In many families, one gesture seems second nature: bread is never placed upside down . But where does this unwritten rule come from? Is it a genuine precaution… or simply an old belief?

A deeply rooted superstition

The prohibition against placing bread upside down dates back to the Middle Ages . At that time, bread was not an ordinary food:
it represented life, work and daily survival .

In some towns, bread intended for the executioner was placed upside down on the stalls to distinguish it.
Gradually, this gesture became a symbol of death, misfortune, and bad omens .

This is how the popular belief was born:

“Bread upside down, misfortune in the house.”

Bread: an almost sacred food

For centuries, a lack of bread meant famine.
Wasting it or treating it without respect was unthinkable.

👉 Placing the bread upside down was therefore perceived as:

a lack of respect
a bad sign
a provocation against the luck and prosperity of the home

Even after the disappearance of these extreme living conditions, the belief remained.

Continue on next page