What did the peasants eat ?

The food eaten by peasants in medieval times was very different than food eaten by the rich people. Villagers ate the food that they grew so if their crops failed then they had no food. Sometimes if peasants were desperate they could eat cats, dogs and even rats ! A peasants diet consisted of breads, vegetables, (from their own gardens), dairy products (from their own sheep, goats, and cows,) and pork from their own livestock. Peasants also used to eat porridge made from vegetables.

Food of the rich

Rich people always had plenty to eat. They ate fresh meat, chickens and geese. Salted meat was eaten in winter and boiled in large cauldrons and served as stew. Meat of all kinds was eaten. Herrings, eels and salted fish were very popular.  
Everybody drank cider, beer and wine. Even children drank beer for breakfast. 

This is the kind of food the rich people could eat in them days :

• white bread         
• pork 

• geese 

• whale 

• stuffed chicken 

• wine 

• sheep 

• rabbit 

• sugar

• honey
  

The food was preserved with salt so it could be stored over winter.