The Upshot at the New York Times recently published a quiz: “Can You Tell a ‘Trump’ Fridge from a ‘Biden’ Fridge?” It’s evil genius. I took the quiz, thinking I’d get it all right, didn’t, read the fascinating comments, thought about mine and everyone else’s assumptions about class and food, then scooted right over here to JSTOR to look for stories about class and refrigerators. Of course, JSTOR Daily has DONE stories about refrigeration, food, and class. Let’s start there:
A Plan to Get the Poor to Eat Healthy Food—in the 1890s
May 19, 2015
Early efforts to get Americans to eat healthy food started with targeting poor citizens.
What Happened to Peanut Butter and Jelly?
July 8, 2021
The rise and fall of the iconic sandwich has paralleled changes in Americans' economic conditions.
There’s Class Inside That Glass of Tang
July 15, 2016
A scholar examines kitschy American foods as an entree into a conversation about class in the United States.
Eat the Rich: What Amazon and Whole Foods Tell Us about Internet-Era Eating
June 27, 2017
The internet has already transformed how Americans eat; the Amazon/Whole Foods deal is just the culmination of this transformation.
What the History of Food Stamps Reveals
February 26, 2018
In the early years of food stamps the goal wasn't necessarily to feed America's poor. The idea was to buttress the price of food after the decline in crop prices had created a crisis in rural America.
The Evolution of Convenience Food in America
December 28, 2016
Meal kits signal a change in the way we cook, but this is nothing compared with how frozen food disrupted the American kitchen in the mid-20th century.
Global Food Security: A Primer
May 10, 2018
World hunger is not caused by our inability to produce enough food. The problem arises because of the economic inequality that distorts food distribution.
The Delicious Democratic Symbolism of…Doughnuts?
November 18, 2017
Doughnuts became popular during World War I, when Salvation Army volunteers—most of them women—made and served the soldiers million of doughnuts.
Why Clean Eating Can’t Save Your Soul
August 23, 2017
If hunger is moral purity, self-care a purchasable commodity, and wellness a stand-in for thinness, what does health really mean?
Whole Foods and the Problem With Enlightened Consumption
January 15, 2016
Whole Foods may promise ethical products, but its offerings often contradict expectations.
Hot Dogs: America’s Fast, Cheap Meat
August 20, 2014
With all due respect to hamburgers and apple pie, hot dogs are arguably the most American of foods.
