Looking at a more recent history last 3-5000 years it seems that having 1-2 large meals a day even if simple ones and very highly caloric dense food. You aren’

Looking at a more recent history last 3-5000 years it seems that having 1-2 large meals a day even if simple ones and very highly caloric dense food. You aren’t marching in a legion, working in the fields or building a giant monument without proper food. Since food preparation took much more time and the logistics were complicated the number of meals and choices were limited but pretty much every meal was packed with carbs and often with fat too (lard, oils etc). Sweeteners whether it’s honey or other sugars were also quite common and very much so not limited to the ruling classes.