# What is the most impressive food invention? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 1, 2009, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-impressive-food-invention/508478 "2009-09-01T13:33:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![the\_first\_supraliminal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f475e1/32.png) [@the\_first\_supraliminal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/the_first_supraliminal)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2009, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-impressive-food-invention/508478/1 "2009-09-01T13:33:59Z")
We’ve all heard “Best thing since sliced bread” and wondered if that was really the top food invention. What do you think? Spam? Toaster Strudel, Rice-a-Roni? Or farther back, the pretzel? ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2009, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-impressive-food-invention/508478/2 "2009-09-01T13:37:09Z")
Preserved food, easily. Whether dried, canned, salted, smoked, or freeze-dried, the ability to store food over long periods changed human life. It’s noteworthy that people came up with most of these before they had a theory for how they worked – Nicholas Appert was sealing and steaming food in champagne bottles long before Louis Pasteur was born. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2009, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-impressive-food-invention/508478/3 "2009-09-01T13:49:51Z")
I would say that genetically engineering food for higher yields ranks right up there. But that’s an “invention” that goes back some 10,000 years. You looking for something a little more modern? Preserving food is a good one. I’d say that refrigeration is a huge part of that. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2009, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-impressive-food-invention/508478/4 "2009-09-01T13:51:47Z")
Another vote for refrigeration. Mac and cheese is a close second. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Marlitharn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/779978/32.png) [@Marlitharn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marlitharn)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2009, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-impressive-food-invention/508478/5 "2009-09-01T14:04:45Z")
I’ll third refrigeration. Without it we’d have no pizza rolls. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2009, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-impressive-food-invention/508478/6 "2009-09-01T14:53:12Z")
twinkies, they last decades. canning is probably it, it can preserve more food types than other methods and for longer periods without further energy input. drying and salting don’t require further energy but are limited in food types and have a medium time period. cooling in the form of mechanical refrigeration requires energy and is short term. freezing requires lots of energy and is medium period. ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2009, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-impressive-food-invention/508478/7 "2009-09-01T14:59:53Z")
Aseptic packaging, aka “juice box.” ---
**Author:** ![Athena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/35a633/32.png) [@Athena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athena)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2009, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-impressive-food-invention/508478/8 "2009-09-01T15:58:40Z")
Good Lord, people, what are you thinking? Obviously the greatest food invention is alcohol. Beer, wine, and distilled spirits. I’m ashamed that I’m the first one to point this out. ---
**Author:** ![Valgard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/7feea3/32.png) [@Valgard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Valgard)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2009, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-impressive-food-invention/508478/9 "2009-09-01T15:59:13Z")
> [@johnpost](#): > > twinkies, they last decades. About three weeks, tops, from what I’ve read (Big Secrets and Wikipedia). ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2009, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-impressive-food-invention/508478/10 "2009-09-01T16:23:20Z")
> [@johnpost](#): > > twinkies, they last decades. > [@Valgard](#): > > About three weeks, tops, from what I’ve read (Big Secrets and Wikipedia). 30 seconds after opening. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2009, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-impressive-food-invention/508478/11 "2009-09-01T16:38:28Z")
Fluoride, toothpaste, and tooth brushes. They’ve given more to our enjoyment of food than any food I know. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2009, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-impressive-food-invention/508478/12 "2009-09-01T16:38:36Z")
Fire? ---
**Author:** ![Quercus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/7ab992/32.png) [@Quercus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quercus)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2009, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-impressive-food-invention/508478/13 "2009-09-01T16:52:32Z")
Well, I’d say cereal agriculture/storage is first, animal domestication second (mmm… bacon), and maybe third is domesticating spices. Salting/smoking meat and fish might sneak in there, too. For something from the last few millennia, I’d probably agree with some combination of canning/refrigeration/freezing. If we have to be specific, how about the Can Opener? ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2009, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-impressive-food-invention/508478/14 "2009-09-01T17:07:27Z")
> [@Quercus](#): > > Well, I’d say cereal agriculture/storage is first, animal domestication second (mmm… bacon), and maybe third is domesticating spices. Salting/smoking meat and fish might sneak in there, too. > > For something from the last few millennia, I’d probably agree with some combination of canning/refrigeration/freezing. \*\* If we have to be specific, how about the Can Opener?\*\* That was invented thirty years after the tin can. [History of canning.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canning#History_and_development_of_canning) > [@](#): > > Tin-openers were not invented for another thirty years — at first, soldiers had to cut the cans open with bayonets or smash them open with rocks. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2009, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-impressive-food-invention/508478/15 "2009-09-01T17:15:03Z")
Rocks. ---
**Author:** ![Baal\_Houtham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baal_houtham/32/13604_2.png) [@Baal\_Houtham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baal_Houtham)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2009, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-impressive-food-invention/508478/16 "2009-09-01T17:59:56Z")
> [@the\_first\_supraliminal](#): > > We’ve all heard “Best thing since sliced bread” and wondered if that was really the top food invention. > > What do you think? Spam? Toaster Strudel, Rice-a-Roni? Or farther back, the pretzel? It appears you’re looking for actual foodstuffs, rather than preservation techniques. Meat. Eating your fellow fauna. Major, major breakthrough. And if we move things forward into the age of extensively processed foods, ready-to-eat breakfast cereal is very nice. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2009, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-impressive-food-invention/508478/17 "2009-09-01T18:11:22Z")
If we’re talking about convenient, cheap, and filling (which is not to say nutritious or delicious), then I’m going with ramen noodles. ---
**Author:** ![thirdname](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d07c76/32.png) [@thirdname](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thirdname)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2009, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-impressive-food-invention/508478/18 "2009-09-01T18:30:23Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > If we’re talking about convenient, cheap, and filling (which is not to say nutritious or delicious), then I’m going with ramen noodles. I don’t understand the hype about Ramen noodles. I can eat them occasionally, but not every day. They’re unhealthy, and there are other cheap foods like pasta. I’d rather eat spaghetti, or beans and rice, or peanut-butter-and-jelly sandwiches. ---
**Author:** ![pbbth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f9ae1b/32.png) [@pbbth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pbbth)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2009, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-impressive-food-invention/508478/19 "2009-09-01T18:39:24Z")
Chocolate! ---
**Author:** ![Skara\_Brae](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f0a364/32.png) [@Skara\_Brae](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skara_Brae)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2009, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-impressive-food-invention/508478/20 "2009-09-01T18:50:10Z")
> [@pbbth](#): > > Chocolate! Better yet, whoever thought to put chocolate and peanut butter together… [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-impressive-food-invention/508478.md?page=2)