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Typical workhouse diets

Second Annual Report of the Poor Law Commission

Parliamentary Papers, 1836, XXIX, pp.56-9.

This is the type of food received by the inmates of six different workhouses, following the passing of the 1834 Poor Law Amendment Act

		Breakfasts	Dinners	Suppers
Monday	1	6 oz. bread, 1½ oz. cheese	1½ pints soup	6 oz. bread, 2 oz. cheese
	2	6 oz. bread, 1 oz. cheese	7 oz. bread, 1 oz. cheese	6 oz. bread, 1 oz cheese
	3	8 oz. bread, 1½ pints gruel	7 oz. bread, 2 oz. cheese	6 oz. bread, 1½ oz. cheese
	4	8 oz. bread, 1½ pints gruel	12 oz. rice or suet pudding with vegetables	6 oz. bread, 2 oz. cheese
	5	7 oz. bread, 1½ pints gruel or porridge	1½ pints soup, 7 oz. vegetables	¾ lb. potatoes
	6	6 oz. bread, 1 oz cheese	6 oz. bread, 1 oz. cheese	6 oz. bread, 1 oz. cheese, 1 pint broth
Tuesday	1	6 oz. bread, 1½ oz. cheese	5 oz. meat, ½ lb. potatoes	6 oz. bread, 1½ broth
	2	6 oz. bread, 1 oz. cheese	16 oz. suet pudding plus vegetables	6 oz. bread, 1 oz cheese
	3	8 oz. bread, 1½ pints gruel	8 oz. cooked meat, ¾ lb. potatoes	6 oz. bread, 1½ oz. cheese
	4	8 oz. bread, 1½ pints gruel	2 pints soup, 6 oz. bread	6 oz. bread, 2 oz. cheese
	5	7 oz. bread, 1½ pints gruel or porridge	14 oz. rice or suet pudding	7 oz. bread, 2 oz. cheese
	6	6 oz. bread, 1 oz cheese	4 oz. meat, ¾ lb. potatoes; yeast dumpling	6 oz. bread, 1 oz. cheese, 1 pint broth
Wednesday	1	6 oz. bread, 1½ oz. cheese	1½ pints soup	6 oz. bread, 2 oz. cheese
	2	6 oz. bread, 1 oz. cheese	7 oz. bread, 1 oz. cheese	6 oz. bread, 1 oz cheese
	3	8 oz. bread, 1½ pints gruel	7 oz. bread, 2 oz. cheese	6 oz. bread, 1½ oz. cheese
	4	8 oz. bread, 1½ pints gruel	6 oz. pickled pork plus vegetables	6 oz. bread, 2 oz. cheese
	5	7 oz. bread, 1½ pints gruel or porridge	7 oz. bread, 2 oz. cheese	¾ lb. potatoes
	6	6 oz. bread, 1 oz cheese	6 oz. bread, 1 oz. cheese	6 oz. bread, 1 oz. cheese, 1 pint broth
Thursday	1	6 oz. bread, 1½ oz. cheese	5 oz. meat, ½ lb. potatoes	6 oz. bread, 1½ broth
	2	6 oz. bread, 1 oz. cheese	7 oz. bread, 1 oz. cheese	6 oz. bread, 1 oz cheese
	3	8 oz. bread, 1½ pints gruel	1½ pints soup, 6 oz bread	6 oz. bread, 1½ oz. cheese
	4	8 oz. bread, 1½ pints gruel	12 oz. rice or suet pudding with vegetables	6 oz. bread, 2 oz. cheese
	5	7 oz. bread, 1½ pints gruel or porridge	5 oz. meat, ¾ lb. vegetables	7 oz. bread, 2 oz. cheese
	6	6 oz. bread, 1 oz cheese	4 oz. meat, ¾ lb. potatoes; yeast dumpling	6 oz. bread, 1 oz. cheese, 1 pint broth
Friday	1	6 oz. bread, 1½ oz. cheese	1½ pints soup	6 oz. bread, 2 oz. cheese
	2	6 oz. bread, 1 oz. cheese	16 oz. suet pudding plus vegetables	6 oz. bread, 1 oz cheese
	3	8 oz. bread, 1½ pints gruel	7 oz. bread, 2 oz. cheese	6 oz. bread, 1½ oz. cheese
	4	8 oz. bread, 1½ pints gruel	2 pints soup, 6 oz. bread	6 oz. bread, 2 oz. cheese
	5	7 oz. bread, 1½ pints gruel or porridge	1½ pints soup, 7 oz. vegetables	¾ lb. potatoes
	6	6 oz. bread, 1 oz cheese	11 oz. meat dumpling	6 oz. bread, 1 oz. cheese, 1 pint broth
Saturday	1	6 oz. bread, 1½ oz. cheese	1½ pints soup	6 oz. bread, 1½ broth
	2	6 oz. bread, 1 oz. cheese	7 oz. bread, 1 oz. cheese	6 oz. bread, 1 oz. cheese
	3	8 oz. bread, 1½ pints gruel	5 oz. bacon, ¾ lb. potatoes	6 oz. bread, 1½ oz. cheese
	4	8 oz. bread, 1½ pints gruel	---	6 oz. bread, 2 oz. cheese
	5	7 oz. bread, 1½ pints gruel or porridge	---	¾ lb. potatoes
	6	6 oz. bread, 1 oz cheese	6 oz. bread, 1 oz. cheese	6 oz. bread, 1 oz. cheese, 1 pint broth
Sunday	1	6 oz. bread, 1½ oz. cheese	5 oz. meat, ½ lb. potatoes	6 oz. bread, 1½ broth
	2	6 oz. bread, 1 oz. cheese	16 oz. meat pudding plus vegetables	6 oz. bread, 1 oz cheese
	3	8 oz. bread, 1½ pints gruel	7 oz. bread, 2 oz. cheese	6 oz. bread, 1½ oz. cheese
	4	8 oz. bread, 1½ pints gruel	2 pints soup, 6 oz. bread	6 oz. bread, 2 oz. cheese
	5	7 oz. bread, 1½ pints gruel or porridge	5 oz. meat, ¾ lb. vegetables	7 oz. bread, 2 oz. cheese
	6	6 oz. bread, 1 oz cheese	16 oz. suet pudding	6 oz. bread, 1 oz. cheese, 1 pint broth

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