Eating junk food—whether it’s having a juicy burger on a Friday night, some buttery popcorn during a movie, or a bag of crunchy chips for lunch—has become a staple part of American food culture. How did we get to this era of fast food, candy, and other high-calorie snacks that our society loves so much? Let’s take a look at the history of popular junk foods through the decades.
Much of 1950s junk food was created because of post-war social and economical changes, and much of these food innovations have affected American snacking over the years. As Americans worked more hours and had less time to cook, the invention of fast food appealed to many. McDonald’s expanded rapidly in the 1950s, with their signature hamburger and french fries becoming a national symbol for fast, cheap, and tasty food. With the rise of fast food also came the rise of sodas such as Coca-Cola and Pepsi, and this salty-sugary combination remains popular even today. This decade would set the stage for the explosion of convenience foods as junk food became woven into people’s everyday lives.
The 1960s saw an explosion of new junk foods, and it was the time when convenience foods like chips, pretzels, and candies gained immense popularity. Brands like Lay’s, Doritos, and Pringles became household names as they were perfect snacks for a variety of occasions, whether it be a road trip or a movie night. The 1960s and ‘70s also had a burst of color, size, and sugar. Fast food chains began experimenting with larger portions, with Burger King’s Whopper competing with the iconic McDonald’s Big Mac. Sugary and colorful cereals like Froot Loops and Lucky Charms emerged in the 1970s; this emergence of sugar-packed foods would introduce foods that would remain beloved for generations. This expansion of the junk food industry set the stage for an even greater expansion of fast food, snacks, and sugary treats that would follow in the 1980s and beyond.
In the 1980s, fast food continued to expand, with super-sized meals dominating the menus. With the success of the Whopper and Big Mac, fast food chains continued to create larger portion sizes, including massive cups and bottles for soda as well as mega-sized fry containers. Other companies like Pizza Hut, Taco Bell, and Wendy’s grew rapidly throughout the country, and this era began looking more and more like the fast food industry we know today. The 1980s and ‘90s also gave rise to microwavable snacks like Hot Pockets and Totino’s Pizza Rolls that could provide a convenient snack or meal. The 1990s also brought “low-fat” and “diet” junk foods like Diet Coke and Pepsi One as consumers’ awareness around health grew.
The beginning of a new millenium also saw new innovations in junk food, including the mix of sweet and savory as well as healthier alternatives to some foods. The 2000s popularized snacks like chocolate-covered pretzels and bacon-flavored foods, and other peculiar combinations of foods were also released by fast food chains. The 2000s and 2010s also brought more focus on healthier and more organic ingredients with some people more interested in protein bars, kale chips, and fruit-based snacks, but regardless, the classics like burgers, pizza, and fries still remained as popular as ever. Moreover, food culture was drastically changed with the introduction of social media in the 2010s, as many junk foods became massive trends online, including the cronut (a cross between a croissant and doughnut) and Starbucks’s Unicorn Frappuccino.
From the Big Macs of the 1960s to the viral food trends popular today and every sweet, savory, or spicy snack in between, junk food has evolved and changed through the decades of society’s many advancements. Whether it’s a simple snack of a bag of chips or the latest over-the-top creation, junk food continues to play a crucial role in the culinary world and most likely will for many decades to come. We’re all along for this delicious ride, so grab your favorite snack; no matter how much the world changes, we can always find room for a little junk food in our lives.
