What People Ate in 17th Century Scotland

The 1600s in Scotland were an era of simplicity, hardship, and strict social order—and nowhere was this more evident than in the food that filled (or didn’t fill) the average burgher’s belly. Far from the spice-laden dishes of royal courts or the refined foods of Renaissance Europe, the Scottish diet in towns like Ayr was humble, hearty, and carefully monitored by town magistrates. Welcome to a world of barley bread, ale breakfasts, and banned shortbread. Here’s what people actually ate in 17th century Scotland.