Food timeline 1940-2001

1940, cellophane-wrapped meat
1940, Dairy Queen
1940, McDonald's
1940, Rain-Blo gum ball
1940, York Peppermint Patty
1941, Cheerioats
(renamed Cheerios in 1946)
1941, garbage disposal
1941, M&M's Plain chocolate candies
1942, Dannon yogurt
1942, Kellogg's Raisin Bran
1942, Sunbeam bread
1944, Chiquita banana jingle
1945, Constant Comment tea
1945, Fleischmann's Active Dry Yeast
1945, Junior Mints
1945, Tupperware
1946, French's Instant Potatoes
1946, Minute Maid frozen o.j.
1946, Mrs. Paul's frozen food
1946, Ragu pasta sauce
1946, Tupperware
1947, Almond Joy
1947, aluminum foil
1947, cake mix
1947, Kraft singles
1947, Minute Maid o.j. concentrate
1947, Reddi-Wip
1948, Baskin-Robbins
1948, Nestle's Quik
1948, V-8 juice
1949, electric dishwasher
1949, Jolly Rancher candy
1949, Junior Mints
1949, Minute Rice
1949, Pillsbury Bake-Off
1949, Whoppers malted milk balls
1949, violet M&Ms replaced with tan

 

1950, Ball-O-Fire gumball
1950, cyclamates
1950, Dunkin' Donuts
1950, Green Giant Co.
1950, Sugar Pops cereal
1951, Ore-Ida Foods
1951, Swanson beef, chicken,
turkey pot pies
1951, Tropicana juice
1952, fish sticks
1952, Kellogg's Frosted Flakes
1952, Lipton onion soup mix
1952, No-cal Ginger Ale,
1st sugar-free soft drink
1952, Pez comes to the U.S.
1952, Saran Wrap
1953, Cheez Whiz
1953, Danny's Donuts opens
(became Denny's in 1959)
1953, Howdy Doody tumbler
from Welch's
1953, Irish coffee invented in
S.F.'s Buena Vista Cafe
1953, Lawry's spaghetti sauce
1953, Sugar Smacks cereal
1953, Swanson TV dinner
1954, Burger King
1954, Butterball turkey
1954, colored appliance (G.E.)
1954, M&M's Peanut Candies
1954, Reddi-wip
1954, Shakey's pizza opens
1954, Trix
1955, Del Monte stewed tomatoes
1955, Kentucky Fried Chicken
1955, McDonald's
1955, Special K cereal
1956, Imperial margarine
1957, Sweet'n Low
1958, aluminum beverage can
(Coors)
1958, Cocoa Krispies, Kellogg
1958, Cocoa Puffs, General Mills
1958, Green Giant canned beans
1958, Internation House of Pancakes
1958, Jif Peanut Butter
1958, Lipton Instant Tea
1958, Pizza Hut (Wichita, KS)
1958, Rice-a-Roni
1958, Williams-Sonoma opens
1959, Haagen-Dazs ice cream
1959, Frosty O's, General Mills

 

1970, Eggo waffles
1970, Hamburger Helper
1971, canned A&W Root Beer
1971, Jell-O pudding treat
1971, Rolos candy
1971, smoked Spam
1971, Starbucks
1972, Egg McMuffin
1972, Top Ramen
1972, Tuna Helper
1973, Cuisinart food processor
1973, Honey Maid cinnamon grahams
1976, Jelly Belly
1976, orange M&M's
1977, McDonald's Happy Meal
1977, Yoplait yogurt
1978, Reese's Pieces

1981, aspartame
1981, Prego spaghetti sauce
1981, Stouffer's Lean Cuisine
1982, Diet Coke
1982, Equal
1983, Nutrasweet
1984, Ben & Jerry's ice cream
1985, Cherry Coke
1985, New Coke
1985, Pop Secret microwave
popcorn
1986, Classic Coke
1987, Cherry 7-Up
1987, Nestlé Alpine White chocolate bar
1987, soy milk
1989, Symphony candy bar

1990, Campbell's cream of
broccoli soup
1990, dolphin-safe tuna
1990, Hershey's kisses with almonds
1990, Jamba Juice
1992, Crystal Pepsi
1992, Spam Lite
1993, The Food Network
1993, Hershey's Hugs
1995, blue M&Ms
1996, Olestra
1998, Jell-O Museum, Rochester, NY
1998, Pepsi One
1998, Wow potato chips
1999, Benecol
1999, Hershey's Bites
1999, Incredibles, push-up food

 

2000, Betasweet carrot,
bred to be a powerful
antioxidant
2000, Heinz green ketchup
2000, pre-cut carrots and celery sticks
2001, Boston Market Homestyle Meals
2001, Chicken of the Sea Tuna Salad Kits
2001, Heinz purple ketchup
2001, It's Pasta Anytime