The Food That Built America poster

TV series

The Food That Built America

2019TV-PG7 seasons7.9 / 10

The fascinating stories of the families behind the food that built America, those who used brains, muscle, blood, sweat and tears to get to America's heart through its stomach, those who invented new technologies and helped win wars.

Streaming, rental and purchase options

Where to watch in United States

Checked Jul 22, 2026

The Food That Built America is available to stream on DirecTV On Demand, Disney+, Hulu, Philo, Prime Video, Hoopla, Spectrum On Demand, The Roku Channel, and Tubi in United States. You can also buy it from Amazon, Apple TV, and Fandango at Home. Use the direct links below to open the provider.

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Synopsis

The fascinating stories of the families behind the food that built America, those who used brains, muscle, blood, sweat and tears to get to America's heart through its stomach, those who invented new technologies and helped win wars.

Season 4 episodes

Choose an episode, then use the watch options above for the show.

← Season 3

Episode 1

Breakfast That Pops

43m

Two heavy-hitting cereal rivals duke it out for breakfast dominance; competition heats up when an idea is stolen; the ensuing battle transforms the breakfast landscape from a labor intensive meal at the table, to a meal of convenience on the go.

Where to watch The Food That Built America

Episode 2

Holiday Treats

43m

The top selling candy days of the year revolve around Easter, Valentine's Day and Halloween. And it all started with a few bold pioneers.

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Episode 3

Flight of the Buffalo Wing

43m

Before chicken wings were America's favorite Sunday football snack, they were considered an undesirable cut of meat. Until two restaurateurs in Buffalo, New York, reinvent the way wings are cooked.

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Episode 4

Candy Revolution

43m

A cereal executive's bold idea to finance the "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory" movie will kick-off a candy revolution that produces some of the most iconic, imaginative confections in history.

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Episode 5

Clash of the Coffee

43m

Coffee's quality and popularity wane by the 1960s, until a handful of visionaries turn the industry on its head. First, three college friends create an iconic brand of revolutionary gourmet Coffee. Then, this now-iconic chain creates an entirely new category of restaurant.

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Episode 6

The Chicken Coup

43m

A devout Georgia diner owner stumbles into the chicken game when he develops a unique fried chicken sandwich with a batch of cast-off filets. The unique sandwich he creates will become the menu centerpiece at one of the most popular fast-food chains in the world.

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Episode 7

When Food Freezes Over

Four intrepid food entrepreneurs race to harness emerging technologies like the home freezer and microwave, to bring revolutionary frozen snack icons to a waiting world, and forever change what we eat, when we eat, and how we eat.

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Episode 8

Thanksgiving Dinner

A look at some staples of Thanksgiving dinner that weren't around until a few brands used technological advances to reinvent turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, pumpkin pie and more; food innovators made each part of the meal accessible.

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Episode 9

Peanut Butter Battle

42m

When an entrepreneur creates shelf-stable peanut butter out of his garage, it leads to the birth of an iconic sandwich; as competition heats up to be America's favorite peanut butter, three famous brands battle it out to be number one.

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Episode 10

American Spirits

42m

Two entrepreneurs rise from the ashes of Prohibition by staking everything on two liquors -- a bitter, bottom-shelf whisky, and a flavorless foreign moonshine -- and go on to save an industry and create two of the most popular brands in the country.

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Episode 11

Where There's Smoke

43m

A century ago, most backyard grilling essentials were not yet invented; Henry Ford, a tinkerer named Kingsford, and a passionate butcher created recognizable summer brands and changed the face of American backyards.

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Episode 12

Thirst Quenchers

Before juice was everywhere, these innovators used brilliant ingenuity to create the most nostalgic drink products and thirst quenchers of the last century, leading the charge on a new billion dollar beverage industry.

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Episode 13

Supermarket Sweep

At the turn of the 20th century, Bernard Kroger and another upstart grocer come up with genius innovations that help invent the modern supermarket.

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Episode 14

Bring Home the Bacon

A young upstart named Oscar® Mayer creates one of the most iconic meat brands on the planet; pioneer Jay Hormel invents a meat product sold the world over, which becomes part of a $20 billion food empire.

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Episode 15

Dog Eat Dog

At a time when dog food is a rarity and cat food is almost nonexistent, it will take visionary innovators to invent the first dog treat, dry food, the first cat food, and many more innovations that will carve out the billion-dollar pet food industry.

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Episode 16

Beer Run

At a time when U.S. beer is dominated by the same lager style, one Milwaukee company experiments with something new.

Episode credits

Guest stars Alison Chase

Where to watch The Food That Built America

Episode information updated Jul 24, 2026

More about The Food That Built America

Cast

Jon LevineDick McDonald
Campbell ScottNarrator (voice)
Adam RichmanSelf - Tv Host
Jason LiebigSelf - Brand Historian
Carlos MorrowTourist 3
Brandon FoxJim Monoghan
Justin Andrew DavisAd Exec
Alison ChaseJournalist

Production details

Status
Returning Series
Series type
Documentary
Episodes
79
Original language
English

Networks & production

  • HistoryUnited States

Themes

enterpreneurfoodhistoryinventor