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megsquito.bsky.social
New Old News
@megsquito.bsky.social
170 followers 510 following 190 posts
Old newspaper ads, articles, and anything else from the marvelous past (in the sense that I marvel at it)
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megsquito.bsky.social
This week's Nabisco feature: Devil's Food Squares. Not just one, but *two* yummy icings! (1956)
Black and white newspaper ad. On the right is an older boy, about six years old. on the left a younger one who is maybe 4. They're holding a box of cookies that says Nabisco Devil's Food Squares and the caption says "Let him have another, Mother, they're pure NABISCO cookies." The ad copy on the left reads, "A double-iced "COOKIE-CAKE!" NABISCO DEVIL'S FOOD SQUARES Not just one, but two yummy icings on NABISCO'S DEVIL'S FOOD SQUARES! The center is rich-tasting devil's food, then comes the sweet marshmallow icing...and all around that is the luscious chocolate-y icing! Couldn't be better!" Then two smaller images - one says NABISCO SUGAR WAFERS - the original party "special," with the very best filling! The other says NABISCO VANILLA WAFERS - flavored with pure creamery butter! Delicate, crisp, best!
November 10, 2025 at 3:58 PM
megsquito.bsky.social
But wait, there's more!
Creepy dark newspaper photo of four people (?) that look like Muppets or Mummenshatz. Apparently they are supposed to be animals because the caption reads, "ZOO QUARTET: Jersey owl, black poodle chat with woolly lion and silly pink elephant." At the bottom right is a person wearing a knit hat with a giant feather stuck through it. The caption reads, "HEARTS AND FEATHERS: This jersey cap frames the face, has most interest in back"
November 5, 2025 at 6:26 PM
megsquito.bsky.social
"CAT GIRL looks cute from front, crazy from back." I dunno why but this looks *hella* Lynchian to me. (1955)
November 5, 2025 at 6:22 PM
megsquito.bsky.social
I've never heard of Tru-Ade but apparently it was around until recently. Looks like a Hawaiian Punch-type drink. (1960)
Black and white ad from 1960. The right side of the ad shows a glass Tru-Ade bottle. Middle of the ad shows a line drawing with a happy white woman smiling and holding a bottle of (presumably) Tru-Ade. Ad copy reads: "Cold 'N Golden Natural Goodness! Tru-Ade Always Best - Now Even Better! Vitamin C Enriched Not Carbonated For GOODNESS Sake, Take a Tru-Ade Break!"
November 3, 2025 at 9:29 PM
megsquito.bsky.social
October 14, 2025 at 1:36 PM
megsquito.bsky.social
Halloween treats from 1951. I want one of the Spookles - a new kind of pickle!
October 13, 2025 at 8:15 PM
megsquito.bsky.social
I spent the last three hours trying to make a lavender…. thingy. I think i achieved mediocrity but it was still nice to make something with my hands that I grew myself
Basically a bundle of lavender in a kitchen with ribbon around it
September 28, 2025 at 10:09 PM
megsquito.bsky.social
I never knew this existed - an ad for polio insurance from 1953.
September 24, 2025 at 2:37 PM
megsquito.bsky.social
Loyalty to the laws of the land is the bulwark of the "American way of life." (1956)
September 24, 2025 at 1:40 PM
megsquito.bsky.social
The person assigned the casserole beat desperately wanted to be writing about something more exciting. (1957)
September 16, 2025 at 3:27 PM
megsquito.bsky.social
"a low groan of mild protest" (1952)
September 16, 2025 at 2:41 PM
megsquito.bsky.social
When's the last time you had a Chum Chip, a Wisecrack or a Party Poop? (1950)
September 11, 2025 at 4:58 PM
megsquito.bsky.social
I admit I didn't know Orange Crush was around in 1931!
An old ad, a drawing of a ridged glass bottle on the left and text reading "Orange-Crush Made from fresh oranges. Sold only in this bottle. Orange-Crush Bottling Co. Inc. Phone West 2816 For Delivery"
June 13, 2025 at 8:30 PM
megsquito.bsky.social
June 13, 2025 at 3:16 PM
megsquito.bsky.social
To teach your workers how to eat healthy, teach them about it over your plant loudspeakers! Can you imagine how annoying that would be? Reminds me of the ads of plasmids that played on the loudspeakers in Bioshock.
Plant Loudspeakers A large plant in the Midweest that has conducted effective nutrition education for almost 2 years combined most of the above techniques into a well-rounded educational program. Here short, informal talks about the importance of good food selection go out over the loudspeaker during the lunch period and can be heard throughout the plant. Other plants using this idea report good results. Some also use the loudspeakers for plant announcements, music and education in safety.
June 4, 2025 at 4:34 PM
megsquito.bsky.social
In the 40s, everything could be explained with a flow chart, including large-scale industrial feeding.
A flowchart describing the basic factors governing selection and design of industrial feeding facilities. Some of the things to think about include finances, meal pattern, amount of prep equipment, number of people to be seated, etc.
June 4, 2025 at 4:20 PM
megsquito.bsky.social
Did you know there used to be 7 food groups? Foods high in vitamin C got their own group, as well as leafy greens and yellow vegetables.
"The Basic 7" Food Groups Group 1 - Green and yellow vegetables (raw, cooked, frozen or canned) Group 2 - Oranges, tomatoes, grapefruit or raw cabbage or salad greens. Group 3 - Potatoes and othr vegetables and fruits (raw, dried, cooked, frozen or canned). Group 4 - Milk and milk products: Fluid, evaporated, dried milk, or cheese. Group 5 - Meat, poultry, fish or eggs, or dry beans and peas, nuts or peanut butter. Group 6 - Bread, flour and cereal - natural whole-grain or enriched or restored. Group 7 - Butter and fortified margarine.
June 4, 2025 at 4:11 PM
megsquito.bsky.social
Here are the elements that they suggest should comprise workplace lunches and dinners. I can't imagine getting this much at once - making me hungry.
The basic-menu pattern for lunch and dinner can be similar since the worker may regard either as lunch, dinner, or supper, depending on his work shift. In general, a menu pattern for these meals would be: 1. Appetizer (soup, fruit juice, tomato juice, fruit cocktail, etc.) 2. Protein-rich main dish of meat, poultry, fish or alternate food. 3. Potatoes. 4. Leafy green or yellow vegetable. 5. Salad. 6. Whole-wheat or enriched bread and/or rolls with butter or fortified margarine. 7. Dessert (including fruit). 8. Milk and cocoa. 9. Coffee and/or tea.
June 4, 2025 at 3:58 PM
megsquito.bsky.social
Today we're looking at the book "Industrial Feeding Management" from 1945! Prepared by the Committee on the Nutrition of Industrial Workers, it's a book designed to help facilities design food services for workers.
June 4, 2025 at 3:20 PM
megsquito.bsky.social
Here's the recipe - I typed it up in the alt text if you'd rather read it that way.
Recipe for Stuffed Tomato Salad (for 4) 4 tomatoes 2 cooked potatoes, diced 2 cooked carrots, diced 1/2 cup cooked string beans 1 teaspoon minced onion 1 tablespoon Ann Page Vinegar Salt and pepper Lettuce 4 radishes Ann Page Stuffed Olives 1/2 cup Ann Page Salad Dressing* Wash tomatoes, do noot peel. Remove top, scoop out part of pulp, turn upside down to drain. Combine vegetables with seasonings and dressing. Sprinkle tomatoes with salt, fill with salad mixture and serve on lettuce leaves. Garnish with radishes and Ann Page Stuffed Olives. Serve with Ann Page Salad Dressing. * Extra delicious, creamy-smooth, because made with MORE of the fine ingredients that give quality and flavor to a dressing."
June 4, 2025 at 2:59 PM
megsquito.bsky.social
Perfect for Pride - a new gay spring salad! Recipe isn't the worst. (1940)
Magazine ad to sell jarred salad dressing. It's colorful in a kodachrome way. There are four stuffed tomatoes on a bed of lettuce. The headline says Now Gay Spring Salad for Four 37c. There's a recipe for the stuffed tomato salad on the right, but it's kind of hard to read at the size I found the image.
June 4, 2025 at 2:50 PM
megsquito.bsky.social
In love with the idea of cheese bobs. Crispy bacon wrapped around melted cheese! (1939)
Text: "CHEESE BOBS ARE GOOD AT ANY OUTING If your family is fond of cheese, these 'Cheese Bobs' served in butered buns are sure to be popular. Make them by cutting bacon strips in half and wrapping the two halves firmly in both directions around a piece of American cheese cut about 1/2 inch thick and 1 inch square; fasten with toothpicks. Cook on toasting forks or a grill, turning often until the bacon is crisp and the cheese is soft and creamy. Cole slaw is a good relish to serve with cheese bobs."
June 3, 2025 at 5:47 PM
megsquito.bsky.social
Stainless steel teeth! Incredible! (1933)
Newspaper article: Stainless Steel Teeth Is Latest Dental Idea Some people carry little gold mines in their mouths. Now that gold has reached a prohibitive price, however, dentists have been seeking some inventive genius who could find or make a reliable substitute. Gold was used because of its malleable, rustless and practically indestructible qualities, and to find another metal with these characteristics seemed a forlorn hope, notes a writer in London Tit-Bits. Necessity has again mothered invention and a British inventor has designed an electric welder which makes stainless steel lie down and behave itself, just as easily and readily as gold. Steel dentures are now the fashion, and are better, cheaper and stronger than gold. The dental mechanic takes an ingeniously designed pair of pliers, holds the parts to be welded between the electrodes of the pliers, turns on the juice, and electricity does the trick to perfection. Thus the problem of making a hard metal act like a soft one is solved, and in future your teeth should cost less and last longer.
May 1, 2025 at 3:01 PM
megsquito.bsky.social
This is a lot darker than a lot of the content I usually post, but I found it really interesting (and relevant). And it DOES mention food... (1935)
Newspaper article: "Fraternity Curb Follows Gibe at Hitler's Eating Students' Union Backs Ban Decreed for Nazi Youth. By the Associated Press. BERLIN, July 9 - The picturesque university fraternities of Germany may become only memories. The German Students' Union ("Verein Deutscher Studenten") indorsed Von Schirach's decree that no Hitler Youth member may continue to belong to students' "corporations" or fraternities. The Nazi war on fraternities, which is seen as a fight on the wealthy industrial fathers of the youths, began July 5, when the famous old Borussia Fraternity Chapter at Heidelberg University was suspended for two years because the members had discussed humorously Hitler's manner of eating asparagus while Der Reichafuehrer was delivering a serious speech in Reichstag May 25."
April 30, 2025 at 7:51 PM
megsquito.bsky.social
From "Cool Drinks for Hot Days," 1936. I can get down with a grape shake or with fruitade, but I'll pass on the prune shake
Newspaper recipe: "Grape Shake - Beat 1 glass Grape Jelly to a liquid, add 1 tablespoon lemon juice and blend well. Slowly beat fruit mixture into one quart whole milk. If desired, a few drops of mint extract or crushed fresh mint may be added before serving. Serve with an ice cube in each glass." Newspaper recipe: "Fruitade (serves 12) - Melt 1 glass Grape or Currant Jelly, which has been broken up with a fork, in 1 cup boiling water. Cool, and add 1-2 glass lemon juice (3 lemons), 1 cup pineapple juice (may be taken from 1 large can sliced pineapple), 3 cups cold water and 1-4 teaspoon mint flavoring or fresh mint leaves. Serve about 1-2 cup over 1-2 glass crushed ice. Garnish with sprigs of mint which have been dipped in powdered sugar when moist." Newspaper recipe: "Prune Shake - Combine one cup milk and one 5-oz. tin Strained Prunes, beating with a rotary egg beater. When thoroughly mixed, beat in 1-2 cup fresh or canned pineapple juice, and chill."
April 30, 2025 at 3:40 PM