Food And Food In The Elizabethan Era

1191 Words5 Pages
Many people haven’t heard of the Elizabethan Era. I know I hadn’t until recently. The Elizabethan Era was when Queen Elizabeth the first ruled over England which was from November 17, 1558 to March 24, 1603. It is different from today, especially their food. We see some of their food today, but there are many dishes we do not eat today. Ever since I’ve heard about the Elizabethan Era, I have wanted to learn more about their food and dining. The Elizabethans ate three meals a day just like us (Nelson 1). Breakfast was a small and simple meal consisting of leftover eggs, bread, and beer. The food was usually cold since the fires haven’t started yet. If one didn’t get up early enough then they would miss breakfast (Nelson 1). Next was dinner, which for us is called lunch. They normally had it around 11 or 12 o’clock (Nelson 1). According to Walter Nelson, “The farmer would either have his dinner brought out to him as he worked in the field, or bring it out with him in a bag. The craftsman would close his shop and go upstairs to his lodgings, where his wife would have the meal waiting for him and his laborers and apprentices. For the gentry and nobility, the mid-day meal could be the beginning of a round of feasting”(1-2). Lastly, there was supper, which was eaten between 5 and 8 p.m.(Nelson 2). What food people eat will depend on what social class they are in(Nelson 2). Nelson states, “Common folk generally ate "white meats", which contained precious little meat, and