Atomic Lunchboxes and TV Dinners: Food Safety and Fear in the Cold War Era

September is National Food Safety Education Month, a time dedicated to raising awareness about safe practices that prevent foodborne illness. But the story of food safety can be found before the science and regulations in the historic changes in the relationship between the land, the economy, society, and the federal government during the second half of the 20^th century.

In this dynamic lecture filled with images and awesome videos, food policy professor and author Dr. Darin Detwiler explains how multiple factors throughout the 20^th century impacted consumers’ relationship with food and nutrition.  Topics discussed include the federal nutrition programs free and reduced lunches) for children at schools, the feeding of troops, the movement of population (and jobs) to urban centers, post-WWII consumerism, malls, television, advertising to kids, cereal boxes and lunch boxes, frozen foods, TV dinners, fast food, and more.  Oh – and somehow he manages to incorporate submarines, Star Trek, and the Six Million Dollar Man!

Watch now: “COLD WAR ERA 1: NSLP, Lunch Boxes, Cereal Boxes, TV Dinners” [16:24]

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