Better Than Homemade: Amazing Foods That Changed the Way We Eat Book

(1)Who put the Minute in Minute Rice? (2)What, exactly, is Spam? (3)And why do Pringles come in a tennis ball can?

Discover the answers to all these questions and more in Better Than Homemade, a freewheeling illustrated history of the packaged foods industry. From Green Giant and Hamburger Helper to Jiffy Pop and Jell-O, syndicated columnist Carolyn Wyman reveals the fascinating origins of your favorite "food" products -- along with never-before published advertisements, innovative packaging (cheese in a can!?), and hilarious "unauthorized uses."
You'll learn that Birds Eye frozen foods were invented by an Arctic adventurer; Kool-Aid got its start from an 11-year-old entrepreneuer; and Twinkies were once used to capture a gang of escaped baboons. Perfect for fans of the Food Network's Unwrapped, this guide is the ultimate paean to processed pleasures!

(1) Afghan prince Attaullah Durrani, who brought the idea to General Foods.
(2) According to Spam's website, "Pork shoulder and ham, mostly." Mostly?!
(3) To answer consumer complaints that potato chips were greasy and broke too easily.

Publishers Weekly

In an effort that will perhaps be best enjoyed by baby boomers who have yet to overdose on the Food Network, Wyman (Spam: A Biography; Jell-O: A Biography) unwraps 46 very familiar products to reveal their histories, revel in their mysteries and devour their marketing ploys. Anyone still intrigued by Hamburger Helper, Twinkies, Wonder Bread and Jiffy Pop will enjoy the efforts at wordplay ("Velveeta, All-American Hunk") and the concise narratives (the saga of Minute Rice in a two-minute read). Trivia connoisseurs will be happy to learn it takes more than 90 minutes a day to wash the walls and floors at the Marshmallow Fluff factory and that "among Hispanics with Caribbean roots, Clamato (and most other shellfish-based foods) is considered an aphrodisiac." Odder than the inclusion of Beer Nuts in a chapter entitled "Triumphs of Technology" is the fact that Instant Mashed Potatoes and Minute Rice are delegated to the more humble "Homemaker Helpers" section. Most interesting is the chapter on "Marketing Marvels," which explores Jell-O flavors that are no longer available, the voice behind the classic SpaghettiOs jingle and the birth of the Jolly Green Giant. The book's graphics sparkle and should induce cravings for Mrs. Paul's Fish Sticks and a nice Hawaiian Punch. (Oct.) Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.