What did people eat and drink in Shakespeare's time?

Answer 1

Eels - - - uck - - - were very popular see www.wikepedia.org for this blurb, note the comment about London,
"Eels have been important sources of food both as adults (including the infamous jellied eels of East London) and as elvers. Elver fishing using basket traps has been of significant economic value in many river estuaries on the western sea-board of Europe."
During the Tudor Era - - - your best source of info would be books about Queen Elizabeth the 1st, 'The Virgin Queen," see Antonia Fraser - - - during the Tudor Era people actually ate a greater variety of foods than in the modern era - - - all sorts of game birds, grouse and patridges even peacock were thrown into the pot, and that old nusery rhyme, "four and twenty blackbirds baked into a pie." Naturally the Wealthy ate more and better than the common folk. There was no refrigeration so dried fish and salted beef & pork were the norm though most meat poultry fish was fresjly caught killed and eaten - - - In contrast to most of Europe people in England had a fairly steady nutricious diet. Coarse brown breads were actually more nutrcious than modern whitre bread. Though lettuce was known and Cucumbers were a staple, Tomatoes were Unknown - - - in fact people were shy about fresh vegetables and often cooked them to death inadvertantly destroying their nutrional value.
Ale and Mead and Wine were frequently consumed, there was even Lite Beer for those that wanted to keep their wits about them. Lemon and Water was known and prefered to most well water, even then people knew there was something nasty in most river water - - - coffee was known but still quite a luxery as was tea. However Herbal teas were known and quite common; chamomile, and various combinations of roots & herbs. But the most common non alcoholic drink was 'soft' apple cider, apple juice could be stored in large barrels with ease and kept well during the winter months.
A final note; most foot was boiled rather than baked or broiled; a big haunch of mutton in a pot, or Eeels in a pot were a lot more common them - - -

Answer 2

Everyone in Tudor England ate bread and cheese - the only difference between classes was the quality of bread and cheese. The cheapest bread was called 'Carter's bread'; it was a mixture of rye and wheat. The middle classes (or prosperous tenants) ate 'ravel', also called 'yeoman's bread' and made of wholemeal. The most expensive bread was called 'marchet' and made of white wheat flour. Aristocratic households ate marchet, particularly during banquets. Everyone drank beer (from the poorest peasant to the wealthiest monarch.) It was brewed without hops and was not particularly alcoholic. People drank beer liberally. Water, however, was considered unhealthy - and for good reason. Under Henry VII, French wines were imported in greater quantities - but only aristocrats drank them.
The poor and wealthy alike lived off the land. England was self-sufficient, able to feed its population without resorting to imports. (In good harvests, that is.) Most peasants had small bits of land, in villages and towns. They kept chickens, pigs, and perhaps a cow. Those with animals slaughtered them in November. The meat was smoked, dried, or salted - kept for meals in the cold months. Bacon was the most common meat of poor people. Smoked bacon and salted beef were most popular during the winter.
Of course, meat could not be eaten on Fridays; instead, fish - dried cod or slated herring, most likely - was eaten. It was not fresh since there was no efficient or speedy way to transport fresh foods. Vegetables were plentiful - particularly beans, peas, carrots, and onions. Fruits were available, too - apples, plums, pears, strawberries, and cherries.... But potatoes were not available then (Raleigh brought them to England in Elizabeth's reign) and tomatoes were unknown. As you can see, diets were most interesting and varied in the warmer months but cold weather meant preserved meats and little else.
(Note: There were 2 great famines in Tudor England - mid-1550s during Mary I's reign and mid-1590s.)

Here's a useful site which has Tudor recipes.
http://www.tudortimes.com/recipes.htm

Food at the Royal court was different to the food that the peasants would have eaten. There was a wide range of meat to eat such as beef, lamb, veal, rabbit and even hedgehog. They also ate pheasant, blackbirds, swans and peacocks.

They used a lot of salt to stop their meat from going off. Freezers had not been invented to keep food fresh. All the salt in their food made them thirsty. Courtiers were allowed a certain amount of wine each day. Servants were allowed to drink beer.

The Tudors liked spicy sauces and pies. They ate fresh–water fish such as eels, trout and salmon. Wealthy people also enjoyed a bread called manchet that had all the healthy bran and wheat germ taken out.

The Tudors loved sweet things, including puddings made with sugar and honey. They ate "marchpane" (mazipan), a sweet made from ground almonds and sugar. It was often made into fancy shapes. No wonder many of the courtiers had rotten teeth!

Answer 3

Here are two very informative sites with links:

http://www.springfield.k12.il.us/schools/springfield/eliz/elizfood.html
http://www.foodtimeline.org/foodfaq3.html#shakespeare

As usual in earlier times, the wealthy enjoyed much more meat in their diets while the poor ate more vegetables. Meals were still similar to the medieval period - roast and boiled meat, poultry, fish, pottages, frumenty, bread, ale, wine and to a much lesser extent, fruit and vegetables formed the basis of the diet of the upper classes. Raw vegetables and fruit were still regarded with great suspicion.

In addition to the apples, pears, plums, cherries and woodland strawberries of England, new fruits from southern Europe were introduced into the gardens of the wealthy, such as quinces, apricots, raspberries, red and black currants, melons and even pomegranates, oranges and lemons.

New and exotic vegetables began to arrive from South America, like tomatoes (love apples), kidney beans and potatoes, but years were to pass before the true value of these foods was appreciated. They were served mainly as unusual delicacies in wealthier households. The turkey from Mexico and Central America was on English tables by the 1540s.

Sugar was one of the most important and influential changes in food, coming from the new plantations in the West Indies, some arriving here through activities of the privateers. A great variety of sweetmeats, crystallized fruits, preserves and syrups were prepared, including using sugar in meat, fish and vegetable dishes. Most, of course, was consumed by the aristocracy, who rapidly began to suffer from tooth decay.

Some recipes from the time were:

Real Mince Pies made with meat
Eggs in Mustard Sauce
Cheese Tarte
Spinnage Flan
Savoury Tongue Pie
Thick Mutton Stew
Boiled Onions in an Egge Sawse
Capon with Orange or Lemon Sawse
Smothered Rabbit
Mutton in Beer
Trout Pasties
Thick Pea Pottage
Sweet Cubes of Jellied Milk
Pears in Syrup
Jumbles or Knotted Biscuits
Posset
Sugar Plates and Wine Glasses (Glasses and dishes made in this porcelain-like translucent material could provide an interesting range of vessels for the presentation of any cold dry sweetmeats on the banqueting table. Sugar wine glasses filled with crystallized flowers make an elegant display, the contrast of textures and colours bringing a rare beauty to the table)

Small (weak) ale was drunk even by children, as the water was polluted.

Answer 4

People would eat the basic such as bread and meat. As for drinking it was things like beer and water :)

Answer 5

they ate alot of meats,especially huge turkey legs.Also i've noticed they eat alot of cheese and grapes and drink alot of wine and water.Bread was popular too,like the big long rolls.

Answer 6

Garbage

Answer 7

Wine, lots of meat. Vegtables and fruit.

Answer 8

Organic food and barrels of wine. :)

Answer 9

They had this miracle ingredient.... It was called FOOD

Answer 10

Giant turkey legs and flagons of mead...