14 The 20th Century Table and Beyond

The 20th century saw a lot of change. We went from Oysters Rockefeller to frozen yogurt. Our tables have been shaped by wars and economic shifts. Yet, we remained a nation of immigrants and optimists. These themes endure even today.

Since the turn of the century, we have embraced veganism and locavores. We buy plant milks and Beyond Meat, while also expanding our borders to ingredients from around the world. We also face an increasing climate crisis that will no doubt shape the tables of our future.

As we explored the eating habits of the last century, there is a lot we can learn about the effects of consumerism, fad dieting and convenience foods. The return to eating whole ingredients produced locally may be critical to improving health for ourselves and the planet. The future may depend upon it.