Food

Food is an integral part of human history, serving as both sustenance and a symbol of culture, trade and power. From the earliest days of hunter-gatherers to modern-day globalization, what people eat has influenced the course of history.

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Illustration by Eduardo Ramón Trejo. Photos from Getty Images.

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Coffee increased energy and alertness on the battlefield, improved morale and was even used by medics to help prevent shock.

Nathan 'Nearest' Green, who taught Jack Daniel the art of whiskey distillation, went unacknowledged for more than 150 years.

The origins of ice cream, sorbet and other chilled dairy treats are difficult to pin down—but span back to antiquity.

Peanut butter. Ice cream cones. Cotton candy. The 1904 St. Louis exposition popularized some of America’s favorite foods.

Combat Rations

Combat Rations in WWII

During World War II, feeding thousands of troops in enemy territory wasn't easy. Discover how soldiers carried rations into battle.

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Food

Coffee increased energy and alertness on the battlefield, improved morale and was even used by medics to help prevent shock.

From ancient Egypt to colonial America, the humble pie has been feeding humans for thousands of years.

Food

How Hummus Became an American Staple

Hummus is a Middle Eastern dish with roots in regions like Syria and Egypt, with the earliest known recipe appearing in a 13th-century cookbook. The 1960s movement in the US introduced many people to Middle Eastern cuisine, including hummus.

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Humans in the subarctic have ice fished on lakes for survival for thousands of years.

Food

Top Food Fads by the Decades

Put down your avocado toast and TV dinner—and discover the top food fads from the 1920s to today.

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Food

More to History: Barbecue

The Taíno people, Indigenous to the Caribbean, used a wooden rack called the barbacoa to slowly cook meat.

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Food

1980s French Fries vs. 2022 French Fries

Adam meets with Dr. Justin Shimek and Dr. Kathy Westphal to taste test an original 1980s French fry.

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Food

How Big League Chew Revolutionized the Candy Industry

From its bullpen origins to becoming a cultural icon, find out how shredded bubble gum candy changed the industry.

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Food

The World's First Energy Drink Was Radium?!

Discover the shocking (and sometimes radioactive) foods from the past that will make you rethink every bite.

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Food

The Top 3 Candies of All Time

Are these candies on your favorites list?

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Food

Adam Explores Chuck E. Cheese’s Animatronic Past and Tastes Discontinued Pizza

Adam explores the history of animatronics at a classic Chuck E. Cheese and tries two styles of pizza that haven’t been made since the 80s.

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As early as the mid-19th century, a meat 'extract' was marketed for energy and muscle building.

A health scare caused Americans (including President Eisenhower) to forgo serving cranberry sauce at their holiday tables.

Cheetos and frozen orange juice are just a few examples of how military food scientists have shaped our diets.

The program had its largest expansion under a Republican president.

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