Random Foods People Ate To Survive In Victorian England (14 items)

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  (#1) Royal Sovereign Strawberry

  As enthusiastic horticulturists, Victorians liked to tinker with and create their own varieties of fruit and vegetables. One of the most successful fruits to emerge in the late Victorian period was the Royal Sovereign Strawberry. Developed by Thomas Laxton in 1892, it was luscious and tasty. The strawberry was such a hit that Country Life Illustrated declared in 1899 that it was "one of the finest strawberries ever raised."
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  (#2) Beer

  Beer was one of the most popular beverages of the Victorian era. By 1865, British brewers made 25 million barrels of beer annually. Though it was widely consumed, Victorian beer had a relatively low alcohol content - usually less than 3%. 

  Since drinking water - especially in crowded cities like London - could eerily become contamined with sewage, consuming beer was a safer option for Victorians looking to quench their thirst.
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  (#3) Full English Breakfast

  Fried eggs, bacon, baked beans, grilled tomatoes, and mushrooms - the full English breakfast remains a popular meal. In prior centuries, however, only the wealthy could afford to eat eggs and meat for breakfast. That changed throughout the 19th century, as the standard of living increased for the vast majority of the population. By the end of the era, even working-class Victorians had the time and money to enjoy a more elaborate breakfast.
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  (#4) Cabbage Pie

  Working- and middle-class Victorians supplemented their diet with cheap vegetables. Cabbage in particular was affordable and a good source of nutrients. 

  The famous housekeeping expert Isabella Beeton even recommended fried cabbage as a good option for "economical" meals that would feed a whole family.
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  (#5) Cereals

  The 19th century saw the birth of the most popular breakfast item: cereal. American entrepreneurs like Sylvester Graham developed breakfast cereals to provide a healthy food. Some took it even further - John Kellogg developed corn flakes as a bland food to curb people's sexual impulses.

  Though processed breakfast cereal gained traction in mid-century America, Britons didn't enjoy prepared cereal until the beginning of the 20th century. Instead, British Victorians generally ate gruel, oats, and porridge.
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  (#6) Bull's Eyes

  Thanks in part to the end of taxes on imported sugar in 1874, candy was everywhere in the Victorian world. One of the most popular candies was the bull's eye. Named after the eyes of a bull, the sweet treat wasn't as unappetizing as its namesake. The striped, sugary candy was actually mint-flavored. 
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  (#7) Denby Dale Pie

  Civic rituals and festivals punctuated life in the Victorian era - and food played a role in such festivities. No one made celebratory food better than the community of Denby Dale in West Yorkshire. To mark national occasions, bakers in the town created giant meat and potato pies. Some of the events that warranted a giant pie were the repeal of Corn Laws in 1846 and the 50th anniversary of Queen Victoria's reign in 1887.
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  (#8) Cheap Meats

  By the middle of the era, most Victorians consumed some kind of meat during the week. Not every cut or type of meat was the same though. Wealthier Victorians enjoyed the best pieces of succulent meats, while their poor counterparts had to make do with cheaper cuts. 

  Butchers sold most parts of the animal, making everything from the head to hoof available for purchase. A budget-conscious Victorian could buy a sheep's head for three pennies, or £2.50 in 2016.
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  (#9) Marrow Toast

  Bone marrow was a relatively popular treat in the Victorian era. As a fatty, rich food, it gave Victorians savory calories. 

  Queen Victoria is reputed to have eaten marrow every day. Her one-time chef Charles Francatelli created marrow toast for her. His relatively simple recipe involves serving bone marrow, seasoned with ingredients like parsley and lemon juice, on toast.
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  (#10) Medlars

  Victorians were keen gardeners, and their enthusiasm meant they often sampled the fruits of their labors. The medlar, an aggressively hard fruit, wouldn't be an obvious choice for a meal. But Victorians gave it a go by letting it slightly rot. This softened the fruit, thereby making it edible. 

  Softened medlars could be eaten as is, but many Victorians opted to turn it in into medlar cheese or jelly.
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  (#11) Mock Turtle Soup

  Turtle soup was one of the most beloved dishes of the 18th and early 19th centuries on both sides of the Atlantic. But the essential ingredient - turtle meat - was relatively hard to come by and expensive. 

  Enterprising Victorian cooks thus made their own version of the popular soup - sans turtle. Mock turtle soup could be made with other types of meat, like calf's head. 
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  (#12) Pickled Oysters

  Oysters were part of the Victorian diet, but many working-class folks didn't always have access to fresh batches of it. So they often had to weigh the risk of eating spoiled seafood.

  A safer method of enjoying seafood was by eating pickled oysters, which would keep longer. Street vendors even sold pickled oysters for the bargain price of four for a penny.
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  (#13) Calf's Head

  Victorians generally used most parts of an animal once it was butchered. So calf's head was a relatively popular and affordable cut of meat among all classes.

  Calf's head could be prepared in a number of ways. Some recipes called for boiling the head, while others explained how to roast it. Preparing a calf's head could be labor intensive and required the cook to remove the bones and skin. The brains and tongue, on the other hand, seldom went to waste.
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  (#14) Calf's Foot Jelly

  Victorians loved gelatins and jellies - even savory ones. To make calf's foot jelly, cooks would have to boil actual calves' hooves in water. The boiled water would then be cooled to form a rich gelatin.

  Victorians believed that calf's foot jelly was a nourishing food for the infirm. Recipes for it often appeared in cookbooks for invalids.

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