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
Food

Mistakes That Made America: Ice Cream Cones

A makeshift solution at a crowded fair, when a vendor runs out of dishes and rolls a waffle into a cone, unexpectedly transforms how ice cream is served, turning a moment of improvisation into one of the most iconic treats in the world. But what's the real truth behind the legendary story?

The find in the 2,200-year-old grave reveals the ritual significance of beer in ancient Chinese culture.

Food

Mistakes That Made America: Potato Chips

A thin slice of potato, born out of frustration, became America’s favorite snack, but the innovations that kept it fresh helped turn a simple snack into a nationwide obsession.

Clarence Birdseye took note of how Indigenous Canadians 'flash froze' their fish—and forever changed the way Americans ate.

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Some confections even played a role in U.S. history.

Dim sum for Christmas? The experiences of immigrants in New York explain how the tradition began.

Food

8 Foods You Didn’t Know Were Invented in America

From spaghetti and meatballs to General Tso's chicken, many dishes Americans associate with international cuisine were actually invented in the US of A!

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It's America's favorite condiment, but ketchup's long history dates back to imperial China—and at one point it was completely tomato-free.

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Eggs offer an amazing package of nutrition—and humans have been poaching wild bird eggs since time immemorial. Keeping chickens to eat their eggs is a more recent (but still ancient) practice.

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.

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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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