The American Century Cookbook by Jean Anderson (Clarkson N. Potter, 1997) is a treasure trove of 20th century food information. Mixed among the recipes are short articles about the introduction of many foods, including Kool-Aid, Coca- Cola, Ritz crackers, Fritos, and, yes, Kraft Macaroni & Cheese! It also gives historical background of recipes; for example, the proliferation of Jell-O and Campbell's Soup-based recipes that appeared with the introduction of those foods. For example, here's the facts given on M&Ms: They were introduced in 1941 in six colors: red, green, yellow, orange, brown, and violet. Tan replaced violet in 1949, and blue replaced tan in 1995. Peanut M&Ms were added in 1954. In the 1980s, space shuttle astronauts asked for M&Ms to be included in their rations. Can you tell I love this book? :-) The author is a food writer and cookbook author, and her sources are well documented. Hope this helps! Jennifer Leo In a message dated 99-02-18 15:08:57 EST, you write: << -----Original Message----- From: Jack Lufkin [SMTP:[log in to unmask]] Sent: February 18, 1999 10:40 AM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: food history Okay you diligent historians out there!! What is the definitive, must have, book which accurately documents the history of the food industry in the USA in the twentieth century, one that explains production and packaging changes, the introduction of new foods like M & Ms and macaroni and cheese, etc. I need a reliable narrative reference tool. Thanks and have a good lunch! >>