Packaged and processed foods rose to prominence during the mid to latter half of the 20th century. Attempting to deliver on modernity's great promise of convenience, reliability and, most notably, affordability, manufacturers skillfully engineered packaged and processed versions (frozen, packaged, dehydrated, dried, canned, preserved, precooked etc.) of what were traditionally known simply as "foods" to meet the needs of a post-war, mass-market consumer audience. While consumers responded (more or less) in kind, the unexpected byproduct of these developments was that such foods became symbolically linked to the very logics that made their convenience possible-predictability, uniformity, homogeneity and the like. Jumping forward 40 to 50 years, we observe a single, overarching theme encompassing the vast cultural shift in the food world. Namely, the pursuit of all things real-expressed here primarily through cultural distinctions of "fresh." Aware as we have become of the (perceived) mediocrity and/or predictability of processed or packaged products, consumers consistently turn to so-called "fresh" counterparts in pursuit of a healthier, tastier, more interesting or more distinguished way of life. This does not mean consumers have abandoned processed or packaged foods, merely that (a) they see the distinction between packaged/processed and fresh as the most salient cultural distinction in the food world, that (b) such distinctions are often seen as indicators of quality, healthfulness and taste, and that (c) such a distinction often affects consumer shopping behavior in critical directions. Table of Contents 1. Packaged vs. Fresh...And Center Store Migration 2. Convenient...and Fresh?: Evolving Food Culture in America 3. The Paradox of Fresh 4. Evolving Trends in Fresh: What School Cafeterias Can Teach Us | 