During his journeys, Henry Hudson and his crew primarily subsisted on a diet consisting of preserved food items, as fresh provisions were often scarce. Common foods included hardtack, salted meats, and dried legumes, which were easy to store and had a long shelf life.
In addition to these staples, they relied on whatever fresh resources they could find along the coastlines and in the rivers they explored. This included fish, game, and foraged plants, which helped supplement their diet, especially during long voyages where provisions could run low.
Hudson’s explorations took him into areas rich in natural resources, meaning that when conditions allowed, the crew could hunt or fish, providing some variety to their otherwise monotonous diet. However, the unpredictable nature of their journeys often made it challenging to consistently secure fresh food.