The American Diet has undergone many changes since the early 1900s. At the start of the 20th century, most Americans ate a diet rich in whole, unprocessed foods. Fresh vegetables, grains, and meats were staples in their diet. They were often sourced locally or even grown at home! Meals were prepared from scratch, and the refrigerator was considered a luxury item. Today, Americans eat much more sugar and processed snacks. According to Ballard Brief, “50% of daily calories eaten [are] being sourced from [Processed Foods].” However, about a century ago, those foods were rare and were not consumed daily. As America industrialized and urbanized, food production changed drastically.
America’s Diet in the Early 1900s
In the 1900s, the average meal for an American included a type of meat — typically pork or beef. Bread was also very common; it could be eaten with butter, jam, or lard for breakfast and paired with cheese, soup, or a preserved meal for a lighter evening meal. Potatoes were often eaten as a side dish as they were inexpensive and widely available. They could be prepared in various ways such as boiled, mashed, fried, or baked. The only beverages drank at this time were occasional alcoholic drinks.
America’s Diet Today
Nowadays, instead of locally sourced food, supermarkets and fast food restaurants are the main food source. A BMJ study found that around 60% of an American’s calories are from ultra‑processed foods, which are the main source of added sugars. Additionally, approximately 50% of Americans eat fast food at least twice a week, if not more. Alternatively, compared to the 1900s, side dishes haven’t changed very much; french fries and mashed potatoes are still included in the typical diet. Meanwhile, sweetened beverages and sauces have become extremely common. There are larger portions and higher calorie intakes than in the past. With fewer vegetables and more fried foods, less fiber and more calorie-dense foods are being consumed.
Health & Technology
These diet changes can be seen in the overall health of the American population. Since the mid-20th century, rates of obesity, Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and hypertension have increased. According to the CDC, obesity in American adults has more than tripled since the 1960s.
Many factors have affected why the change in diet has occurred such as technology. The widespread adoption of household technologies like refrigerators and microwaves in the mid-20th century made it easier to store and reheat food, encouraging the development of frozen dinners and instant meals. Additionally, wartime innovations such as canned and shelf-stable goods — originally created to feed soldiers — became mainstream in civilian diets after World War II, laying the groundwork for today’s convenience food culture.
Over the last century, the American diet has shifted dramatically from fresh, locally sourced meals made at home to fast food, frozen dinners, and heavily processed snacks. While staples like meat, bread, and potatoes have remained, the way they’re prepared and consumed has changed entirely. Technological advances like refrigeration and microwaves helped pave the way for today’s convenience-driven eating habits. As processed foods and sugary beverages have become everyday items, health problems like obesity and diabetes have risen sharply. This dramatic shift reflects not just changing food choices, but a broader transformation in American lifestyles and priorities — moving from slow, homemade meals to fast, calorie-dense convenience.
Image Credit: 2SIF
Works Cited:
Casto, Rae. “The Typical American Family Diet in 1908 | Livestrong.com.” LIVESTRONG.COM, 3 June 2011, www.livestrong.com/article/461209-the-typical-american-family-diet-in-1908/. Accessed 3 July 2025.
Grover, Emily. “The Overconsumption of Ultra-Processed Foods in the United States.” Ballard Brief, 2024, ballardbrief.byu.edu/issue-briefs/the-overconsumption-of-ultra-processed-foods-in-the-united-states. Accessed 3 July 2025.
Howard, Brandon, and Kris Henry. “Ultraprocessed Foods Account for More than Half of Calories Consumed at Home | Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.” Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 10 Dec. 2024, publichealth.jhu.edu/2024/ultraprocessed-foods-account-for-more-than-half-of-calories-consumed-at-home. Accessed 3 July 2025.
Martínez Steele, Eurídice, et al. “Ultra-Processed Foods and Added Sugars in the US Diet: Evidence from a Nationally Representative Cross-Sectional Study.” BMJ Open, vol. 6, no. 3, Jan. 2016, p. e009892, bmjopen.bmj.com/content/6/3/e009892, https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2015-009892. Accessed 11 July 2025.
“Obesity — United States, 1999–2010.” Cdc.gov, 2025, www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/su6203a20.htm? Accessed 3 July 2025.
Park, Alice. “You Won’t Believe How Much Processed Food Americans Eat.” TIME, Time, 9 Mar. 2016, time.com/4252515/calories-processed-food/? Accessed 3 July 2025.