread," to name a few.) It seems counterintuitive to me that the more processed, presumably more difficult-to-produce product would be the more popular. What cultural or practical factors lead to the dominance of flour-based foods?