Bygone Grocery Product Containers
Materials that you don't see holding your grocery items anymore. The rise of single use plastics and the fading of reusable glass and metal.
Tin
The usage of tin for packaging products dates back to the late 18th century in France when Napoleon Bonaparte offered a prize for finding a way to preserve food unspoiled for a longer distance and time. Soon after, tin became a predominant way to store food products throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, before plastic took over in the later 20th century.
Edgemont Crackers
In Dayton, Ohio, another snack brand packaged in tin was produced by the Green and Green Company: Edgemont Crackers. Interestingly, this is the same company that was also known for making Cheez-It crackers.
Decline in Tin
In the second half of the 20th century, plastic rose in production for storing food products. Metal was safer for shipping, but plastic was found to be cheaper and more abundant a supply.
Cudahy
A famous Milwaukee-based company that heavily utilized tin for its food products was the one famously led by Patrick Cudahy. Originally founded by John Plankinton, Patrick Cudahy and his brother gained ownership of the meat packing company in 1888. In 1892 Cudahy moved the company South of Milwaukee to the village of Cudahy, where he had a mixed relationship with the village over his support of the Temperance movement.
Glass Milk Bottles
Though you may be able to find some milk still stored in glass bottles, it is a very rare find nowadays. Glass milk bottles were first patented in 1878 and in 1884 bottle caps were included on them. Milk was delivered to homes daily due to a lack of refrigeration so that people would finish the milk before it spoiled.
Wood
Cigars had been packaged either in bundles or wooden chests holding large numbers of cigars. In the late 1830's, cigar boxes began using lithographic labels and decorative borders to distinguish brands.
Paper Straws
In the 1800's, drinking straws were first made out of rye grass and then paper. Paper was the industrial material for straws until Joseph Friedman invented the plastic bendy straw in 1937. Over the next several decades plastic was the norm for drinking straws and most products, until recent years where we've seen a comeback in paper straws.
Chudnow Museum of Yesteryear
Museum Associate:
Brendan Ouimet
Megan Holland
