American Food Habits in Historical Perspective

by Elaine N. McIntosh

Using dietary information and other pertinent facts, the author assesses the nutritional status of Americans during each historical period. Special emphasis is given to American dietary patterns from the landfall of Columbus to the colonial period, the revolutionary period, the New Republic, and the 20th century. Four categories of American food are identified and analyzed: mainstream cuisine, regional cooking, regional phenomena (including ethnic foods), and Pop foods. The overview concludes with the finding that, despite delightful differences, there are striking similarities in food habits across time and cultures. By providing increased insights and understanding of contemporary American eating patterns, this book will be a substantive addition to existing texts.

272 pages, Hardcover

First published December 30, 1995

Reviews

[Emily · Rating 2 out of 5]

You can tell this history is written by an RD. It's somehow both a bit limited in its discussion of food culture and takes on an astounding scope. Given the scope, however, it seems a bit under-referenced to me. It is clearly organized, but is also a bit boring to read. It's sort of a huge book report on American eating.

[Jeanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting read...for school! :D

[Nicole C. (using StoryGraph more these days) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Closer to a 2.5. This is a bit dated now, as it was published in 1995. However, some portions were interesting, such as the author's predictions about how we'd be feeling about food in the future (some pretty true) and what foods became staples from other cultures. The rest was a bit dry and academic. Another reviewer put it best by stating that this felt like a school report. I wonder if it was a thesis at some point.

If you still want to pick this up, I'd suggest reading the last two chapters, entitled "American Food: a Characterization," and "American Food: an Assessment and Diagnosis," and have done with it.