Adapted from Parliamentary Papers, 1836, XXIX, pp.56-9. Added by Marjie Bloy Ph.D., Senior Research Fellow, National University of Singapore.

The diets given are for six different workhouses: read the daily allocation of food from left to right for each day. Two establishments appear not to have given the inmates dinner on Saturdays. These diet sheets are very different from the realities of life in the workhouse at both Andover and Huddersfield.

Furthermore, workhouse food often was adulterated because under-paid workhouse Masters colluded with the suppliers and contractors to make the ingredients 'go further'. Food adulteration generally was not suppressed effectively until after the 1872 Public Health 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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Last modified 16 November 2002