Food in the United States, 1890-1945

No American history or food collection is complete without this lively insight into the radical changes in daily life from the Gilded Age to World War II, as reflected in foodways.

From the Gilded Age to the end of World War II, what, where, when, and how Americans ate all changed radically. Migration to urban areas took people away from their personal connection to food sources. Immigration, primarily from Europe, and political influence of the Caribbean, Latin America, and the Pacific brought us new ingredients, cuisines, and foodways. Technological breakthroughs engendered the widespread availability of refrigeration, as well as faster cooking times. The invention of the automobile augured the introduction of "road food," and the growth of commercial transportation meant that a wider assortment of foods was available year round. Major food crises occurred during the Depression and two world wars.

Food in the United States, 1890-1945 documents these changes, taking students and general readers through the period to explain what our foodways say about our society. This intriguing narrative is enlivened with numerous period anecdotes that bring America history alive through food history.

Author: Megan Elias
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Published: 06/01/2009
Pages: 172
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 0.86lbs
Size: 9.50h x 6.06w x 0.66d
ISBN: 9780313354106

Review Citation(s):
Choice 11/01/2009
Scitech Book News 09/01/2009 pg. 165

About the Author

Megan J. Elias is assistant professor of history at Queensborough Community College, Bayside, NY.