What Did Peasants Eat in Medieval Times?
They ate more than just bread. They were culinary innovators!
When you think about a typical medieval peasant meal, what’s the first that comes to mind? Besides bread, probably not a whole lot, right? Well, you’d be surprised at how varied their diets were. Medieval peasants were like us in that they’d quickly got bored of eating the same bland food.
Since peasants lived very physical lives, they needed many calories to get them through the day. Depending on which region they came from, they had access to a wide range of foods by growing, foraging, and even fishing.
Many dishes were packed with nutrients and had everything that a balanced meal required. Peasant food wasn’t full of muck and grime; they were the epitome of a healthy diet.
Bread Was the Staple
Although today, brown bread is more expensive and considered a healthier choice, it required less effort to produce during medieval times, making it cheap and accessible for peasants.
In contrast, white bread was highly sought after, not only because it was more expensive and considered a status symbol, but because the colour of the bread meant that it was harder to cheat people as it could not be dyed or discoloured as easily.
