85 Years Ago: The Best Thing

Photo by: JimmyMac210

I can’t let this month end without a word about sliced bread.

Eight-five years ago this July Chillicothe Baking Company in Chillicothe, Missouri introduced an automated machine that both sliced bread and wrapped it to keep it fresh.

We might take sliced bread for granted. And those who bake their own bread today probably enjoy making that first slice themselves more than anything in the world.  But in 1928 it was a game-changer.  With the pop-up electric toaster available to the general public for a couple of years, think of how much easier it was to use without getting out the cutting board.  And anyone, children, too, could make a sandwich without losing a finger on a sharp knife.

When Wonder Bread began marketing sliced bread in the 1930s, consumers worried that it would dry out too quickly, but convenience soon took precedence over other concerns.  The slices were smaller and more uniform, and housewives knew exactly how many servings they were getting in a package.

“The best thing since sliced bread” is still the ultimate compliment.  Imagine that.

© 2013 Susan Marg – All Rights Reserved