How the Other Half Ate: A History of Working-Class Meals at the Turn of the Century (Volume 48) (California Studies in Food and Culture)

In the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, working-class Americans had eating habits that were distinctly shaped by jobs, families, neighborhoods, and the tools, utilities, and size of their kitchens—along with their cultural heritage. How the Other Half Ate is a deep exploration by historian and lecturer Katherine Turner that delivers an unprecedented and thoroughly researched study of the changing food landscape in American working-class families from industrialization through the 1950s. Relevant to readers across a range of disciplines—history, economics, sociology, urban studies, women’s studies, and food studies—this work fills an important gap in historical literature by illustrating how families experienced food and cooking during the so-called age of abundance. Turner delivers an engaging portrait that shows how America’s working class, in a multitude of ways, has shaped the foods we eat today. In the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, working-class people’s food habits were shaped by their jobs; families; neighborhoods; the tools, utilities, and size of their kitchens; and their cultural heritage. Progressive reformers recorded much information about working-class food and helped shape the way that we think about food and class today. As new kitchen technology promised lighter cooking tasks, working-class people acquired second-hand tools, but often lacked the new utilities. Unlike middle-class people, the working class couldn’t and didn’t separate the kitchen from the rest of the house. Their kitchens were inefficient, hot, and cramped, but they were also central to family life. Buying and cooking food in urban working-class neighborhoods was exhausting daily work, but urban workers could also buy cooked food from bakeries, delis, small restaurants, and saloons. The high density of urban living discouraged home cooking but also offered opportunities for entrepreneurship. In rural industrial villages, home food production was a privilege: the poorest families lacked the resources to grow food, although they needed extra nutrition the most. Middle-class reformers saw poor women’s decision to buy cooked food as lazy, immoral, and unwomanly. Today we share not only the same concerns but also many of the same blind spots when we struggle to solve the problem of food and poverty In The Late Nineteenth And Early Twentieth Centuries, Working-class Americans Had Eating Habits That Were Distinctly Shaped By Jobs, Families, Neighborhoods, And The Tools, Utilities, And Size Of Their Kitchens - Along With Their Cultural Heritage. 'how The Other Half Ate' Is A Deep Exploration By Historian Katherine Leonard Turner That Delivers An Unprecedented And Thoroughly Researched Study Of The Changing Food Landscape In American Working-class Families From Industrialization Through The 1950s. Relevant To Readers Across A Range Of Disciplines - Jhistory, Economics, Sociology, Urban Studies, Women's Studies, And Food Studies - This Work Fills An Important Gap In Historical Literature By Illustrating How Families Experienced Food And Cooking During The So-called Age Of Abundance. Turner Delivers An Engaging Portrait That Shows How America's Working Class, In A Multitude Of Ways, Has Shaped The Foods We Eat Today.-- The Problem Of Food -- Factories, Railroads, And Rotary Eggbeaters: From Farm To Table -- Food And Cooking In The City -- Between Country And City: Food In Rural Mill Towns And Company Towns -- A Woman's Work Is Never Done: Cooking, Class, And Women's Work -- What's For Dinner Tonight? Katherine Leonard Turner. Includes Bibliographical References (pages 181-197) And Index. "In the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, working-class Americans had eating habits that were distinctly shaped by jobs, families, neighborhoods, and the tools, utilities, and size of their kitchens - along with their cultural heritage. 'How the Other Half Ate' is a deep exploration by historian Katherine Leonard Turner that delivers an unprecedented and thoroughly researched study of the changing food landscape in American working-class families from industrialization through the 1950s. Relevant to readers across a range of disciplines - jhistory, economics, sociology, urban studies, women's studies, and food studies - this work fills an important gap in historical literature by illustrating how families experienced food and cooking during the so-called age of abundance. Turner delivers an engaging portrait that shows how America's working class, in a multitude of ways, has shaped the foods we eat today."-- from the publisher In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, working-class Americans had eating habits that were distinctly shaped by jobs, families, neighbourhoods, and the tools, utilities, and size of their kitchens - along with their cultural heritage. This text is a deep exploration by historian and lecturer Katherine Turner that delivers an unprecedented and thoroughly researched study of the changing food landscape in American working-class families from industrialization through the 1950s Contents List of Illustrations Acknowledgments 1. The Problem of Food 2. Factories, Railroads, and Rotary Eggbeaters: From Farm to Table 3. Food and Cooking in the City 4. Between Country and City: Food in Rural Mill Towns and Company Towns 5. “A Woman’s Work Is Never Done”: Cooking, Class, and Women’s Work 6. What’s for Dinner Tonight? Notes Bibliography Index