The 18th century saw slow but significant changes in diet across Europe and the American colonies. Food availability depended heavily on local harvests, seasonal cycles, and unpredictable transport, making long-term storage necessary. Expanding trade routes introduced new ingredients, while agricultural shifts and urbanization altered the relationship between producer and consumer. The diet of the 1700s was transitional, moving toward the modern era but still relying heavily on simple, preserved sustenance.
Daily Staple Foods and Ingredients
Grains formed the foundation of the 18th-century diet, with the type consumed reflecting economic standing. The upper classes preferred bread made from fine white wheat, a costly and less-yielding crop. Common people relied on heartier, mixed-grain flours like rye, oats, and barley, which tolerated poor soil better. These grains were made into dense, dark bread or cooked into thick pottages and gruels, providing the bulk of daily calories.
Root vegetables and cabbages were the most consistently available produce, stored for months in cool cellars after harvest. Carrots, turnips, parsnips, and onions were routinely boiled or stewed into the daily pottage. New World crops, such as the potato, slowly gained acceptance, providing an inexpensive and nutritionally dense source of carbohydrates. However, the tomato was still viewed with suspicion in many areas, sometimes considered poisonous, and was not a common foodstuff.
Protein intake varied widely, as beef was an expensive rarity for most of the population. Laboring families relied heavily on preserved meats like salted pork, bacon, and sausage, along with eggs, cheese, and poultry. Those near the coast or rivers supplemented their diets with fish. For the elite, meals regularly featured a wide variety of meat, including large cuts of roasted beef, mutton, and wild game.
Beverages were consumed constantly by people of all ages, offering a safer alternative to untreated water. Weak, low-alcohol drinks like small beer, ale, and cider were consumed throughout the day, often at breakfast. The brewing process, which involved boiling the water, effectively sterilized the liquid. This made these drinks less likely to cause illness than contaminated well or river water.
Cooking Methods and Preservation
Cooking in the 1700s centered on the open hearth, which functioned as the only heat source for preparing food. Kitchens lacked the controlled heat of modern ovens, requiring cooks to skillfully manage the fire using simple tools. Iron pots were suspended over the flames or supported by trivets, while meat was often cooked on long spits turned by hand or clockwork. The process was labor-intensive, demanding constant attention to prevent scorching or uneven cooking.
Because fresh food was strictly seasonal, preservation techniques were necessary for survival through the winter months. Salting was a primary method for long-term storage of meat and fish, which were heavily rubbed with salt or submerged in brine. Drying was employed for both plant and animal products, with sliced fruits, herbs, and meat hung up to desiccate.
Pickling was another widely practiced technique, utilizing vinegar to preserve vegetables like cabbage, often fermented into sauerkraut. The acidic environment created by the vinegar inhibited spoilage. This method was important for ensuring a supply of vitamin C during the winter. Meats could also be preserved by smoking or by potting, which involved sealing cooked meat in a crock under a layer of fat to block out oxygen.
Diet Based on Social Class
The difference in diet between the wealthy gentry and the laboring poor was stark, reflecting a gulf in access, quantity, and variety. The working class endured a monotonous diet of gruel, vegetable pottages, and hard bread, rarely eating fresh meat outside of seasonal holidays. Their simple meals were designed to provide calories for manual labor, often resulting in seasonal hunger when winter stores ran low. This lack of varied ingredients meant their diet was largely bland, seasoned only with locally available herbs.
In contrast, the wealthy experienced a culinary revolution fueled by global trade and disposable income. Their kitchens benefited from expensive imported ingredients, including spices like cinnamon and nutmeg, refined sugar, and citrus fruits. Meals became elaborate, multi-course affairs that served as a display of status and a social spectacle. Complex sauces and dishes, such as turtle soup, were prepared by professional staff, focusing on variety and rich flavors.
The structure of the day’s eating also reflected this social division. The poor typically ate two main, simple meals dictated by the demands of the workday. The gentry participated in lengthy, ritualized dinners that could feature dozens of dishes served simultaneously. Beverages like hot chocolate and expensive wines were reserved for the elite, distinguishing their diet from staples like small beer and pottage.