Cereals remained the most important staple during the Early Middle Ages as rice was introduced late, and the potato was only introduced in 16th century, and much later for the wider population. Barley, oats, and rye were eaten by the poor while wheat was generally more expensive.
Fertile food
Before the introduction of the potato, those in Ireland, England and continental Europe lived mostly off grain, which grew inconsistently in regions with a wet, cold climate or rocky soil. Potatoes grew in some conditions where grain could not, and the effect on the population was overwhelming.
The findings demonstrated that stews (or pottages) of meat (beef and mutton) and vegetables such as cabbage and leek, were the mainstay of the medieval peasant diet. The research also showed that dairy products, likely the 'green cheeses' known to be eaten by the peasantry, also played an important role in their diet.
Everyday food for the poor in the Middle Ages consisted of cabbage, beans, eggs, oats and brown bread. Sometimes, as a specialty, they would have cheese, bacon or poultry. All classes commonly drank ale or beer. Milk was also available, but usually reserved for younger people.
No. Potatoes originated in the Americas, and were therefore unavailable in Europe before 1492.
While the potato was becoming a part of European cooking ever since the Spaniards brought them to the continent in the mid-1500s, the French were not so hot on the potato. They refused to accept the vegetable, referring to it as “hog feed” and believing that these tubers caused leprosy.
All fruit and vegetables were cooked – it was believed that raw fruit and vegetables caused disease.
Focusing on 'living only off what you can grow', the traditional peasant diet was therefore predominantly plant-based, with wholegrains (rice, barley, oats, rye) and vegetables such as potatoes being the main source of nutrition, and legumes providing the primary source of protein.
The peasants in Medieval Europe mostly consumed grains boiled in gruel instead of bread, and they depended more heavily on beans and milk products as protein sources. They ate cheeses as well as milk and eggs, and relied heavily on vegetables to fill out their diet.
"The medieval diet was very fresh food. There were very few preserves so everything was made fresh and it was low in fat and low in salt and sugar." Meal times were more a family and community focus in medieval times and Caroline said this was a positive force.
How did medieval people brush their teeth? They would rub their teeth and gums with a rough linen. Recipes have been discovered for pastes and powders they might have applied to the cloth to clean and whiten teeth, as well as to freshen breath. Some pastes were made from ground sage mixed with salt crystals.
Personal hygiene was also horrific for medieval peasants. In fact, it is believed that peasants only bathed a total of two times throughout their entire lives: once when they were born, and again after they had died.
According to new research, medieval English peasants ate a lot of meat stews, leafy greens and cheese – and their diet was healthier than the modern one. “The medieval peasant had a healthy diet and wasn't lacking in anything major!” Dr. Julie Dunne of the University of Bristol told the Daily Mail.
Grains. Most Viking meals included basic flatbread made from a variety of different crops that they grew. The Northern climate was excellent for growing barley, rye and oats so these grains were a staple in the Norse diet.
In the 9th century the most common ingredients were turnip (репа), cabbage (капуста), radish (редька), peas (горох), cucumbers (огурцы). They were eaten raw, baked, steamed, salted, marinated. Potatoes did not appear until the 18th century, and tomatoes until the 19th century.
Until the arrival of the potato in the 16th century, grains such as oats, wheat and barley, cooked either as porridge or bread, formed the staple of the Irish diet.
A typical meal for a poor peasant of the time would consist of cabbage, onions, herring, and wheat bread. Herring and cuttlefish were everyday fishes, unlike the bourgeois' cod, salmon, and pike. Salting meats was necessary to preserve them for the poor, much like everywhere else in Medieval Europe at the time.
Back then, nobility dined on multi-course meals composed of wild game, meat, fruit, and grains, while peasants ate diets high in vegetables and legumes. Expensive salt and imported spices were widely used in the kitchens of the elite and were considered a status symbol.
The pillars of their diet included floury dishes, groats, cereals, potatoes, and milk. Even in the early post-war years, peasant cuisine was still mainly vegetable-based, with just a few animal products.
It was also common for peasants to forage for wild plants including tubers, bark, acorns, edible grasses, wild berries, beans, seeds, and nuts. Almost every type of flora or fauna that was edible was consumed. Peasants also ate grasshoppers, crickets, grub worms, and other insects.
Protein was usually provided legumes such as beans, peas or lentils, fish where available, or on very rare occasions, meat such as poultry, pork, or beef. Additional nutrients were provided by seasonal vegetables and fruits. The peasant's diet rates high on modern nutrition standards.
Because the Church of England preached against the sins of gluttony, eating breakfast was considered a sign of weakness. In medieval times kings ate bread, fruits and oats.
The usual foods would be porridge and pottage, and various potpourris.
Medieval foods were anything but dull and drab. They combined art and artifice to entice the palate as well as the eyes. The prolific use of spices and special effects contributed to foods that were rich in taste and presentation.