Takeaway
Food in Colonial times wasn’t just about what was on the dinner table. Like the culinary profile of any period, it’s also a story of class and culture. Though Americans in 1776 proclaimed that all men are created equal, all food dishes, it seems, were not. Just like foods from other countries you may not want to try, food in Colonial America might also seem over-the-top, distasteful, or even gross to modern tastes.
For them, it was vital to learn to farm, hunt, and cook in their new environment. And as they adapted to the strangeness of their new home, the settlers created some dishes that we’re glad we’ve never had to eat. And eating wasn’t necessarily about enjoyment. The colonists ate food primarily for sustenance and survival.
For the most part, colonists ate simple food and learned how to use the native plants, herbs, and wildlife around them. They got more creative with the ingredients the new land gave them as time went on. Let’s be lucky that wheat, corn, and berries stuck around… and that turtle soup and beavers don’t appear on menus anymore. Would YOU want to try some of these wild colonial American foods?
What did you think about all the things colonial Americans ate? Let us know in the comment section below!
…You should also check out: 12 Delicious Endangered Foods That May Soon Be Obsolete
1 thought on “15 Odd Colonial American Foods You Wouldn’t Touch”
The squirrels were hunted and shot with small caliber flintlock rifles (32 cal or smaller ) ie squirrel guns or muskets loaded with shot. Squirrels were competitors with pigs for the nuts and seeds in the forests. Hunting them today is still very popular!