8 The Boom Decade: 1950’s

With so much turmoil behind the U.S., the midcentury decade was ripe for new horizons. The economy was booming, and so was the

American household thanks to their stronger purchasing power. Consumerism was on the rise and the food industry was ready with an ever-growing list of convenient new products for the family table. The national highway system was expanding, too, and chain restaurants like McDonald’s began popping up to feed the growing caravan of motorists.

In an era like this, culinary prowess took a backseat to canned and boxed novelties and the rise of televisions in homes introduced the frozen Swanson’s TV dinner to Americans. When home cooks did prepare meals, they often did it with recipes that included processed ingredients like Hamburger Helper, Rice a Roni or Eggo Waffles.