Food culture was also very different. Kitchens were stocked with basic ingredients. Eggs, vegetables, fruit, milk, and fresh meat were normal staples. Meals were cooked at home, often from scratch, which meant peeling, chopping, stirring, and standing for long periods. Sugar was used sparingly, fats were natural, and portions were modest. People ate when they were hungry, not because food was constantly visible or emotionally tempting.
Eating habits were simpler and more structured
Most people ate three meals a day and that was it. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner had clear boundaries. There were no vending machines on every corner, no snack aisles at the checkout, and no constant grazing. Between meals, the body simply waited. This gave metabolism time to regulate itself and prevented the endless calorie intake that has become normal today.