Below are statistics derrived from Medieval cookbooks on the use of various ingredients in recipes. There are some notable problems with drawing conclusions based on these statistics about the relative quantities of each food eaten throughout the period in question. Most notably, since these statistics were drawn from cookbooks of wealthy landowners, they do not necessarily reflect the diet of the poor or middle class. Also, the connection between recipes and what was actually cooked is open to question. Still it is useful to note how the proportions of ingredients in recipes changed across time and geography.

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Meats

Percentage of recipes containing fish / seafood:

1390 : 22% (Forme of Cury)
1425 : 20% (Ancient Cookery)
1430 : 38% (Liber cure cocorum)
1450 : 21% (Two Fifteenth-Century Cookery Books)
1468 : 22% (A Noble Boke off Cookry)
1550 : 36% (A Proper newe Booke of Cokerye)
1591 : 14% (A Book of Cookrye)
1596 : 8% (The Good Housewife's Jewell)

1300 : 50% (Enseignements)
1380 : 29% (Le Viandier de Taillevent)
1393 : 28% (Le Menagier de Paris)
1420 : 38% (Du fait de cuisine)
15th : 32% (Le Recueil de Riom)
1604 : 16% (Ouverture de Cuisine)

1345 : 19% (Ein Buch von guter spise)
1450 : 14% (Das Kochbuch des Meisters Eberhard)

1400 : 8% (Libro di cucina / Libro per cuoco)
15th : 20% (The Neapolitan recipe collection)

Percentage of recipes containing poultry:

1390 : 15% (Forme of Cury)
1425 : 20% (Ancient Cookery)
1430 : 27% (Liber cure cocorum)
1450 : 15% (Two Fifteenth-Century Cookery Books)
1468 : 21% (A Noble Boke off Cookry)
1550 : 22% (A Proper newe Booke of Cokerye)
1591 : 17% (A Book of Cookrye)
1596 : 17% (The Good Housewife's Jewell)

1300 : 15% (Enseignements)
1380 : 13% (Le Viandier de Taillevent)
1393 : 13% (Le Menagier de Paris)
1420 : 38% (Du fait de cuisine)
15th : 16% (Le Recueil de Riom)
1604 : 9% (Ouverture de Cuisine)

1345 : 24% (Ein Buch von guter spise)
1450 : 7% (Das Kochbuch des Meisters Eberhard)

1400 : 22% (Libro di cucina / Libro per cuoco)
15th : 18% (The Neapolitan recipe collection)

Percentage of recipes containing pork:

1390 : 13% (Forme of Cury)
1425 : 18% (Ancient Cookery)
1430 : 27% (Liber cure cocorum)
1450 : 14% (Two Fifteenth-Century Cookery Books)
1468 : 15% (A Noble Boke off Cookry)
1550 : 8% (A Proper newe Booke of Cokerye)
1591 : 4% (A Book of Cookrye)
1596 : 5% (The Good Housewife's Jewell)

1300 : 12% (Enseignements)
1380 : 10% (Le Viandier de Taillevent)
1393 : 18% (Le Menagier de Paris)
1420 : 28% (Du fait de cuisine)
15th : 14% (Le Recueil de Riom)
1604 : 9% (Ouverture de Cuisine)

1345 : 14% (Ein Buch von guter spise)
1450 : 5% (Das Kochbuch des Meisters Eberhard)

1400 : 19% (Libro di cucina / Libro per cuoco)
15th : 15% (The Neapolitan recipe collection)

Percentage of recipes containing beef:

1390 : 3% (Forme of Cury)
1425 : 21% (Ancient Cookery)
1430 : 12% (Liber cure cocorum)
1450 : 12% (Two Fifteenth-Century Cookery Books)
1468 : 11% (A Noble Boke off Cookry)
1550 : 18% (A Proper newe Booke of Cokerye)
1591 : 13% (A Book of Cookrye)
1596 : 17% (The Good Housewife's Jewell)

1300 : 5% (Enseignements)
1380 : 14% (Le Viandier de Taillevent)
1393 : 15% (Le Menagier de Paris)
1420 : 34% (Du fait de cuisine)
15th : 30% (Le Recueil de Riom)
1604 : 24% (Ouverture de Cuisine)

1345 : 6% (Ein Buch von guter spise)
1450 : 9% (Das Kochbuch des Meisters Eberhard)

1400 : < 1% (Libro di cucina / Libro per cuoco)
15th : 10% (The Neapolitan recipe collection)

Percentage of recipes containing game birds:

1390 : 9% (Forme of Cury)
1425 : 9% (Ancient Cookery)
1430 : 16% (Liber cure cocorum)
1450 : 7% (Two Fifteenth-Century Cookery Books)
1468 : 11% (A Noble Boke off Cookry)
1550 : 16% (A Proper newe Booke of Cokerye)
1591 : 17% (A Book of Cookrye)
1596 : 8% (The Good Housewife's Jewell)

1300 : 10% (Enseignements)
1380 : 9% (Le Viandier de Taillevent)
1393 : 6% (Le Menagier de Paris)
1420 : 17% (Du fait de cuisine)
15th : 10% (Le Recueil de Riom)
1604 : 6% (Ouverture de Cuisine)

1345 : 4% (Ein Buch von guter spise)
1450 : 9% (Das Kochbuch des Meisters Eberhard)

1400 : 2% (Libro di cucina / Libro per cuoco)
15th : 9% (The Neapolitan recipe collection)

Percentage of recipes containing sheep / mutton:

1390 : 1% (Forme of Cury)
1425 : 2% (Ancient Cookery)
1430 : 3% (Liber cure cocorum)
1450 : 5% (Two Fifteenth-Century Cookery Books)
1468 : 2% (A Noble Boke off Cookry)
1550 : 18% (A Proper newe Booke of Cokerye)
1591 : 14% (A Book of Cookrye)
1596 : 14% (The Good Housewife's Jewell)

1300 : 7% (Enseignements)
1380 : 3% (Le Viandier de Taillevent)
1393 : 5% (Le Menagier de Paris)
1420 : 27% (Du fait de cuisine)
15th : 4% (Le Recueil de Riom)
1604 : 7% (Ouverture de Cuisine)

1345 : 1% (Ein Buch von guter spise)
1450 : < 1% (Das Kochbuch des Meisters Eberhard)

1400 : 5% (Libro di cucina / Libro per cuoco)
15th : 2% (The Neapolitan recipe collection)

Percentage of recipes containing venison:

1390 : 2% (Forme of Cury)
1425 : 2% (Ancient Cookery)
1430 : 9% (Liber cure cocorum)
1450 : 3% (Two Fifteenth-Century Cookery Books)
1468 : 3% (A Noble Boke off Cookry)
1550 : 4% (A Proper newe Booke of Cokerye)
1591 : 4% (A Book of Cookrye)
1596 : 6% (The Good Housewife's Jewell)

1300 : 5% (Enseignements)
1380 : 3% (Le Viandier de Taillevent)
1393 : 10% (Le Menagier de Paris)
1420 : 6% (Du fait de cuisine)
15th : 4% (Le Recueil de Riom)
1604 : 4% (Ouverture de Cuisine)

1345 : < 1% (Ein Buch von guter spise)
1450 : 3% (Das Kochbuch des Meisters Eberhard)

1400 : 2% (Libro di cucina / Libro per cuoco)
15th : < 1% (The Neapolitan recipe collection)

Percentage of recipes containing rabbit:

1390 : 4% (Forme of Cury)
1425 : 10% (Ancient Cookery)
1430 : 4% (Liber cure cocorum)
1450 : 2% (Two Fifteenth-Century Cookery Books)
1468 : 6% (A Noble Boke off Cookry)
1550 : < 1% (A Proper newe Booke of Cokerye)
1591 : 2% (A Book of Cookrye)
1596 : 9% (The Good Housewife's Jewell)

1300 : 3% (Enseignements)
1380 : 2% (Le Viandier de Taillevent)
1393 : 2% (Le Menagier de Paris)
1420 : 8% (Du fait de cuisine)
15th : 6% (Le Recueil de Riom)
1604 : 1% (Ouverture de Cuisine)

1345 : < 1% (Ein Buch von guter spise)
1450 : 1% (Das Kochbuch des Meisters Eberhard)

1400 : 2% (Libro di cucina / Libro per cuoco)
15th : < 1% (The Neapolitan recipe collection)

Percentage of recipes containing goose:

1390 : 1% (Forme of Cury)
1425 : 2% (Ancient Cookery)
1430 : 5% (Liber cure cocorum)
1450 : 2% (Two Fifteenth-Century Cookery Books)
1468 : 2% (A Noble Boke off Cookry)
1550 : 2% (A Proper newe Booke of Cokerye)
1591 : 1% (A Book of Cookrye)
1596 : 1% (The Good Housewife's Jewell)

1300 : 3 (Enseignements)
1380 : 1% (Le Viandier de Taillevent)
1393 : 2% (Le Menagier de Paris)
1420 : 7% (Du fait de cuisine)
15th : 2% (Le Recueil de Riom)
1604 : (none) (Ouverture de Cuisine)

1345 : 1% (Ein Buch von guter spise)
1450 : < 1% (Das Kochbuch des Meisters Eberhard)

1400 : < 1% (Libro di cucina / Libro per cuoco)
15th : < 1% (The Neapolitan recipe collection)

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Spices

Percentage of recipes containing salt:

1390 : 47% (Forme of Cury)
1425 : 5% (Ancient Cookery)
1430 : 34% (Liber cure cocorum)
1450 : 56% (Two Fifteenth-Century Cookery Books)
1468 : 55% (A Noble Boke off Cookry)
1550 : 36% (A Proper newe Booke of Cokerye)
1591 : 40% (A Book of Cookrye)
1596 : 40% (The Good Housewife's Jewell)

1300 : 12% (Enseignements)
1380 : 16% (Le Viandier de Taillevent)
1393 : 15% (Le Menagier de Paris)
1420 : 81% (Du fait de cuisine)
15th : 6% (Le Recueil de Riom)
1604 : 20% (Ouverture de Cuisine)

1345 : 16% (Ein Buch von guter spise)
1450 : 2% (Das Kochbuch des Meisters Eberhard)

1400 : 10% (Libro di cucina / Libro per cuoco)
15th : 23% (The Neapolitan recipe collection)

Percentage of recipes containing ginger:

1390 : 23% (Forme of Cury)
1425 : 45% (Ancient Cookery)
1430 : 20% (Liber cure cocorum)
1450 : 42% (Two Fifteenth-Century Cookery Books)
1468 : 34% (A Noble Boke off Cookry)
1550 : 22% (A Proper newe Booke of Cokerye)
1591 : 35% (A Book of Cookrye)
1596 : 40% (The Good Housewife's Jewell)

1300 : 35% (Enseignements)
1380 : 26% (Le Viandier de Taillevent)
1393 : 15% (Le Menagier de Paris)
1420 : 70% (Du fait de cuisine)
15th : 51% (Le Recueil de Riom)
1604 : 9% (Ouverture de Cuisine)

1345 : < 1% (Ein Buch von guter spise)
1450 : < 1% (Das Kochbuch des Meisters Eberhard)

1400 : 19% (Libro di cucina / Libro per cuoco)
15th : 21% (The Neapolitan recipe collection)

Percentage of recipes containing saffron:

1390 : 39% (Forme of Cury)
1425 : 52% (Ancient Cookery)
1430 : 34% (Liber cure cocorum)
1450 : 41% (Two Fifteenth-Century Cookery Books)
1468 : 41% (A Noble Boke off Cookry)
1550 : 18% (A Proper newe Booke of Cokerye)
1591 : 7% (A Book of Cookrye)
1596 : 10% (The Good Housewife's Jewell)

1300 : 17% (Enseignements)
1380 : 17% (Le Viandier de Taillevent)
1393 : 10% (Le Menagier de Paris)
1420 : 38% (Du fait de cuisine)
15th : 16% (Le Recueil de Riom)
1604 : 6% (Ouverture de Cuisine)

1345 : 17% (Ein Buch von guter spise)
1450 : < 1% (Das Kochbuch des Meisters Eberhard)

1400 : 28% (Libro di cucina / Libro per cuoco)
15th : 33% (The Neapolitan recipe collection)

Percentage of recipes containing cinnamon/cassia:

1390 : 11% (Forme of Cury)
1425 : 35% (Ancient Cookery)
1430 : 9% (Liber cure cocorum)
1450 : 28% (Two Fifteenth-Century Cookery Books)
1468 : 21% (A Noble Boke off Cookry)
1550 : 30% (A Proper newe Booke of Cokerye)
1591 : 31% (A Book of Cookrye)
1596 : 35% (The Good Housewife's Jewell)

1300 : 28% (Enseignements)
1380 : 15% (Le Viandier de Taillevent)
1393 : 7% (Le Menagier de Paris)
1420 : 30% (Du fait de cuisine)
15th : 12% (Le Recueil de Riom)
1604 : 41% (Ouverture de Cuisine)

1345 : < 1% (Ein Buch von guter spise)
1450 : < 1% (Das Kochbuch des Meisters Eberhard)

1400 : 16% (Libro di cucina / Libro per cuoco)
15th : 26% (The Neapolitan recipe collection)

Percentage of recipes containing pepper:

1390 : 14% (Forme of Cury)
1425 : 23% (Ancient Cookery)
1430 : 27% (Liber cure cocorum)
1450 : 31% (Two Fifteenth-Century Cookery Books)
1468 : 26% (A Noble Boke off Cookry)
1550 : 12% (A Proper newe Booke of Cokerye)
1591 : 42% (A Book of Cookrye)
1596 : 40% (The Good Housewife's Jewell)

1300 : 50% (Enseignements)
1380 : 10% (Le Viandier de Taillevent)
1393 : 5% (Le Menagier de Paris)
1420 : 41% (Du fait de cuisine)
15th : 22% (Le Recueil de Riom)
1604 : 25% (Ouverture de Cuisine)

1345 : 25% (Ein Buch von guter spise)
1450 : 3% (Das Kochbuch des Meisters Eberhard)

1400 : 8% (Libro di cucina / Libro per cuoco)
15th : 24% (The Neapolitan recipe collection)

Percentage of recipes containing parsley:

1390 : 5% (Forme of Cury)
1425 : 15% (Ancient Cookery)
1430 : 10% (Liber cure cocorum)
1450 : 17% (Two Fifteenth-Century Cookery Books)
1468 : 14% (A Noble Boke off Cookry)
1550 : 16% (A Proper newe Booke of Cokerye)
1591 : 9% (A Book of Cookrye)
1596 : 11% (The Good Housewife's Jewell)

1300 : 12% (Enseignements)
1380 : 9% (Le Viandier de Taillevent)
1393 : 8% (Le Menagier de Paris)
1420 : 20% (Du fait de cuisine)
15th : 10% (Le Recueil de Riom)
1604 : 5% (Ouverture de Cuisine)

1345 : 8% (Ein Buch von guter spise)
1450 : 3% (Das Kochbuch des Meisters Eberhard)

1400 : 13% (Libro di cucina / Libro per cuoco)
15th : 17% (The Neapolitan recipe collection)

Percentage of recipes containing cloves:

1390 : 9% (Forme of Cury)
1425 : 39% (Ancient Cookery)
1430 : 8% (Liber cure cocorum)
1450 : 21% (Two Fifteenth-Century Cookery Books)
1468 : 22% (A Noble Boke off Cookry)
1550 : 8% (A Proper newe Booke of Cokerye)
1591 : 27% (A Book of Cookrye)
1596 : 23% (The Good Housewife's Jewell)

1300 : 8% (Enseignements)
1380 : 14% (Le Viandier de Taillevent)
1393 : 9% (Le Menagier de Paris)
1420 : 38% (Du fait de cuisine)
15th : 30% (Le Recueil de Riom)
1604 : 5% (Ouverture de Cuisine)

1345 : 2% (Ein Buch von guter spise)
1450 : 1% (Das Kochbuch des Meisters Eberhard)

1400 : 20% (Libro di cucina / Libro per cuoco)
15th : 10% (The Neapolitan recipe collection)

Percentage of recipes containing mace:

1390 : 4% (Forme of Cury)
1425 : 25% (Ancient Cookery)
1430 : 3% (Liber cure cocorum)
1450 : 18% (Two Fifteenth-Century Cookery Books)
1468 : 14% (A Noble Boke off Cookry)
1550 : 18% (A Proper newe Booke of Cokerye)
1591 : 29% (A Book of Cookrye)
1596 : 29% (The Good Housewife's Jewell)

1300 : (none) (Enseignements)
1380 : 1% (Le Viandier de Taillevent)
1393 : 1% (Le Menagier de Paris)
1420 : 38% (Du fait de cuisine)
15th : 10% (Le Recueil de Riom)
1604 : 1% (Ouverture de Cuisine)

1345 : < 1% (Ein Buch von guter spise)
1450 : < 1% (Das Kochbuch des Meisters Eberhard)

1400 : (none) (Libro di cucina / Libro per cuoco)
15th : (none) (The Neapolitan recipe collection)

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Other Ingredients

Percentage of recipes containing sugar:

1390 : 27% (Forme of Cury)
1425 : 42% (Ancient Cookery)
1430 : 14% (Liber cure cocorum)
1450 : 39% (Two Fifteenth-Century Cookery Books)
1468 : 29% (A Noble Boke off Cookry)
1550 : 46% (A Proper newe Booke of Cokerye)
1591 : 56% (A Book of Cookrye)
1596 : 57% (The Good Housewife's Jewell)

1300 : 7% (Enseignements)
1380 : 13% (Le Viandier de Taillevent)
1393 : 5% (Le Menagier de Paris)
1420 : 43% (Du fait de cuisine)
15th : 14% (Le Recueil de Riom)
1604 : 44% (Ouverture de Cuisine)

1345 : 14% (Ein Buch von guter spise)
1450 : 1% (Das Kochbuch des Meisters Eberhard)

1400 : 29% (Libro di cucina / Libro per cuoco)
15th : 35% (The Neapolitan recipe collection)

Percentage of recipes containing eggs:

1390 : 26% (Forme of Cury)
1425 : 25% (Ancient Cookery)
1430 : 27% (Liber cure cocorum)
1450 : 31% (Two Fifteenth-Century Cookery Books)
1468 : 27% (A Noble Boke off Cookry)
1550 : 44% (A Proper newe Booke of Cokerye)
1591 : 28% (A Book of Cookrye)
1596 : 39% (The Good Housewife's Jewell)

1300 : 12% (Enseignements)
1380 : 15% (Le Viandier de Taillevent)
1393 : 11% (Le Menagier de Paris)
1420 : 17% (Du fait de cuisine)
15th : 14% (Le Recueil de Riom)
1604 : 44% (Ouverture de Cuisine)

1345 : 50% (Ein Buch von guter spise)
1450 : 10% (Das Kochbuch des Meisters Eberhard)

1400 : 40% (Libro di cucina / Libro per cuoco)
15th : 35% (The Neapolitan recipe collection)

Percentage of recipes containing milk:

1390 : 25% (Forme of Cury)
1425 : 30% (Ancient Cookery)
1430 : 21% (Liber cure cocorum)
1450 : 25% (Two Fifteenth-Century Cookery Books)
1468 : 26% (A Noble Boke off Cookry)
1550 : 6% (A Proper newe Booke of Cokerye)
1591 : 1% (A Book of Cookrye)
1596 : 3% (The Good Housewife's Jewell)

1300 : 10% (Enseignements)
1380 : 8% (Le Viandier de Taillevent)
1393 : 6% (Le Menagier de Paris)
1420 : 16% (Du fait de cuisine)
15th : 4% (Le Recueil de Riom)
1604 : 2% (Ouverture de Cuisine)

1345 : 32% (Ein Buch von guter spise)
1450 : 9% (Das Kochbuch des Meisters Eberhard)

1400 : 20% (Libro di cucina / Libro per cuoco)
15th : 13% (The Neapolitan recipe collection)

Percentage of recipes containing almonds:

1390 : 28% (Forme of Cury)
1425 : 32% (Ancient Cookery)
1430 : 21% (Liber cure cocorum)
1450 : 26% (Two Fifteenth-Century Cookery Books)
1468 : 27% (A Noble Boke off Cookry)
1550 : 2% (A Proper newe Booke of Cokerye)
1591 : 2% (A Book of Cookrye)
1596 : 6% (The Good Housewife's Jewell)

1300 : 19% (Enseignements)
1380 : 13% (Le Viandier de Taillevent)
1393 : 7% (Le Menagier de Paris)
1420 : 39% (Du fait de cuisine)
15th : 14% (Le Recueil de Riom)
1604 : 9% (Ouverture de Cuisine)

1345 : 25% (Ein Buch von guter spise)
1450 : 5% (Das Kochbuch des Meisters Eberhard)

1400 : 28% (Libro di cucina / Libro per cuoco)
15th : 18% (The Neapolitan recipe collection)