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Natives on good terms with the colonists would teach them ways of hunting and growing food to survive and sustain themselves in the New World.

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Colonists learned the growing methods of the Natives, like the three sisters. They didn't opt to eat many vegetables as they associated them with causing sickness. They also hunted and fished for animals native to areas in Eastern America and the Atlantic.

When it came to drinks, the water was contaminated, and milk was scarce. Colonists would drink apple cider, other alcohols, and tea for hydration.

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Some native tribes were nomadic as they followed the hunt: their source of food, and relocate often. 

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As colonists had come from the Old World, their standards of eating were higher (in their opinion) than those of the Natives. They didn't always settle in one place, and they moved alongside their hunt. Additionally, their eating habits were deemed unsightly by the colonists.

With the customary eating habits from the Old World and the limited resources in the New World, the colonists had a rustic structural eating style. They would gather and eat together with limited seating and table space. Seating was usually given to the man of the house during the meal. They had limited utensils and ate with a knife and their hands. *Later in the early 18th century, if forks were available, they were limited to those with status, money, and/or power.

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Women within the household dealing with the fire, churning butter, or making bread.

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Cooking in the New World was difficult, as maintaining a fire required a lot of work. Women would either cook on an open fire or, later, adjust to hearths in their homes to cook and keep warm. They would make butter or cheese, bake bread, boil meat stew or porridge with corn.

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Their midday meal may have consisted of fowl, deer, or other meats from hunting. 

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Colonists would dedicate 2-3 times throughout the day to eating. The morning meal consisted of cold porridge or hash made from corn. The midday meal was the most important and contained the majority of the protein. It was typically a meat and vegetable pie/stew. The evening meal would be light and consisted of cold leftovers from the midday meal.

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A biblical refrence of a man eating pottage

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Colonists still feared eating vegetables, especially when raw, as they were believed to cause sickness, but Pottage helped increase their usage. It was only when vegetables were cooked, brined, and pickled that their "medicinal" qualities were potent. Vegetables were also associated with peasants and the poor, which pushed others to avoid eating them raw.

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The Four Humors are sweet, bitter, sour, salty or hot, wet, dry, and cold—so on and so forth. These humors have associations with sickness and the body and further signified the importance of a diet. The four humors balance people as they eat, opposing their illness, as shown on the humor chart. This began the thought that moist and warm foods were the ideal food types people should eat.

Due to the Four Humors, people were still pushed away from vegetables because they were uncooked and not warm and moist.

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Cellars underground were common to keep root vegetables from spoiling for a longer period of time

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Long-term food preservation became popular as the colonies grew more stable and independent. One method was creating underground root cellars to store carrots, turnips, cabbages, and onions.

In some areas, they allowed hogs to graze freely until they needed to be slaughtered. This provided a stable meat source that could be preserved in various ways.

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A family eating at a formal setting and dining table rather than the rustic habits previously. 

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By the mid-to-late 1700s, formal dining rituals became more transparent throughout the country as a way to escape colonial struggles and move toward prosperity. One form of dining ritual was eating in a formal setting, such as a dining room with all the family members. Cutlery, adornments, and education were now commonalities at the dining table.

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Enslaved African Americans carrying baskets of items.

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With the increase of enslaved, the push for vegetable use and African root vegetables on the table became more rampant (especially in the south). Some vegetables included collard greens, yams, okra, and black-eyed peas.

The country became more dependent on trading goods like sugar and rice. Enslaved who tended to these plantations also worked as servants for slave owners, leading to the development of Southern soul food. Different parts of animals that weren't the most commonly used were used for the enslaved and other things like fried chicken.

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Women and servants cooking in a kitchen 

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With new cooking techniques, technology, and French influence, food began to be served with taste in mind rather than just sustenance. Now, with the ability to enjoy the finer things instead of struggling during colonial times, food can be enjoyed and have vibrant flavors.

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A man courting a young woman during a tea gathering. 

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Afternoon tea was a social gathering for the elite and those who could afford the time and money. It was used courting and the ceremonial acts of tea drinking became a language. The finest ceramics, silverware and decor symbolized power and money.

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With new technological advancements, from milling to commercializing, flour usage, and the cookstove surged. Baking became a more common practice.

Foods made during this era include muffins, biscuits, cobblers, and bread.

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Example of French food courses served in America

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With the French emigrating to America, adopting habits advanced the culinary world. Food had started being served in order of courses, and certain meals were served for each course—soup, meat, salad, and dessert.

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A mill girl working in a textile mill in the 1800s

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The disparity between the affluent and the less fortunate became apparent regarding food. Factory workers' meal times were limited to at least 2-30 minute breaks during a 14-hour work day. The food consisted of low-quality food made by their in-house matrons.

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A simpler dining room during the victorian era

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A change in aesthetics in the dining room also came with the French Influence on food: gothic statements, centerpieces, and family gatherings. The dining table was where children could be educated on manners and social matters and have a sense of family.

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A kitchen in the 1900s where everything is easily accessible 

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With America advancing quickly, kitchen setups and new electronic devices came to light. The refrigerator, toaster, and other appliances were developed, the less work was needed in the kitchen.

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Men eating lunch on a beam of a developing skyscraper

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The end of the Victorian era threatened the family dinner due to fewer servants. The changes brought by new technologies and the end of the Civil War forced a simplified version of dinner time. Additionally, with more immigrants, the familial dinner in the privacy of home, and new cuisines, the American dinner was forced to change with the times.

Additionally, meals in unconventional places became more common for people who had to work more.

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Popcorn and Potato Chips were some of the most popular snacks in the developing snacking era

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Before the Industrial Revolution, snacking was associated with gluttony and considered inappropriate. However, due to commercialization and marketing tactics, it became more common to snack to manage hunger until the next meal.

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The cereal brand packaging sealed the cereal inside and became a marketable posterboard

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Advertising and new advancements in packaging helped many food businesses soar. Package advertising increased the sales of the product and the packages it self ensured the purity and cleanliness of the food items.

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Children eating a balanced lunch in a school

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Science began developing, and doctors, researchers, and even parents promoted the understanding of vitamins and nutrition needed for younger people. During WWI and WWII, having a good diet became more prominent due to people not passing health exams and having malnutrition.