Medieval food relied heavily on pork, beef, poultry like peacocks, and fish. Dairy, fruits like pears and grapes, and vegetables like cabbage were also important components. For the lower classes, meals consisted mainly of bread, porridge, beer and small amounts of meat and vegetables. The upper classes had more varied and healthier diets incorporating expensive spices and sugars. Overall, the document provides an overview of the main food groups and eating traditions of 14th century English cuisine.

1. 14th Century Food and Cookery
By Kenzie Phillips and Cherish Carr

2. Meat
• Medieval Food relied heavily on pork meat.
• There was not a great feast without hams,
sausages, and black puddings being served on
all tables.
• Beef was another important meat component
of the Medieval Food.

3. Poultry
• Medieval Food did not neglect the poultry.
• The peacock played an important part in the
chivalric banquets. In the 13th and the 14th
Century, the poultry-yards were stocked with
these birds.
• Swans were much appreciated.
• Everyone in town or country reared
domesticated rabbits.
• Diary products were main components of the
Medieval Food.

4. Fish
• Everybody was abstaining from eating red meat
on Fridays, thus fish was the meal of choice for
those days.
• As part of the Medieval Food, freshwater fish was
the meal of choice for those living on the borders
of lakes, ponds or rivers, or for those who were
close enough to procure it fresh. In the 12h and
13th Century, the barbel was held in great
estimation. The pike, the lampreys, the trout, and
the carp, were also popular.

5. Fruits and Vegetables
• Fresh and dried vegetables were part of the ordinary
Medieval Food.
• Pears, apples, plums, were held in high esteem among
fruits, being an essential part of the Medieval Food.
• The grapes were an important component of the
Medieval Food. The grapes were eaten fresh or
preserved by drying in the sun or by exposure to
artificial heat. The same means were adopted for
preserving plums.
• The cabbage was of many kinds and much appreciated
as a component of the Medieval Food.

6. Traditions
• During the 14th century, the people ate plain
food. Porridge, cakes, pancakes - anything made
of flour. The cuts of meat were roasted for the
upper classes, but usually just put into stews for
the lower classes. They ate veggies and fruits,
but they didn't eat anything imported, except for
oranges that came from Spain. Otherwise,
everything was home grown. They made cheese,
not like the cheeses we enjoy today, but more like
cottage cheese, as a way to use up milk that had
gone sour.

7. Times when they ate
• Breakfast: Food and drink were served 6 to 7
AM
• Lunch: Food and drink were served between
12 and 2 PM
• Dinner: Food and drink were served 6 to 7 PM
• The Lower Class had 3 meals also, but they
were not as extravagant as the Upper Class’.

8. Lower Class Food Consumption
• On the average day, the Lower Class ate at
least:
½ lb. of bread
1 pint of beer
1 pint of porridge
¼ lb. of meat
Instead of using dairy products, vegetables were
used as a substitute in soups.

9. Upper Class Food Consumption
• The Upper Class had a taste for sweet foods
and spicy foods
• They could afford expensive spices and sugars.
• Generally, their meals were healthier than the
Lower Class.