History of Food in the US

Ms. Jane Ziegelman a historian, who was in Flora Rose House Cafe to talk about her new book “A square Meal”. One might hardly think of food other than in the context of its taste, however in this book she has historized the development of conceptions of food in the United States since the depression. Food which we think of as ahistorical is influenced by the history of the United States’s involvement in World War II and depression. She articulated that there was a shift in attitudes toward food in the U.S due to depression, where in the need to rationing and eating for calories and nutrient took precedence over taste and texture.

Not surprisingly, College of Human Ecology, then it was still in the form of Department of Home Economics, played a crucial role in changing the food habits and preference of American citizens such that they will be able to consume just enough calories and get the adequate nutrients from, ingredients they might not have thought of or even wanted to use in their cooking. Department of Home Economics developed recipes with cheap ingredients, yet with creamy and rich taste. Jane actually shared some of the recipes developed here in Ithaca by Flor Rose from her book. She further said some of the dishes that are very popular today and part of our menu was developed under the depression era. It was important for us to understand the influence of the historical events on our food and eating habits, in that sense, Jane opened the door for me to think about it.