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You are here: Home / History / What did slaves eat in Colonial America?

What did slaves eat in Colonial America?

July 21, 2020 by Karen Hill

Typically, slaves were given very small amounts of food, which might include meat, flour, milk, lard, cornmeal, and greens.

Throughout the South, their major staple was corn. Although rice was available, it was worth more, and so was saved for export (or sale abroad).

Slaves ate corn with pork and beef and supplemented the meat they were given with wild fruits and nuts. Bones from turtles, fish, raccoons, rabbits, wild turkey, and deer have been found at slave archaeological sites.

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Filed Under: History

About Karen Hill

Karen Hill is a freelance writer, editor, and columnist. Born in New York, her work has appeared in the Examiner, Yahoo News, Buzzfeed, among others.

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