Grain, dairy products, meat, fish, pulses, and gathered plants formed different combinations by region. There was no single “Viking cuisine”, just as there was no uniform Scandinavian landscape.
Summer provided not only immediate food but preparation for winter. Drying, smoking, souring, salting, and storage preserved supplies. Crop failure or the loss of livestock could quickly endanger a household.
Animal bones, charred seeds, cooking vessels, and residues provide direct archaeological evidence. Written texts mention feasts and unusual foods more often than quiet routines, so the two must not be confused.
Mead was known, but ale and other fermented drinks were probably more widely available. Modern tables groaning constantly with meat mainly evoke wealthy or ceremonial occasions, not every daily meal.