Food

    Welcome to the food section of this web site. In this part of the web page you will read about popular foods in different decades, what appliances and new foods were created in each decade. In each decade you will also find a menu showing a typical American meal in that decade.

The 1900’s

    At the beginning of the 20^th century many immigrants from Europe came to America. The new immigrants brought along with them their traditional customs to America. These new customs influenced Americans. In 1905 America’s first pizzeria, "Little Italy" opened in New York. In 1904 a World’s fair was held in St. Louis, Missouri. It was here that ice cream cones, iced tea, and peanut butter (then considered a health food)were created and released to the public.

MENU-1900’s

Dessert- Jell-O

The 1910's   

   Many new kitchen appliances were created during this decade including the "self contained" electric refrigerator (debuted in 1915), the first "built in" refrigerator (debuted in 1919) and the standing electric mixer (invented by Kitchen Aid in 1919). Also, 1910-1920 was known as the age of the "combination stove". This was a stove that cooked by gas and either wood or coal.                                     

   

MENU- 1910’s

Main Course- Baked herbed stuffed pork chop

Soup - Cream Vichyssoise Glacee soup

Side dish- and Harvard beets

Dessert- Mrs. Hoover’s favorite war pudding

        Brand name products (such as Maxwell House Coffee) became popular among Americans. Chiffon pies were quite the rage also. In fact they were very popular among Americans for several decades. Several new vitamins were discovered during this century such as Vitamin C (identified in 1921), Vitamin E (discovered in 1922) and Vitamin D (identified and named in 1922).

MENU- 1920’s

Dessert- Jelly Roll

  The 1930’s

        The 1930’s were the years of the Depression. During these Depression years, many people were unemployed and poor. Kitchen appliances were  few. Families harvested, preserved, and pickled their own foods due to their lack of money. Store bought bread was popular, especially Wonder Bread. However, Pepperidge Farm bread was better, but cost almost three times more.

Menu- 1940's

Main Course-

choice of: macaroni & cheese, meatloaf, spaghetti & meatballs or casserole

The 1940’s

    These were the years of World War II. Food rationing had a big influence until        1946. Families were given a limited amount of sugar, meat, coffee, and fats.

MENU- 1940’s

Dessert- Chocolate cake (made from a mix)

The 1950’s.

   The 1950’s were a decade full of rock ‘n’ roll music and jukeboxes. This decade was known as the "Casserole decade". Americans became quite interested in foreign foods such as Italian lasagna and pizza and German sauerbraten. Other interesting events in the history of food include the creation of the TV dinner (1951) and the first sushi bar in America (opened in NYC in 1957).

MENU- 1950’s

Dessert- Chiffon Cake

1960’s

        Food writers were quite popular ever since Julia Child went on public television with her food program (The French Chef). Popular foods included granola and tofu.

MENU – 1960’s

Dessert- Mile High Pie (strawberries, sugar, egg whites, and whipped cream in a cookie crust)

    The 1970's weren’t just about disco music and funny hairstyles, it was also about cuisine cooking. It was during this decade that chefs started to cook in the cuisine style. This style was very fancy. There were several types of cuisine cooking including Californian cuisine and Nouvelle Cuisine. Cuisine cooking was so popular that French chefs started to abandon their traditional ways of cooking for the Nouvelle cooking style.

    Interesting facts about food during this decade are- the opening of the first "salad bar" and the first Starbucks coffeehouse.

                                                            MENU- 1970’s

Dessert- Mud Pie

The 1980’s

Menu 1980's

Main Course- Poached salmon steak with zucchini noodles

Salad- Tomato and watercress salad

Desert- Gingered peaches with light vanilla ice

    In the 1990’s many Americans became quite concerned about too much fat and calories in food. During this decade many new vegetarian foods were created such as- the vegetable burger, prune burger, and soy burger. By the end of the 1990’s the Internet became popular for selling food (as well as toys, books, etc.).

MENU- 1990’s

Dessert- Apple pie

  As you have learned, food, meals, and appliances have greatly changed the way of living for the typical American family over the century. Types of food have greatly changed also over the twentieth century and many people believe that the twenty first century will bring many new and unusual types of food that will greatly affect the lives of Americans.

            Some seed companies have created a new type of vegetables known as hybrids. Hybrids are vegetables that are crossbred between different "parent" plants.  These    nutritious vegetables are quite unique and have an unusual appearance. Some types of hybrids include, black tomatoes, yellow carrots, and purple string beans.

   Another change in eating is food from a tube. Some people think that we will soon eat food from tubes, like the astronauts do. Recently Yoplait released yogurt in a tube called Go-gurt. Some other foods that may go tubular are pudding and energy bars.

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