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Historical records indicate that breakfast primarily consisted of bread, cheese, and ale for laborers, while the elite dined on more elaborate spreads. An examination of 15th-century breakfast documents reveals that meals included considerable portions of meat, bread, beer, and wine—luxuries that differed immensely from the simpler fare of the lower classes.
For instance, a record from the Duchess of York outlined her family's breakfast which included a loaf of bread in trenchers, beer, and meat items such as mutton or beef, underscoring the gap between social classes.