A substantial way to differentiate any historical civilization is by looking at the lifestyles and roles of life of each type of citizen in society, such as the role of dining. The wealthiest classes were able to dine on the best food while the poor classes survived on mere food scraps. This philosophy also applies to medieval society.
Royalty and other high officials had the best meals consisting of many courses of expensive food. A popular course used at almost every meal had many different types of meat like hare, stag, stuffed chicken, and veal topped with foreign spices and herbs. Another popular dish was a pie stuffed with chicken, goose, dear, eggs, fat, and veal. One of the last courses served was a dessert that could have white cream, plums, or cheese. As a drink, different types of exotic wines were served. This class had the best and most expensive meals of all medieval society ("Middle Ages Food for a King"). The following link shows some of the food choices chosen by the rich: www.lordsandladies.org/middle-ages-food.htm .
A lord's diet consisted mainly of bread, as bread was easy to prepare and a very common meal in the Middle Ages. Another important meal eaten by knights included meats and fish. These meats and fish were seasoned with salt and other herbs for preservation and taste. A less common dish had fruits and vegetables though they were not eaten as often since these crops were grown seasonally. Like with kings, wine was a common drink, though certain ales were common too. A knight's diet was very similar to a noble's diet. They too ate bread, seasonal fruit and vegetables, and seasoned food along with drinking wine. A knight's diet differed though on a basis of the meats consumed. Beef and mutton were the most popular food among the knightly class while other meats were too expensive (Anderson, Mercedes Padrino).
Royalty and other high officials had the best meals consisting of many courses of expensive food. A popular course used at almost every meal had many different types of meat like hare, stag, stuffed chicken, and veal topped with foreign spices and herbs. Another popular dish was a pie stuffed with chicken, goose, dear, eggs, fat, and veal. One of the last courses served was a dessert that could have white cream, plums, or cheese. As a drink, different types of exotic wines were served. This class had the best and most expensive meals of all medieval society ("Middle Ages Food for a King"). The following link shows some of the food choices chosen by the rich: www.lordsandladies.org/middle-ages-food.htm .
A lord's diet consisted mainly of bread, as bread was easy to prepare and a very common meal in the Middle Ages. Another important meal eaten by knights included meats and fish. These meats and fish were seasoned with salt and other herbs for preservation and taste. A less common dish had fruits and vegetables though they were not eaten as often since these crops were grown seasonally. Like with kings, wine was a common drink, though certain ales were common too. A knight's diet was very similar to a noble's diet. They too ate bread, seasonal fruit and vegetables, and seasoned food along with drinking wine. A knight's diet differed though on a basis of the meats consumed. Beef and mutton were the most popular food among the knightly class while other meats were too expensive (Anderson, Mercedes Padrino).
Peasants ate the simplest food of the classes in feudalism. They often ate the stale bread that the nobles did not want and mixed it with porridge. Peasants feasted on meats that were not expensive such ox or pig. Cheese, eggs, fruits, and vegetables were popular dishes for serfs. These peasants ate three meals in a day: breakfast, dinner, and supper. Breakfast was in the morning before work started and consisted of eggs, cheese and bread. Dinner was at about noon and was the heaviest meal of the day consisting of bread, soup containing many fruits and vegetables, and meat. The last meal was at night after work and peasants ate left over food from dinner along with a side of bread and cheese (Anderson, Mercedes Padrino).
The lifestyle of different social classes in feudalism greatly differed on a basis of food and dining styles and provides a basis for modern historians to see how medieval society had different roles and statuses in life.
The lifestyle of different social classes in feudalism greatly differed on a basis of food and dining styles and provides a basis for modern historians to see how medieval society had different roles and statuses in life.
Further Research:
Above is a short video highlighting the main foods and dishes
people ate during the Dark Ages. It describes the role that food
played in medieval society very well. It shows how one can be
looked upon differently based on their lifestyles.
people ate during the Dark Ages. It describes the role that food
played in medieval society very well. It shows how one can be
looked upon differently based on their lifestyles.