Meal Patterns: The Nineteenth Century

The traditional meal pattern began to change during the mid-nineteenth century, due in part to the growth of cities and the shifting occupations of American men. The first meal to change was dinner. As towns and cities grew, it became more difficult for workers to return home for dinner at midday as the distance between the home and the place of work increased. Workers earning an hourly wage did not have paid lunch breaks, so they tended to eat as quickly as possible. And if a husband and wife both worked, a relaxed noontime meal at home with the family was out of the question.