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Medieval Food

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Medieval Food
During medieval times people lived very differently than we do today. One aspect that stands out more than others though was the food that was eaten. Holidays and celebrations during medieval times were also very different. There was a lot of work involved in preparing meals and getting ready for feasts. It took time and careful planning, but in the end it was usually worth the effort.

Medieval celebrations were a time for food and enjoyment. The celebrations were usually based on feast days that were determined by when certain crops would be harvested. Wheat and rye were usually sown from the end of September all the way up until Christmas. Spring crops were then planted and would be harvested from Christmas time until Easter. Cold weather
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It would be played during feasts for entertainment to the guests. Many instruments were used such as recorders, horns, trumpets, whistles, bells, and drums. Many times the music would be played on a specially built stage that was placed at the end of the Great Hall. Not only was music delightful to the ears, but it was also believed that music helped in the digestion of food. …show more content…
People usually only had fruits and vegetables that could be grown seasonally or found wild. Fish were eaten by those that had access to a river, lake, or nearby stream. Meat came from the livestock that was owned by the families and was never wasted. Sometimes cooks even used spices with the meat to hide the smell of it rotting. (http://www.kyrene.k12.az.us/schools/brisas/ saunda/ma/1jon.htm) The wealthier a person was, the more often meat would be a part of his diet. (http://www.regia.org/food.htm)

The kinds of food people ate in medieval times differed according to what social class they were in. People in the upper more wealthy classes had a wide variety of food available and a large amount of it. Many meats, such as capon, geese, lark, chicken, beef, bacon, and lamb, were available to the wealthy. Those people who lived close to water could also get a wide variety of fish to put on the table. Dairy products were also seen on the tables of the rich. .

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