On October 4, 2026
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Weird History Food · S1E17 — What Was the Most Popular Junk Food From Every Decade In the 20th Century?
Season 1 episodes
1. Who Was the Real Colonel Sanders?Apr 24, 2022
2. The Dark and Seedy Origins of Wonder BreadMay 1, 2022
3. Zima Was Popular in the 90s -- Until People Tasted ItMay 8, 2022
4. Chuck E. Cheese's Origin Story Is Sadder Than You RememberMay 15, 2022
5. Women Dominated The Beer Industry...Until They Were Declared WitchesMay 22, 2022
6. Olestra | The Miracle Fat Substitute That Became a Pop-Culture PunchlineMay 29, 2022
7. Do You Remember The Giant Pizza Wars From the 90s?Jun 5, 2022
8. How The California Raisins Became a National PhenomenonJun 12, 2022
9. How SlimFast Became A Billion-Dollar Diet Craze MachineJun 19, 2022
10. The Convoluted History Of McDonald's CharactersJun 26, 2022
11. The Rise and Fall of Planet HollywoodJul 3, 2022
12. Every Pizza Style We Could Find In the United StatesJul 10, 2022
13. Who Was the Real Chef Boyardee?Jul 17, 2022
14. Do You Remember the Cola Wars: Coca-Cola vs. Pepsi?Jul 24, 2022
15. The Rise and Fall of McDonald's Arch DeluxeJul 31, 2022
16. The Spicy and Surprising History of DoritosAug 7, 2022
17. What Was the Most Popular Junk Food From Every Decade In the 20th Century?Aug 14, 2022
18. The Real Willy Wonka | The Food Scientist Behind Your Favorite Junk FoodAug 21, 2022
19. Who Was Mac Tonight? McDonald's Moon Man MascotAug 28, 2022
20. Candies That Were Pulled for Being Too DangerousSep 4, 2022
21. Every Style of Hot Dog We Could Find Across the USSep 11, 2022
22. The Gooey History of VelveetaSep 18, 2022
23. The History of the Frozen PizzaSep 25, 2022
24. Every BBQ Style We Could Find In the United StatesOct 2, 2022
25. The Rise and Fall of the Hooters RestaurantOct 9, 2022
26. Bologna or Baloney? The History of Your Favorite Lunch MeatOct 16, 2022
27. Stories About Your Favorite Halloween CandyOct 23, 2022
28. Is the Razorblades In Apples Halloween Story Actually Real?Oct 30, 2022
29. National Foods We Got WrongNov 6, 2022
30. The History of the Big MacNov 13, 2022
31. Weirdest Fast Food Menu Items From Foreign CountriesNov 17, 2022
32. American Foods That Are Banned In Other CountriesNov 20, 2022
33. Everyday Fruits And Veggies That Were Actually Man MadeNov 24, 2022
34. Breakfast Cereals We Wish They Would Bring BackNov 27, 2022
35. Dishes That Are Much Older Than We RealizedDec 1, 2022
36. The Delicious History of TV DinnersDec 4, 2022
37. Dave Thomas The Man Behind Wendy'sDec 11, 2022
38. How the Waffle House Was BuiltDec 18, 2022
39. Unusual Facts About ChocolateDec 22, 2022
40. Some Crunchy and Creamy Facts About Peanut ButterDec 25, 2022Synopsis
The 20th century witnessed the rise of a culinary category now often dismissed, yet profoundly influential: junk food. From humble beginnings, these treats evolved into a ubiquitous part of American life, with surprising longevity. Prior to the Industrial Revolution, such foods were largely homemade, produced in small quantities. However, the advent of steel mills and steam power spurred a societal transformation that extended beyond mere utility. Food science advanced alongside increasingly sop
