Last Wednesday, Dr. Ziegelman visited the Flora Rose House to talk about her research on the Great Depression’s impact on food in America. She shared pictures of the breadlines and of other recipes created to cope with the depression. The term “Square Meals” was coined during this period. These meals referred to meals that were affordable and barely filling.

Dr. Ziegelman also shed light on the creation of processed food. The progressive movement lead to a spike in scientists coming up with theories of certain ingredients being better than others. These findings, in combination with a common goal of ending world hunger lead to the rise of process foods.

I thought Dr. Ziegelman’s comments on eating as part of American culture were very interesting. She implied that the great depression and difficulty in finding affordable food could be the reason why food is not the center of bonding within the family, as it is in other cultures. Fast food and “2 minute noodle soup” seem to be the more “American” option, other than on occasions like Thanksgiving. In contrast, several other cultures socialize and bond exclusively over breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Dr. Ziegelman’s research was incredibly interesting, especially because it was about the history of something as simple as food, something we are fortunate to eat every day. The historical artifacts she shared helped me understand how current American eating habits and recipes evolved.