The imam (aj) lives a normal life just like everyone else. What can be concluded from hadiths about his food and clothing, is that they are at a minimum.

Nu’mani, in his book of Gheybah, narrates a hadith from Imam Sadiq (as) and Imam Ridha (as) about Imam Mahdi (aj): “ما لباسه الا الغلیظ و ما طعامه الاّ الجشب”.[1] Also, in a hadith from Imam Husein (as) it is said that Imam Mahdi’s (aj) clothing is rough and harsh and his food is barley.[2]