Spam to Kale: Video Shows 100 Years of Dinner Trends

The latest viral video from hit factory Mode.com condenses the history of popular American dining into a delicious three-minute feast. Starting in 1915 with Roast Beef & Franconia Potatoes, video dishes up a meal per decade before arriving in 2015 with Grilled Salmon over Quinoa & Kale Salad.

At this point you’re probably thinking: “Neat, but why should I care?” Well, apart from offering a mouthwatering look at some—mostly—delicious looking meals, the video offers a revealing yet concise breakdown of some of the major American food trends of the past 100 years.

{{amazon name="The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science", asin="0393081087", align="right"}} The 1930’s entry, for example, features high-calorie, low-cost food that kept the hungry fed during the Great Depression. Meanwhile, Spam—that most hardy of army rations—makes an appearance in the post-war period. The 1950s, with the introduction of home televisions, is dominated by the iconic TV dinner. And later entries for tacos and sushi provide a clear indicator of America’s increasing multiculturality.

Ultimately, the video offers a fascinating look into how food availability, world events, and cultural trends influence our nutritional choices. It also can't help but make us wonder what the next 100 years will bring to the dinner table. It’s early days yet, but the smart money is on insects.

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