30 Foods Italian Immigrants Actually Ate in 1920s Little Italy, NY

We are all aware of family traditions, but we rarely know what our ancestors ate a hundred or more years ago. This film, enriched with still photographs of the 1920s, shows what poor Italians ate in New York City. Spoiler alert: you won’t see pizzas, cannolis, or Braised Beef Short Rib Agnolotti. But you will see a lot of spaghetti, beans, greens, and soup made from bone water. (The America We Remember; 2026; 63’)

Share:

More Posts

Man with two children, possibly discussing Black hunger in America with another man.

Black Hunger in America

This chilling 1968 CBS-TV documentary shows the shocking depth of poverty and hunger among Black Americans. One of the underlying

Hunger in America: Empty plate on a distressed American flag tablecloth.

Hunger in America

This documentary demonstrates effectively that all too many Americans go to bed hungry, and it highlights the efforts of heroic

Do you have a favorite food memory?

We want to hear about it. Fill out the form below. We’ll share our favorites on upcoming social media.

Feed Your Curiosity About Food!

Please join our email list to occasionally hear our views on timely issues and learn about The National Food Museum’s progress. We promise we won’t clutter your inbox!