War is always a difficult time and is especially worse for soldiers. During these times, having adequate amount of food and supplies was nearly impossible and it is a luxury to have them. Prior to this lesson, I never knew how coffee was such an important factor in the diet of Civil War soldiers. Hardtack was understandable due to its inexpensiveness and was simple to make; it was something that soldiers ate majority of the time. It wasn’t healthy or nutritional but they didn’t have a choice. Gaining access to meat, vegetables, or carbohydrates was not possible. Coffee is also a luxury therefore, during vast food shortages and coffee shortages, Confederate South created new recipes and coffee substitutes. I love coffee for its flavor and because it gives me energy, but it really never crossed my mind that soldiers heavily rely on it as well. Coffee, food, and bullets are the most important things for the soldiers in the Civil War. In my opinion, food is still more important than coffee because it also gives energy and makes us feel satiated. I love eating and trying out new food. Food can tell you a lot regarding a certain culture, its history, and its interaction with others. A food that I cannot live without is ramen; I love eating noodles.
