What types of food qualify and don’t qualify for Hungry for History® markers?
Hungry for History spotlights the diversity of foods across the United States embedded in community history, cultural heritage and traditions. To qualify for a marker, food dishes need to meet specific criteria.
What qualifies?
Qualifying food must meet all the following criteria: must be a prepared, ready-to-eat dish, such as an entrée or dessert; must contain a minimum of 2 ingredients; dish must be created prior to 1970; dish must be historically significant to the greater community or beyond; dish (or variation of dish) must have origins in the local or regional community; dish is still available/eaten today or in some form; no brand names allowed (e.g. Hershey’s, Kraft, etc.).
In addition, we also accept applications for non-alcoholic drinks with more than one ingredient (e.g. egg creams), as well as dishes composed of a single food item only found within a specific location or region (e.g. Blue Point oysters from Great South Bay, Dungeness crabs from Pacific coast).
What does not qualify?
Food available only through commercial production, including for example a restaurant’s signature dish not available elsewhere. However, as long as the prepared dish is not a brand name, it may qualify if it has moved beyond being commercially produced and now people at home make it themselves as a local or regional specialty.
Other non-qualifying items include: condiments and sauces, candy, alcoholic beverages.
Categories: Hungry for History