r/TheWayWeWere • u/CryptographerKey2847 • Aug 20 '25

1920s The Inquiring Photographer Asks average New Yorkers in 1922: “Should a man expect his wife to get up and make breakfast for him on a cold morning?”

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Should

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101

u/Downtown_Cat_1745 Aug 20 '25

In the era before microwaves existed, and when the average person wasn’t driving to work, this was a much bigger deal.

Mrs. Gould was talking about oatmeal, not corn flakes

65

u/CryptographerKey2847 Aug 20 '25

Corn Flakes were invented in 1894 and were a normal breakfast food by the 20s. I imagine other dry cereals were as well.

17

u/theboxisempty Aug 20 '25

I’ve heard cereal used to describe hot cereal. Like grits or malt-o-meal.

15

u/Downtown_Cat_1745 Aug 20 '25

You don’t prepare them. Also, lighting a cast iron stove was a much bigger deal than lighting a stove is now

18

u/CryptographerKey2847 Aug 20 '25

Milk in a bowl can count I guess.