We take a lot of foods for granted and never really think about where they came from or how they are made, or even who invented them. Here are a bunch of fun food-related facts, courtesy of Marlene Kouba, a long-time Hettinger County Farm Bureau and NDFB member.
Microwave popcorn was invented in 1946.
Tappen sold their first microwave oven for home use in 1955 that cost nearly $1300.
Dr. Pepper was first served in 1885 and was made with 23 flavors.
Corn is the only native-American grain.
Josephine Cochran invented the first working dishwasher in 1886.
Eggo waffles were first known as Froffles.
The coffee percolator was patented in 1865.
The Tootsie Roll was introduced in 1896.
Buckwheat and avocado honeys are great substitutes for molasses and dark com syrup.
Almond Joy debuted in 1946.
Americans eat about 25 lbs. of candy a year.
Tablecloths were originally designed for use as one big, commercial napkin.
Couscous is a form of pasta made from durum.
The Easy Bake Oven debuted in 1963.
Domino Sugar was trademarked in 1901. It was so named because the cubes resembled game tiles.
The twists in pretzels are made to look like arms crossed in prayer.
Ripe cranberries bounce and farmers test them that way before shipping.
Proctor & Gamble introduced Dreft, the first detergent for home use, in 1933.
Dairy Queen opened its doors in 1940 with cones only costing 5 cents.
Kraft Mac & Cheese appeared in 1937 and today about 1 million packages are sold per day.
Green Giant Great Big Tender Peas was trademarked in 1927. The green giant mascot was influenced by Grimms' Fairy Tales.
Farmers were 18% of the labor force in 1940. They are less than 2% today.