Back in college, we always had plenty of fine dark ale to drink during our gaming sessions. There as a nice era when August Schell 22oz bottles of Schmaltz Alt cost only $0.99.
Be sure to pass out new beers too. Some regions might be famous for a really hoppy brew ,serve IPAs when they are in that region, or Guiness and Beamish in another, even if they don't like it they will begin to associate tastes to a region. If there is one they like, maybe they can find it imported in another region, but the cost may be more dear. I would be willing to shell out an extra couple of gold for one of MY favorite beers.
For food, we generally had a couple of chunks of cheese (munster and harvarti are a nice change from cheddar and freaking marble jack-which IS NOT a cheese in my mind) and a loaf of hearty bread. Some sort of whole grain or rye. Place the bread, cheese, a salami (or any cold cuts) on a platter and let the players cut their portions. Serve will the local favorite beer, add a plate of apples and you have a really nice adventurer's cold meal.
The crock pot is your friend. Prepare in advance a thick beef and barely stew, or just a big pot full of root vegetables (we call them pot roast vegies at home, even if they don't come with the pot roast). Wash a bunch of potatoes, peel some carrots, throw in a couple of quartered onions and just a little water. Makes a good winter meal when fresh vegies and greens are not to be found. If they are eating at a better inn you might put the pot roast in the crock pot too. Remember that common folk didn't eat a whole lot of meat.
Simple foods for common inns. Fancy inns might have a tropical fruit salad on the menu, they may feature dishes with sauces ( fetticini alfredo with peas). I am sure that if you paged through the Joy of Cooking, or one of the Frugal Gourmet's cookbooks you would fine plenty of inspiration. Jeff Smith has a really good cookbook featuring the recipes imigrants brought with them when they came to america. Since immigrants were generally poor, there should be lots of ideas for foods you would fine at a common inn.
I recently found this awesome italian deli. They had cheeses and meats I had never imagined (truffle cheese, either goat or cow;s milk at around $20 a pound). It is almost sad, that I walk in there and I am trying to figure out how I can incorporate a big plate of meats and cheeses into a gaming session. Perhaps a bottle of red wine and a bowl of olives (they had no less that 15 types of olive). When I lived in CA, there was an awesome Hungarian Deli that sold smoked paprika bacon and cserkziz (a spicey meat stick, and I mangled the spelling). Check out your ethnic markets and serve things your players may not have tried before. If they are in a fishing village, the snack can be sardines on hard tack (Wasa bread), if they are in a trade city, they might find saffron rice, strange spicey noodles, or odd fruits.
Personally I would be happy with a block of cheese, a loaf of crusty bread, and a good hoppy ale everytime.
These ideas may be somewhat cost prohibitive. Good beer and imported foods can be expensive. Maybe your players would be willing to shell out $5 each (their pizza money) to have you handle the arrangements for food and beverage. They may get things they don't like sometimes, but hey, isn't that what adventureing is all about? If they want to eat roast beef and drink their favorite wine with each meal, they better work on becoming a nobleman!
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