Edible America: How and What We Eat - CAST Documentary Program

This presentation will look at the history of American cuisine since 1945, to examine a few key events that radically changed how and what Americans eat. Over the past 70 years, the country transformed from a relatively wholesome and nourishing food system, to what a critic might call a “Cheez-Whiz food culture,” laden with fats, sugar, and ultra-processed unhealthy foods. Today, six in ten American deaths can be attributed to diet-related causes. Even the Dean of Public Policy at Duke University has said that Americans currently live in a “toxic food environment.” How did this come to be? And is it really that bad? We’ll explore a few crises — how the race riots of 1967-68, and the economic problems of the early 1970s — led to policies that attempted to help solve these challenges but instead led to a radical change in what Americans eat. From 1967 to 1999, spending on fast food went from 14.3% of eating out receipts to 35.5% as the government partnered with major food corporations to flood the landscape with cheaper, faster, more highly processed (and unhealthy) foods. Professor Pietrobon will explore the past 70 years of American food history, as well as the political and public fights over what and how we eat. He’ll examine the unintended consequences of how choices by the government, ad agencies, and major food corporations helped to transform America into what food writer Greg Crister calls “the fattest nation on earth.” Provided by the CAST Senior Center, our Documentary Programs provide an endless variety of interesting subjects in a prerecorded, professional film format. They take us across the country and around the world, experiencing and learning about places and people which we wouldn’t otherwise have the opportunity to experience. Our documentaries are entertaining, informative, and inspiring. They offer a unique and powerful form of storytelling that captures your attention and provoke thought and discussion. Scheduled every Tuesday afternoon, unless noted, at 1pm at the CAST Senior Center, our Documentary Programs are free and open to the public. There are no membership dues, and everyone is welcome to attend. Programming is provided by Curiosity U and other online providers. Check out our documentary program schedule every month and join us. We look forward to seeing you!