Tag: Medieval food

Contrary to popular belief, studies on medieval artifacts reveal that the peasant diet, composed largely of whole grains and homegrown vegetables, was surprisingly well-rounded and nutritious. However, the real question remains: was the medieval peasant diet healthy when factoring in the constant threat of famine, disease, and backbreaking labor?

Archaeological finds reveal that Vikings did not eat modern processed foods but relied on a diet rich in whole, natural foods sourced from farming, hunting, and foraging. Here we explore what foods did Vikings eat to make them strong and how their nutrient-dense diet fueled their powerful physiques and demanding lifestyle.

For much of the Middle Ages, religious authorities often deemed eating breakfast as a sinful act of gluttony, leading many to skip the morning meal altogether. The real answer to what do medieval people eat for breakfast depended almost entirely on social status and physical need, with habits varying drastically from a working peasant to a wealthy lord.

Archaeological evidence from cesspits and graves, combined with information from the Norse sagas, indicates that the Viking diet was far more varied and robust than typically portrayed. The diet was rich in meat, fish, dairy, and a surprisingly wide array of grains, vegetables, fruits, and foraged plants.

The oldest documented daily morning meal dates back to Ancient Egypt, proving that a single 'inventor' is impossible to identify. When asking who was the first person to eat breakfast, we are actually tracing a meal's evolution from prehistoric sustenance to an ingrained cultural practice shaped by necessity, religion, and social status.