Food in Medieval Europe

In Medieval Europe, a person's diet depended mainly on what social class you were in. Those who were in the high social class ate plenty of meat cooked by their chefs. Those who were ranked low ate mainly vegetables and meat was often scarce.

Peasants's Food

In Medieval Europe, peasants had the lowest social ranking. This meant that they also did not have the money to buy the most luxurious and healthy foods. A peasants diet was very starchy and did not have much protein in their diet. Their diet included foods like...

bread (wheat, rye or oats)
vegetable soup (peas, beans, beets, cabbage, carrots, leeks, onions, and turnips)
apples and grapes
milk, cheese, and butter
fish

The peasants did all the farming. Families raised livestock (cattle, sheep, pigs, and chickens) on their farm. They made dairy products from the cattle. During the fall the cattle, sheep, and pigs were killed for their meat, which was salted to prevent decay. One animal was usually enough for one family to last through the winter. Families did not kill the chickens because they wanted to keep the chickens for eggs.

Noble's Food

Nobles had the highest social ranking. A high social ranking often meant that they were rich and could afford healthy and luxurious food. In the kitchen, a servant would always taste the food to make sure it was not poisoned before giving it to their master. A noble had a grand three-couse meal and included foods like...

Although a noble's food wasn't very different from a peasant's food it tasted a lot better and was larger quality of food. The nobles could afford spices, so often their chefs would add many spices to their meals to make them taste better and to hide a rotting taste. Spices included cinnamon, cloves, cumin, and pepper.

Table Manners Then and Now

The way a noble would host a dinner party in Medieval Europe would be different from how your family would host a dinner party. We have different ideas of manners then they did back then.

Then	Now
•Large slices of stale bread were used as plates.	•Now plates are not edible and are made of paper, plastic, and porcelain. When we want to host a fancy dinner party, we use our fine China.
•No one had their own plate. People had to share a plate with several different people.	•Everyone has their own plate.
•People ate with their hands because there was not any silverware.	•We have silverware to eat with like forks, spoons, and knifes.
•The only utensil used was a knife to cut meat.	•We have utensils not just used to cut meat, but to help move food from our plate to our mouth, so we do not have to use our hands.
•Most of the people didnt have their own cups, instead, a bottle of ale was passed around for everyone to drink.	•People have their own cups and have a choice of what they would like to drink.
•Only the king or pope got their own cup.	•Everyone gets their own cup.