Three Squares: The Invention of the American Meal

Food historian Carroll's first book is a comprehensive look at the formation of the American meal. Though the author was initially motivated by her interest in the concept of snacking, she soon realized that there are reasons for the way Americans eat that are continually evolving, where meals are defined by their relationship to one another. After laying the groundwork for eating habits in colonial America, she takes the reader, from dinner to breakfast, on a tour of mealtime history, finishing off with a discussion on snacks and a meditation on the future of the American meal. Readers will find a number of interesting facts here, such as a reference to an early 1900s attempt to centralize cooking through cooperative housekeeping clubs. The work is extensively referenced: nearly 60 pages are given to chapter notes and the select bibliography, while almost two dozen illustrations provide a visual interlude.