9781422269947

The 1960s and the Siren Song of Convenience Foods

Before the 1960s, Americans cooked and ate most of their meals at home. When prepared convenience foods, such as frozen TV dinners, began to appear in the supermarket, people wanted to know how the foods were made. In 1962, President Kennedy created the Consumer Bill of Rights, which sought to guarantee the consumer’s “right to safety, right to be informed, right to choose, and right to be heard.” By 1966, the USDA ruled that all ingredients had to be listed on every product being sold across state lines.

When prepared convenience foods, such as frozen TV dinners, began to appear in supermarkets, people wanted to know how the foods were made.

Chapter 1: The Roller Coaster History of Food Labeling in the United States

15