American Food Habits in Historical Perspective

by Elaine Mcintosh

Overview

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.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780275953317
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date:	12/11/1995
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	272
Product dimensions:	6.14(w) x 9.21(h) x 0.56(d)
Lexile:	1250L (what's this?)

About the Author

Elaine N. McIntosh, PhD, RD, is Professor Emerita of Human Biology at the University of Wisconsin, Green Bay. She is the coauthor with Elizabeth Green of On Your Own in the Kitchen (1985), a cooking guide for nonreaders based on sound nutritional principles. She has contributed chapters to internationally published books and government publications in addition to numerous articles in reputable scientific jourbanals of all kinds since 1954. She has been a long-time nutritional and health writer for Newmonth.

Table of Contents

Preface
Humans, Nutrition, and Survival
The Search for Food
Early Dietary Patterns
Dietary Patterns from Columbian Times through the American Revolution
American Food Habits: The New Republic through the 19th Century
American Food Habits: The Twentieth Century
Understanding Food Habits
Food and Ideology
American Food: A Characterization
The American Diet: An Assessment and Prognosis
Bibliography
Index

What People are Saying About This

Mia M. Moore-Armitage

This book is clearly geared for the undergraduate audience but is written in such a way that it does not speak down to them. The greatest strength of the text is the manner in which the commonalities of similar ideas, concepts, and terms were developed. Dr. McIntosh defines the terms, laying out their commonalities and differences, and then gives concrete, sensible examples. The reader would be hard pressed to be confused after reading any section of the text...An excellent text to bring diatetics and nutrition students up to speed about the development and history of food consumption.

Nan Unklesbay

As Americans become more concerned about their diets and food safety, Dr. McIntosh offers us a unique approach for understanding why we eat as we do. With an interesting, easy-to-read writing style, she portrays a fascinating historical viewpoint of all interrelated factors affecting our current food practices. It is difficult for me to think of a pertinent area that is not included in this valuable book.

Editorial Reviews

McIntosh discusses food in North America from prehistory through the present in this well-organized book. Although clearly geared to undergraduate students, it will be useful to many; the chapters on understanding food habits and foods and religion are good overviews. Using food as a unifying theme might increase interest in history for those who find it to be only dates. A clearly written overview.” —Choice

From the Publisher

A historical overview of food habits, emphasizing American dietary habits from Columbian times to the present, for students in food science and interested general readers. Explains basic concepts of nutrition, describes methods of food gathering, producing, and processing, and looks at food ideology, American dietary patterns, and various types of cuisine. Assesses the nutritional adequacy of American diets from various periods, and makes predictions about diet in the future. Includes b&w photos. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Booknews