When my mother was growing up...

[Frosty]

When my mother was growing up, she lived in Ohio. This would be in the 40's and early 50's... Her dad was Italian, his family came from Italy when he was pretty young.

Anyhow, they liked pizza but if anyone came to their house they had to hide it because people made fun of them for eating 'tomato bread'. Mom was about 12 when the first pizzaria was opened in their area.

Now you look at the frozen food section in a grocery store and there is a huge section with frozen pizzas. Could you imagine having to hide your pizza so that nobody will make fun of you for eating it?

 

[Bullitt]

Well, I like tomato bread.

We have many more food choices than when your mother was growing up. Almost any large town has a variety of restaurants and a variety of foods in the grocery stores.

My parents, who lived in California, went to Arkansas in 1970. There were no Mexican restaurants and there were no tortillas or refried beans in the grocery stores. Now every town has Mexican restaurants and you can find Mexican food in the grocery stores.

People always make fun of things they do not understand. But now pizza and Mexican food are some of the most popular foods in the United States. I think variety is good.

 

[fuzziebutt]

I LOVEEEE eating Chinese food! We live in a small town, only a Jacks, a Taco Bell, a Pizza Hut, and a Chinese restaurant!!

 

[spacecowgirl]

My grandmother came to visit when I graduated high school. She was about 80 years old.

We went to a Chinese restaurant and she was very hesitant, as she had never in her 80 years had
Chinese food! It was a totally new experience for her.

Another time we visited her at her home in Montgomery, AL and we decided to order from a Mexican restaurant. She was totally grossed out! She was close to 90 at that time and had never tried it. She said it looked like dog food!

Needless to say, we got it anyway and she really liked it. I'll bet she never ordered it again, though.

She was stuck in her ways and had never eaten anything but southern food her whole life.

 

[NYboy]

Must be a area thing. My grandparents where also from Italy,NY had a very hgh Italian population. Most towns had 2 or 3 Italian restaurants. Pizza was mainstream.