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.

Nutrition is a topic that I recently became interested in once one of my closest friends got diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. Watching her change her lifestyle through the food that she ate really made me conscious about what I was putting into my own body. Eating can be a pleasure but at the end of the day it’s about nourishing your body with minerals and vitamins so that you can sustain a healthy and happy lifestyle. Most of us are always on the go, which makes us prone to grabbing quick bites in between the few breaks that we get. In that rush, we tend to go for foods that will fill us up quickly, so we eat a lot of carbs and fat to satisfy our hunger. We’re so lucky to have access to fresh dairy and produce which we can consume everyday, but the American food habits have changed a lot over the last century. Jane Ziegelman’s talk about the rise of home economics during the American Great Depression made me aware of the fact that food intake is not solely for pleasure, it more

The great depression was a trying time for many American citizens. The rampant shortage of foods like bread, butter, and milk took a toll on people’s health. In order to combat the paucity and cost of these foods, home economists developed recipes that were economical and healthy for the public. Most of the home economists were women who believed that housework should be treated as regular jobs, so they used their culinary skills to innovate new recipes and dishes for the public. One such person as Flora Rose, who created a light white sauce recipe for everyday cooking. Since dairy was such a big part of the American diet, this recipe allowed any food to be paired with the white sauce, and so the recipe became very popular. Home economists like Flora Rose truly revolutionized cooking at a time when food supplies were draining, and taught others how they could be economical and still eat healthy with the few resources that they had.

Last week, I attended the Rose Cafe with Jane Ziegelman, where she discussed her research on food during the Great Depression. I found this to be an extremely interesting talk, especially to learn about the direct connections to Cornell. The economic hardships of the 1920’s and 30’s created a new way of thinking about cooking, one which I was surprised to learn had a lot to do with milk and making do with very little ingredients to make a meal that would provide enough nutrients to a family. I think one of the most interesting things I took away from the presentation was how quickly food trends and recipes change, especially based on the food supply and economic state of the country. Our recipes and daily meals are very different from the meals described from this time period, and I think it will be interesting to see how different food is nearly 100 years from now.

Hearing of Flora Rose’s work was very interesting as well. Before this talk, I really was unsure of Rose’s influence, other than my current residence being named after her. I have a better understanding of her now, with her work in home economics and influence nationally, budding from her friendship and work with Eleanor Roosevelt. It was cool to see actual recipes that she published in her recipe book, knowing that many all over America were using the recipes to provide a meal to their families in harsh economic struggles. It was also interesting to see how far women have come in terms of education. Ziegelman described women going to school to learn home economics, and basically learned how to take care of the home, including cooking. Today, I could hardly imagine being taught how to take care of the home formally, but getting a degree to pursue a future career. It really has shown how the roles of women in American society have changed, from solely taking care of the home to working.

This talk really brought a new side of the Depression to light and gave me a greater understanding of this period in American history.

Last Wednesday, at the Rose Cafe, Jane Ziegelman spoke about her new book, A Square Meal: A Culinary History of the Great Depression.  What I found most interesting about the talk was the emphasis that home-economists, like Flora Rose, placed on making food that contained the proper nutrients but was purposefully lacking in flavor. This was supposedly meant to encourage healthy eating by changing the culture surrounding food. These home economists believed that if people saw food as something they had to eat to survive instead of a pleasurable experience, they would eat healthier, nutrient-rich foods that didn’t taste great and avoid good-tasting but unhealthy foods. They discouraged the use of spices which made food flavorful, because these made eating into an experience.

I was also surprised by the large consumption of milk during the Great Depression. It was marketed as a health food because of it’s protein, calcium, and many vitamins. Milk was added to everything including cereals such as Flora Rose’s Milkorno and Milkoato but also in the form of a white sauce (made of milk, flour, salt, butter, and pepper) which was poured over casseroles. These cereals and casseroles fit with the idea that food should be bland.

I love flavorful foods, and I enjoy dining for a long time so that it is an event, not a chore. However, the home economists’ clever use of limited ingredients to make nutritious meals during the Great Depression was impressive.

During this week’s Rose Cafe series, Jane Ziegalman came to talk to us about nutrition and its role during the great depression. Bread lines in NY have been operating since the late 1850s. But as the Depression deepened and the number of hungry Americans increased, eating habits began to change. Home economics was started by women who believed that it should become a legitimate profession. These women focused on creating a style of cooking that avoided strong smells. In fact, Flora Rose, the namesake of our House, formed the home economics department here at Cornell. As someone who never really studied home economics even in high school, I’ve always been curious about what home economics was about and its importance. Other famous figures, such as Eleanor Roosevelt, also created a specific diet for her family in the White House. Her approach didn’t rely on taste; this made me chuckle and reminded me of how my mom tries to regulate my family’s food intake and bases it off of nutritional value rather than taste. All in all, this talk was very interesting and definitely stimulated my curiosity to learn more about the food history during a desperate time period for the US.

As Jane Ziegelman was detailing the history of nutrition and home economics during the era of the Great Depression, I found it fascinating to think about how the perceptions about food that dominated that time period differ from those dominating thinking about food today. During both the era of the Great Depression and the present, discovering how certain foods affect bodily conditions is a source of interest and intrigue. However, Ziegelman discussed how, during the Great Depression era, there was a growing emphasis on food as fuel, not a source of pleasure. Food that was bland but offered an affordable supply of the necessary protein, calories, and vitamins was more than sufficient. Today, conversely, individuals are increasingly interested in food that tastes good but is also low in calorie. While nutrition is a prominent consideration in some conversations, in many others, a concern for nutrition and an emphasis on viewing food as fuel is all but absent. In its place is talk of fat-burning superfoods, juice cleanses to ward off cravings, and 5-day miracle diets. There is an increasing view of food as a tempting vice that people struggle to avoid. Flora Rose, Eleanor Roosevelt, Martha Van Rensselaer, however, viewed planning meals and inventing nutritious dietary options as a task to be mastered. This change in perspective is undoubtedly influenced by economic conditions and larger societal trends.

I also found it interesting to consider how even at a time during which America is relatively economically stable, considerable portions of the population still do not have access to nutritious foods. While nutrition deficiencies during the Depression caused considerable weight loss that led to weakness preventing children from attending school, unequal access to fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean meats are leading to rising levels of childhood obesity and diabetes. In “food deserts,” or areas in which fresh food is not readily purchasable, families have to make meals with ingredients that are higher in calorie, more processed, and less nutritious. Michelle Obama dedicated much of her time as First Lady to address growing threats to health. In fact, many of the efforts of Michelle Obama’s “Let’s Move” campaign, such as teaching families how to cook healthy meals with ease, parallel the efforts of Rose, Roosevelt, and Van Rensselaer. Even with the continuous advances in nutritional science, from the discovery of vitamin A to the development of Milkorno and Milkoato, it seems that America is still struggling to make nutritious options accessible to everyone.

All in all, Ziegelman’s talk was super interesting. I also really enjoyed hearing about the role that Cornell’s College of Human Ecology played in providing nutritious options during the Great Depression.