What was the diet of poor people during the Middle Ages and Renaissance period

Middle Ages Food was very different for rich and poor, but not in the way you might imagine. Learn some fascinating information about their actual diet.

At Mama Natural, we emphasize the importance of consuming whole, unprocessed foods, much like our great, great grandmothers did. What if we travelled much further in the past? How about returning to the Middle Ages?

Barley was a staple sustenance for the poor in the Middle Ages.

For breakfast, lunch, and dinner, eat barley bread, porridge, gruel, and spaghetti.

In the early 14th century, 65-75% of calories came from grains.

Rich people in the Middle Ages consumed wheat and meat.

These two things were both pricey and prominent.

Wild game, as well as pig and poultry, were common. Because it needed a lot of acreage, the beef wasn't particularly large yet.

Vegetables were regarded as food for peasants.

Peasants consumed cabbage, beets, onions, garlic, and carrots in addition to their grains.

Seasonings for the affluent

For upper-class diners, common seasonings were ginger, saffron, black pepper, and vinegar, wine, and verjuice. All of these contributed to the common usage of honey, which gave many meals a sweet-sour flavor.

Not so much with cow milk

Because cow milk spoils so easily, it was not widely consumed.

Somewhat of a big deal, cheese

For the lower classes, cheese was the most widely consumed source of animal protein; several varieties, including as Edam, Brie, and Parmesan, are still readily available.

what was used in cooking

In Northern Europe, butter was a common cooking ingredient, but it was quite salted (5–10%) so it wouldn't go bad.

Other regions of Europe used lard or oils such olive, poppy, walnut, and hazelnut while preparing food.

Legume apprehension?

Because they create flatulence, legumes like chickpeas and fava beans were regarded with distrust by the upper class.

But the common people ate them up.

Keep your hands off that bread!

Because bread played such an important role in mediaeval diet, tampering with it or playing around with weights was a terrible felony. In order to demonstrate that they weren't cheating, bakers would offer 13 for the price of 12, hence the term "baker's dozen."

How people ate during the Middle Ages

Food and dining were extremely different back then.

Europeans in the Middle Ages traditionally ate two meals a day: a heavier supper in the evening and a dinner at noon.

Due to ridiculous social conventions, women frequently dined separately from men during feasts. Alternately, they ate scantily when seated at the table.

There were no plates. Instead, folks made use of the bread's bottom half.

Or, in homes of lower social status, they simply ate what was on the table.

Spoons were provided for a large supper, but knives had to be brought by the diner.

Early modern times saw the widespread adoption of forks for eating.

The church maintained rigid dietary restrictions. For the majority of Christians, eating meat was prohibited for a full third of the year.

But there were workarounds available. Because the church classified the young rabbits as "fish" (or, at the very least, "not-meat") and allowed them to be consumed during Lent, monks in particular raised them.

Note*

Solution for diet, click here to buy

Food from the Middle Ages: HOW MUCH?

Peasants in the Middle Ages consumed food at a rate of about 4,000 calories per day, but they expended roughly 4,500 calories per day in manual labor.

Contrast that with contemporary Americans, who consume around 3,000 calories daily but barely expend 2,000.

Monks in the Middle Ages were somewhat more like us. They ate 4,500 calories per day while fasting and 6,000 calories per day on "regular" days.

Naturally, due to the middle times' poor diet, the higher classes and monks were more likely to be obese than the average person.

However, during that time, persons were seen as more attractive who were overweight.

Alcoholic beverages were always favored in the Middle Ages over potentially polluted water.

The most elegant and healthiest option was wine, but the typical individual preferred beer. several beers.

Each monk at Westminster Abbey received a daily quota of one gallon of beer.

Medieval fare: DESSERT

The Middle Ages are when the word "dessert" first appeared.

By the Late Middle Ages, it might also include fresh fruit wrapped in honey or syrup and boiled-down fruit pastes. It originally consisted of mulled wine aged cheese.

Since its introduction to Europe, sugar has been less popular and treated more like a medicine than a sweetener.

Note*

Get Paid $200 Taking Surveys, a special offer for only US persons, Check Out here