I Love The 90s: Food History (Patreon)

Published:

2024-02-26 16:21:12

Imported:

2026-06

Content

Because you can't get enough 1990s history and you're patiently waiting on episode 3 of Lexual Does The 90s, enjoy this episode of I Love The 90s! Which fast foods failed in the 1990s? What were popular foods in the 1990s? Why did George Bush hate broccoli and why did Bill Clinton's eating habits come under scrutiny? How were movements for healthier foods and more choices attacked by right-wing media icons like Rush Limbaugh? How did NAFTA change American dining and grocery stores?

Watch to find out. A crossword puzzle pdf for this episode is attached. You can access the online version here.

Sources and Further Reading

Intro/General

Fast Food Nation (Eric Schlosser)

From Scratch: Inside The Food Network (Allen Salkin)

https://tastecooking.com/1990s-moments-changed-way-think-food/

https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1991-03-27-fi-918-story.html

https://greensboro.com/1990s-put-brakes-on-80s-excess-food-in-the-centurys-final-decade-was-all-about/article_d287073d-6c2b-5497-9adb-6ca2eea98f04.html

1990

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YqYcKd8EILs

https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1991-03-14-9101230579-story.html

https://www.mcall.com/1991/04/17/miniature-meals-packaged-dinners-for-children-feed-growing-hunger-for-convenience/

https://www.myownmeals.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/1990-Newsweek-February-26.pdf

https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1990-07-17-fi-263-story.html

https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=bjkdAAAAIBAJ&sjid=6KUEAAAAIBAJ&pg=5797,2752139&dq=looney-tunes-meals&hl=en

https://www.nytimes.com/1990/03/23/us/i-m-president-so-no-more-broccoli.html

https://smartpolitics.lib.umn.edu/2013/07/09/george-hw-bush-hater-of-brocco/

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/food/wp/2018/12/05/as-president-george-h-w-bush-never-wavered-from-his-hard-line-on-broccoli/

https://www.newspapers.com/article/91229950/bushs-broccoli-bashing-steams/

https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1990-03-27-mn-263-story.html

https://www.princeton.edu/news/2013/07/25/princeton-researcher-digs-contested-peanut-allergy-epidemic

https://www.mic.com/articles/125970/when-the-hell-did-everyone-become-allergic-to-peanuts

https://www.atlasobscura.com/foods/original-mcdonalds-french-fry#:~:text=In%201990%2C%20the%20company%20announced,McDonald's%20stock%20fell%208.3%20percent.

https://www.newspapers.com/image/748832944/

https://www.tampabay.com/archive/1991/08/29/come-on-george-give-broccoli-another-try/

https://www.newspapers.com/image/338024887/

https://www.tampabay.com/archive/1990/09/17/school-systems-are-turning-to-fast-food-outlets/

https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1993-10-24-hl-49098-story.html

https://www.upi.com/Archives/1990/08/21/McDonalds-to-open-in-school-cafeteria/7380651211200/

https://www.newspapers.com/image/207801751/

https://www.newspapers.com/image/539724204/

https://www.newspapers.com/image/871175361/

1991

https://www.nytimes.com/1991/02/28/us/company-ousts-gay-workers-then-reconsiders.html

https://scholar.lib.vt.edu/VA-news/ROA-Times/issues/1991/rt9102/910215/02150696.htm

https://www.snackstack.net/p/the-snack-that-was-the-chip-of-the

https://www.newspapers.com/image/579293741/

https://www.newspapers.com/image/268584039/?terms=mcdonalds%20catfish&match=1

https://www.newspapers.com/image/237792799/

https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.esquire.com%2Fentertainment%2Fa36439327%2Fplanet-hollywood-origin-story-history-interview%2F&psig=AOvVaw3VNWzjFEwJYySSJYoRAy6M&ust=1704994124500000&source=images&cd=vfe&opi=89978449&ved=0CBUQjhxqFwoTCLiLt56s04MDFQAAAAAdAAAAABAa

1992

https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/food/1992/12/16/doesnt-clinton-deserve-a-break-today/677bafc3-a9b9-4929-b9a5-a84162245ee9/

https://www.nytimes.com/1992/07/15/garden/now-is-the-time-to-come-to-the-aid-of-your-favorite-cookies.html

https://time.com/4459173/hillary-bill-clinton-cookies-history/

https://qz.com/762881/the-blatantly-sexist-cookie-bake-off-that-has-haunted-hillary-clinton-for-two-decades-is-back

https://www.nytimes.com/1992/12/23/garden/bill-clinton-and-food-jack-sprat-he-s-not.html

https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1993-07-22-me-15752-story.html

https://www.tampabay.com/archive/1997/01/21/the-unwanted-perks-of-the-90s-coffee-craze/

https://www.sun-sentinel.com/1993/01/14/all-the-presidents-menus/

https://www.eastfork.com/journal/in-praise-of-marcella-hazan

https://www.newspapers.com/image/833939471/

https://scholar.lib.vt.edu/VA-news/ROA-Times/issues/1991/rt9102/910215/02150696.htm

https://tastecooking.com/snackwells-flavor-permissible-indulgence/

https://www.newspapers.com/image/527585036/

https://www.newspapers.com/image/289240136/

https://www.newspapers.com/image/744057694/

https://www.newspapers.com/image/1016519320/

https://www.newspapers.com/image/470782548/?clipping_id=126103792&fcfToken=eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJmcmVlLXZpZXctaWQiOjQ3MDc4MjU0OCwiaWF0IjoxNjg2Mjk1OTA5LCJleHAiOjE2ODYzODIzMDl9.iLeZkkXMG6XePnxPhBe4xXSSyYBm6EPdjGFhYte9-DM

https://web.archive.org/web/20200209033208/https://www.nytimes.com/1992/12/15/business/company-news-coke-adds-a-clear-cola-to-its-new-age-stable.html

https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/diet/themes/lowfat.html

https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1992/03/11/550992.html?pageNumber=49

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/rebuilding-the-food-pyramid/#:~:text=After%201992%20more%20and%20more,complex%20carbohydrates%20good%20for%20you.

https://www.newyorker.com/culture/kitchen-notes/how-marcella-hazan-became-a-legend-of-italian-cooking

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KPvyq_KmXhc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vGWjYEqW1f8

1993

https://www.nytimes.com/1993/10/21/business/the-media-business-advertising-once-again-burger-king-shops-for-an-agency.html?sec=&spon=&pagewanted=print

https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1993/01/29/hail-to-the-chief-from-chefs/72468f0e-392d-4605-a952-891b3c6c77a2/

https://slate.com/human-interest/2008/11/the-long-slow-torturous-death-of-zima.html

https://www.grubstreet.com/2017/11/early-days-food-network-oral-history.html

https://www.newyorker.com/business/currency/the-end-of-got-milk

https://www.newspapers.com/image/170774446/

https://www.newspapers.com/image/579840774/?terms=burger%20king%20dinner%20basket&match=1

https://web.archive.org/web/20041016183939/

https://home.pacifier.com/~ntierney/npr.htm

https://www.nytimes.com/1994/05/18/garden/eating-well-debate-over-milk-artificial-hormone-more-milk-more-confusion-what.html

https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1994/03/07/milk-it-may-not-do-a-body-good/8720490e-65c8-42cb-995f-21b9e85d2dee/

https://cases.justia.com/pennsylvania/superior-court/e02007_01.pdf?ts=1396142159

https://archive.triblive.com/news/doritos-lawsuit-crumbles-in-court/

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/03/us/lon-adams-dead.html

https://www.nytimes.com/1996/07/28/magazine/sunday-july-28-1996-you-are-there-slim-jim-present-at-the-creation.html?scp=4&sq=slim%20jim&st=cse

https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1993-09-02-fi-30895-story.html

https://www.politico.com/story/2011/03/restoring-sanity-to-legal-system-051095

https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1997-01-31-me-24090-story

1994

https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/the-rise-and-fall-of-fruitopia-the-trippiest-beverage-of-the-90s

https://web.archive.org/web/20170222054118/http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/1995-10-14/business/9510130929_1_coca-cola-beverages-new-age/

https://www.nytimes.com/1994/12/05/us/former-surgeon-general-begins-push-for-americans-to-slim-down.html

https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2002-dec-01-adna-food1-story.html

https://www.chronicle.com/article/step-away-from-the-coke-machine/

https://www.nytimes.com/1994/07/10/nyregion/snapple-challenged-in-wide-market.html

https://www.nytimes.com/1993/01/19/business/snapple-escapes-the-grip-of-rumors.html

https://www.starnewsonline.com/story/news/2002/11/13/twinkie-tax-marketing-to-kids/30499994007/

https://dash.harvard.edu/bitstream/handle/1/8846753/Sheu06.html?sequence=2&referrer=&lastReferrer=www.taxrates.com

https://www.newspapers.com/image/627449353/?terms=nafta&match=1

https://www.newspapers.com/image/324270442/

https://www.newspapers.com/image/142385289/

https://www.rd.com/article/hot-coffee-lawsuit/

https://www.nytimes.com/1994/12/15/opinion/get-slim-with-higher-taxes.html

https://www.healthday.com/health-news/public-health/the-fat-tax-a-controversial-tool-in-war-against-obesity-530229.html

https://www.sun-sentinel.com/1994/09/27/arch-supports-mcdonalds-says-homestyle-is-where-the-hearth-is/

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/how-did-avocados-become-the-official-super-bowl-food-8332793/

https://www.saveur.com/culture/food-history-tableside-guacamole/

https://www.nytimes.com/1994/11/03/business/pepsico-pushes-a-star-performer.html

https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1995-07-08-9507080039-story.html

https://www.supermarketnews.com/archive/hearth-express-closed

https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/rush-limbaugh-nicotine-addictive/

https://www.theguardian.com/news/1999/feb/12/food.science1

https://www.theguardian.com/science/1999/oct/05/gm.food

https://www.deseret.com/1992/10/6/19008834/chefs-boycott-genetically-altered-food

https://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/24/booming/you-call-that-a-tomato.html

https://www.newspapers.com/image/573589301/

https://www.newspapers.com/image/521491152/

https://www.newspapers.com/image/14531422/?clipping_id=50305798&fcfToken=eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJmcmVlLXZpZXctaWQiOjE0NTMxNDIyLCJpYXQiOjE3MDQ4OTUyMzIsImV4cCI6MTcwNDk4MTYzMn0.8rCgp_AYCodXZvycuMaaVh8N6RJb4AOKgJLNYPRSEl4

1995

https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/?date=19941205&slug=1945531

https://12ft.io/proxy?q=https%3A%2F%2Ftulsaworld.com%2Farchive%2F80s-power-lunch-has-yielded-to-90s-desk-lunch%2Farticle_68824f4f-fb0f-5a90-b436-8b98f268f413.html

https://earthlight.org/alicewaters23.html

https://web.archive.org/web/20130208082640/http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune_archive/2000/09/18/287706/

https://www.epicurious.com/about/epicurious-oral-history-article

https://www.sfgate.com/news/article/blue-gets-most-votes-in-m-m-color-contest-3038671.php

https://consumerfreedom.com/press-releases/70-seinfelds-soup-nazi-stars-as-food-cop-in-new-ad/

https://tastecooking.com/strawberry-and-kiwi-why/

https://www.saveur.com/recipes/history-of-the-frappuccino/

https://www.newspapers.com/image/155477056

https://www.newspapers.com/image/474364060/

https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1995/01/04/issue.html

1996

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0002822396000168

https://www.phillyvoice.com/two-decades-ago-taco-bell-convinced-america-it-had-bought-liberty-bell/

https://www.eater.com/22584033/mcdonalds-arch-deluxe-burger-discontinued-marketing-flop-andrew-selvaggio

https://www.pbs.org/tradesecrets/docs/alarscarenegin.html

https://www.etsy.com/listing/1462759516/monterey-restaurant-menu-1996-bubba-gump

https://www.newspapers.com/image/778447270/

https://www.hiltonheadmonthly.com/people/3629-chewing-the-cud-with-howard-lyman

1997

https://www.nytimes.com/1997/06/05/business/mcdonald-s-seeks-a-plan-for-the-90-s.html

https://www.newspapers.com/image/305732541/

https://www.newspapers.com/image/455042784/

https://www.washingtonpost.com › politics › 1998/12/17

https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2001-mar-14-fo-37251-story.html

https://www.nytimes.com/1994/10/16/us/ice-cream-linked-to-salmonella-in-15-states.html

https://www.newspapers.com/image/160025181/?terms=mario%20g%20obledo%20taco%20bell&match=1

https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1997/09/28/issue.html

https://www.nytimes.com/1997/08/22/us/25-million-pounds-of-beef-is-recalled.html

https://tastecooking.com/1990s-boom-californias-mexican-supermarkets/

https://www.nytimes.com/1997/12/11/business/burger-king-campaign-is-promoting-new-fries.html

https://www.deseret.com/1998/4/19/19375403/burger-king-s-new-fries-are-tasty-but-aren-t-real

https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/business/1997/11/18/burger-king-targets-fries-of-arch-rival/0fdb0a3d-18c1-4b8c-a3e8-e164002a49ed/

https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/document-view?p=NewsBank&docref=news/0EB423AE0B0A438D&f=basic

https://www.nytimes.com/1997/10/02/us/chocolate-toy-withdrawn.html

https://www.twincities.com/2007/11/23/chipotles-secret-never-show-the-burrito/

https://www.newspapers.com/image/762935871/

https://www.nytimes.com/1997/08/31/weekinreview/as-summer-ends-a-burger-war.html

https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1998-jul-14-fi-3450-story.html

https://www.newsweek.com/whose-food-it-anyway-175912

https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1998/02/27/oprah-winfrey-wins-case-filed-by-cattlemen/dd4612f5-ccbf-4e3d-a1c1-f84d1f4fd23c/

1998

https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1998-oct-07-fi-29998-story.html

https://www.texasmonthly.com/food/how-the-west-was-won-over/

https://www.nytimes.com/1998/01/21/us/talk-of-the-town-burgers-v-oprah.html

https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/1998/02/08/amarillo-weathering-worldwide-attention-oprah-lawsuit-brings-spotlight/62292267007/

https://archive.ph/20220204173134/

https://www.nytimes.com/1998/01/04/weekinreview/word-for-word-last-meals-for-the-condemned-in-texas-cheeseburgers-without-mercy.html

https://www.nytimes.com/1998/04/19/magazine/steal-this-burger.html

https://www.thefreelibrary.com/International+Cuisine+Reaches+America%27s+Main+Street.-a066762987

https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1998-03-27-9803270049-story.html

https://www.nytimes.com/1998/05/01/business/fickle-finger-fat-nabisco-gives-consumers-shun-snackwell-s-demanding-taste.html

1999

https://content.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,393733-1,00.html

https://www.nytimes.com/1999/08/19/business/food-lion-to-acquire-hannaford-brothers.html

https://www.deseret.com/1999/6/23/19452165/albertson-s-closing-on-its-huge-merger

https://www.economicliberties.us/our-work/supermarket-squeeze/

https://greensboro.com/innovations-in-food-for-the-90s/article_19c61fb4-baec-5a49-91e3-615a74ceede2.html

https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/1999/04/19/dont-eat-before-reading-this

https://www.vice.com/en/article/mb9q58/how-sex-and-the-city-ruined-the-cosmo

https://www.nytimes.com/1999/07/21/dining/for-a-thirsty-city-it-s-a-cocktail-summer.html

https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj97sep/979poll.htm

https://news.gallup.com/poll/156215/consider-themselves-vegetarians.aspx

https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/6cdcd8a7b87f4d24972f338e08a28d5e

Files

A 1990s History of Food

Which fast foods failed in the 1990s? What were popular foods in the 1990s? Why did George Bush hate broccoli and why did Bill Clinton's eating habits come under scrutiny? How were movements for healthier foods and more choices attacked by right-wing media icons like Rush Limbaugh? How did NAFTA change American dining and grocery stores? Because you can't get enough 1990s history and you're patiently waiting on episode 3 of Lexual Does The 80s, enjoy this episode of Intelexual Media's I Love The 90s! What foods were invented in the 1990s? (Hint: Honeycrisp Apples and more) Get answers to all of these food questions and more! [Samuel L Jackson, Slim Jims, Macho Man Randy Savage commercials, Oprah, beef, cattle, lawsuit, libel, Pulp Fiction, Big Kahuna Burger, Quintin Tarantino, Dan Quayle, Potato, Soup Nazi, Seinfeld, Spelling Bee, Dunkaroos, microwave meals, broccoli, Anthony Bourdain, grilled cheese, Burger King, Newmans Own, Trivia, Nostalgia, Burger King, McDonalds, Planet Hollywood, Bruce Willis, Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Red Lobster, diet, Barbara Bush, food pyramid, when was the food pyramid invented, macaroni and cheese recipes, 4 levels of, hillary clinton, fruit by the foot, 1990s commercials, ok soda, Zima, Michael Bay, Bad Boysm Breyers Veinetta, The Varsity Atlanta, McDonald's coffee, Stella Liebeck, Retro Report, Kelly Brownell, Twinkie Tax, Alice Walters, Wendy Kaufman, Snapple, KKK, hoax, Kiwi Strawberry, Paul McCartney vegetarianism, The Simpsons, Lisa Simpson becoming a vegetarian, when did vegetarianism become popular, veganism, Starbucks, tort reform, Got Milk commercial, Aaron Burr, Cafeteria in Chelsea, sex and the city, Taco Bell, Liberty Bell, foodborne illnesses, Eric Schlosser, Fast Food Nation, foodborne outbreaks, salmonella, E.Coli, fuaion, genocide, Magnolia Bakery, Balthazar, fine dining, Winco, Asian chicken salad, molten chocolate lava cake, olestra side effects, ozempic, Boston Market, rottiserie chicken, McDonalds Hearth Express, California snack tax 1991, doritos lawsuit] Love the content? Support for $1/month on https://patreon.com/intelexualmedia Sources, essays, exclusive videos, a podcast, reading lists, and much more are available ON PATREON.