Spam is simultaneously one of the most liked and most hated foods of all time. Around sixty million Americans eat Spam on a regular basis. Millions more have unpleasant childhood memories of the processed meat and its clinging jelly. Created during the Great Depression (1929–41; see entry under 1930s—The Way We Lived in volume 2) by Hormel and Co., Spam is a cheap, convenient food that became popular during the lean years of World War II (1939–45). Although it is often the butt of jokes, some Spam fans take their canned meat very seriously. Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev (1894–1971) credited Spam with saving the Soviet army from starvation during World War II. In South Korea, Spam is sold in gift packs.

During the Depression, canned meat was the only form of protein many Americans could afford. The Hormel company dominated the market, selling tins of beef stew for just a few...