Victorian people ate acording to their class. Social mobility was not as common in the 19th Century as it is today. Certian foods in the victorian era were not as available, for example pinapples. The working class populas were not able, and didnt have emough money, to eat as well as the middle, upper classes and gentry.
The Rich Victorian
Considering their standing in society they had access to better foods and more food therefore they could eat three meals a day. Oftentimes meals would have been cooked by a chef or cook that would have been trained in art of french cusine , this was very popular at the time. Before gas lighting they would have eaten at mid evening. However when gas lighting was introduced into Victorian homes the eating times became later and the Victorians found themselves eating after 9 in the evening.
Breakfast
Breakfast for the middle and upper classes would have been a family affair with older children and the head of the household and the father of the family. Typically young children would have eaten in the nursery. However, the lady of the house would have been more likely to have eaten breakfast on a tray in bed.
The family would have enjoyed a breakfast consisting of toast,jam and egg with plenty of warm cups of tea.
Lunch and Supper
Supper in an upper class Victorian household would have been a big affair, where the guest and family change into evening attire. The meal itself would have been prepared and cooked by their kitchen staff, making lavish meals of the best meat and vegetables which would include:a baron of beef, turtle soup, venison and fish. There wouldn’t have been much of the meat on the menu for the people that couldn’t afford it.
The presentation of the food was just as imporant as the taste and quality. A higher quality of cooking used molds which were considered fashionable at the time and was a sign of statues. Using the molds for different dishes like deserts, such as, mousses and jelles. Molds were used to prepare and show the main and desert course.
.
Afternoon Tea
Thanks to the rich Victorians we now how a beautiful thing known as afternoon tea.
It is thought that around 1840, due to Gas lighting, richer families were eating dinner much later at a round 9pm. One of Queen Victoria’s Ladies in waiting the Duchess of Bedford was fed up of being hungry and complained of feeling sick by the time they finally sat down to eat at 9pm. She began to request at around 4:30-5 some tea and cake be brought to her. It soon became fashionable among high society ladies to invite friends for afternoon tea!
Poor Victorians
Bread was a staple food of the working-class and poor populas living in cities and big towns. They most likely ate potatoes and vegetables. The pooper poulation had elevated levels of malnutrition. their pantries didn’t include much dairy, this is attributed to the lack of cooling systems they had available at the time to keep their food cool.
12 shillings a week
The working poor would have had around 12 shillings a week to spend on food to feed their large families. Clean drinking water was hard to come by. Most Adults would drink beer or gin which was considered to be very cheap and this lead to more social problems and health issues such as cholera in 1854.Soup Kitchens where is high demand and would be the main source of food for the poor.
Working class people may be able to buy the cuts of meat that no one else wanted, with little meat on them, for Sunday dinners helping them get at least one hearty meal a week. The Victorian women were very accomplished at getting a lot out of a little; using every part of their meagre joint. Making dripping for their breakfast to have on bread, and both for dinner time. It was highly unlikely that two meals a day would have been the norm for most poor Victorians but a possibility for the working class.
Farmers and Farm Hands
Studies have found that compared to their counter parts in the city they definitely had a better diet. The citizens working on the land would have more likely have died from disease than hunger.
Having a lot more food at their disposable then any other people in their class. Meet was more readily available but still only eaten once a week. Eating regularly white bread milk and vegetables, other animals’ products.
Fishermen
The working classes on the coast would have better access to fish and sea food. The basics being the same with bread and vegetables beings heavy in their diet. The working classes worked long hours and hard jobs on little or no food.
!