It has always been a huge job to feed the population of Utrecht. For a long time, most of the food was sourced from the city’s direct surroundings. Grains, sea fish and a number of luxury goods had to be brought in from further away.

Obviously, the food on your plate depended on what you could pay. As food prices rose in the eighteenth century, a growing number of people struggled to obtain enough food. But such differences between the rich and poor persist until today. 

Joachim wtewael, The Kitchen Maid, ca. 1620. inv.nr. 28599.