It was once a time of austere fasting. No animal products of any kind were eaten or used in cooking. This meant total abstinence from meat, eggs, butter, milk and animal fats. The frying pan was cleaned and put away.

For breakfast, a family might have had a small meal of dry bread, or porridge, washed down with black tea - and then the same for supper. For their midday dinner, the meal was usually potatoes seasoned with fish or onions. Families living on the coast most likely would have augmented the dinner menu with shellfish and edible seaweed.

Traditionally, children over the age of seven years received no milk; younger children were given it sparingly, and an infant, according to folklore was "allowed to cry three times before he got his milk on fast days".

Since Lent was supposed to be spent in penitential prayer, all socializing came to a halt. In fact, no merry-making of any kind was allowed or tolerated. That meant no music, dancing, card games or even visiting with the neighbors. In many homes, the musical instruments were stored away, and the deck of cards was burned. A new deck would not be purchased and brought into the house until Lent was over. Many people also gave up smoking as well as alcohol 'for the duration'.