Before Clarence Birdseye, frozen food was perceived as being low-quality and kind of gross. But after spending time in extremely cold climates, Birdseye figured out that speed freezing was the key to retaining freshness.

Research:
“$1,900,000 Fraud Attempt Alleged in Insurance Deal.” St. Louis Post-Dispatch. May 2, 1917. https://www.newspapers.com/image/138253870/?match=1&terms=%22Clarence%20Birdseye%22
“Alleged Clean-up of $1,900,000 in Two Days.” The Bennington Evening Banner. May 2, 1917. https://www.newspapers.com/image/546110078/?match=1&terms=%22Clarence%20Birdseye%22
Birdseye, C. “Animal Food Product.” U.S. Patent Office. Aug. 12, 1930. https://patentimages.storage.googleapis.com/ff/f3/e3/ea3d0a5d1b6b7a/US1773080.pdf
Birdseye, C. “METHOD OF PRESERVING PISCATORIAL PRODUCTS.” U.S. Patent Office. April 18, 1924. https://patentimages.storage.googleapis.com/b7/d9/5a/aeb7fae023f47e/US1511824.pdf
Birdseye, Clarence, 1886-1956. Some Common Mammals of Western Montana in Relation to Agriculture and Spotted Fever, pamphlet, 1912; Washington D.C.. https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc87555/
Britannica Editors. "Clarence Birdseye". Encyclopedia Britannica, 3 Oct. 2025, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Clarence-Birdseye
“Celebrating American Innovation: Clarence Birdseye.” Council for Innovation Promotion. Sept. 14, 2023. https://c4ip.org/celebrating-american-innovation-clarence-birdseye/
“Clarence Birdseye.” Lemelson-MIT. https://lemelson.mit.edu/resources/clarence-birdseye
“Clarence Birdseye Is Dead at 69; Inventor of Frozen-Food Process; Developed Method for Quick Freezing and Also Devised System for Dehydrating.” New York Times. Oct. 9, 1956. https://www.nytimes.com/1956/10/09/archives/clarence-birdseye-is-dead-at-69-inventor-of-frozenfood-process.html
“Frozen Food Market Size, Share & Industry Analysis, By Type (Frozen Ready Meals, Frozen Seafood & Meat Products, Frozen Snacks & Bakery Products, and Others), Distribution Channel (Supermarkets/Hypermarkets, Specialty Stores, Convenience Stores, and Online Retail), and Regional Forecast, 2025-2032.” Fortune Business Insights. Oct. 6, 2025. https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/frozen-food-market-10413
“How Did Clarence Birdseye Shape the American Diet?” National Inventors Hall of Fame. Nov. 28, 2022. https://www.invent.org/blog/inventors/clarence-birdseye
Kile, O.M. “Food That Is Fresh Though Frozen: New Preserving Process Aims to Maintain Cell Structure.” The Baltimore Sun. Nov. 10, 1929. https://www.newspapers.com/image/373627550/?match=1&terms=%22quick-frozen%22%20
Kurlansky, Mark. “Birdseye: The Adventures of a Curious Man.” Thorndike Press. 2012.
“Reinsurance for Policyholders in Defunct Concerns.” New-York Tribune. Nov. 11, 1917. https://www.newspapers.com/image/894239796/?match=1&terms=%22Clarence%20Birdseye%22
“Supervisory Methods Lax.” The Kansas workman. Nov. 1, 1917. https://www.newspapers.com/image/480092568/?match=1&terms=%22Clarence%20Birdseye%22
“Who invented frozen food?” Library of Congress. https://www.loc.gov/everyday-mysteries/technology/item/who-invented-frozen-food/

Before Clarence Birdseye, frozen food was perceived as being low-quality and kind of gross. But after spending time in extremely cold climates, Birdseye figured out that speed freezing was the key to retaining freshness.
Research:
<ul>
<li>&ldquo;$1,900,000 Fraud Attempt Alleged in Insurance Deal.&rdquo; St. Louis Post-Dispatch. May 2, 1917. https://www.newspapers.com/image/138253870/?match=1&amp;terms=%22Clarence%20Birdseye%22</li>
<li>&ldquo;Alleged Clean-up of $1,900,000 in Two Days.&rdquo; The Bennington Evening Banner. May 2, 1917. https://www.newspapers.com/image/546110078/?match=1&amp;terms=%22Clarence%20Birdseye%22</li>
<li>Birdseye, C. &ldquo;Animal Food Product.&rdquo; U.S. Patent Office. Aug. 12, 1930. https://patentimages.storage.googleapis.com/ff/f3/e3/ea3d0a5d1b6b7a/US1773080.pdf</li>
<li>Birdseye, C. &ldquo;METHOD OF PRESERVING PISCATORIAL PRODUCTS.&rdquo; U.S. Patent Office. April 18, 1924. https://patentimages.storage.googleapis.com/b7/d9/5a/aeb7fae023f47e/US1511824.pdf</li>
<li>Birdseye, Clarence, 1886-1956. Some Common Mammals of Western Montana in Relation to Agriculture and Spotted Fever, pamphlet, 1912; Washington D.C.. https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc87555/</li>
<li>Britannica Editors. "Clarence Birdseye".&nbsp;Encyclopedia Britannica, 3 Oct. 2025, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Clarence-Birdseye</li>
<li>&ldquo;Celebrating American Innovation: Clarence Birdseye.&rdquo; Council for Innovation Promotion. Sept. 14, 2023. https://c4ip.org/celebrating-american-innovation-clarence-birdseye/</li>
<li>&ldquo;Clarence Birdseye.&rdquo; Lemelson-MIT. https://lemelson.mit.edu/resources/clarence-birdseye</li>
<li>&ldquo;Clarence Birdseye Is Dead at 69; Inventor of Frozen-Food Process; Developed Method for Quick Freezing and Also Devised System for Dehydrating.&rdquo; New York Times. Oct. 9, 1956. https://www.nytimes.com/1956/10/09/archives/clarence-birdseye-is-dead-at-69-inventor-of-frozenfood-process.html</li>
<li>&ldquo;Frozen Food Market Size, Share &amp; Industry Analysis, By Type (Frozen Ready Meals, Frozen Seafood &amp; Meat Products, Frozen Snacks &amp; Bakery Products, and Others), Distribution Channel (Supermarkets/Hypermarkets, Specialty Stores, Convenience Stores, and Online Retail), and Regional Forecast, 2025-2032.&rdquo; Fortune Business Insights. Oct. 6, 2025. https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/frozen-food-market-10413</li>
<li>&ldquo;How Did Clarence Birdseye Shape the American Diet?&rdquo; National Inventors Hall of Fame. Nov. 28, 2022. https://www.invent.org/blog/inventors/clarence-birdseye</li>
<li>Kile, O.M. &ldquo;Food That Is Fresh Though Frozen: New Preserving Process Aims to Maintain Cell Structure.&rdquo; The Baltimore Sun. Nov. 10, 1929. https://www.newspapers.com/image/373627550/?match=1&amp;terms=%22quick-frozen%22%20</li>
<li>Kurlansky, Mark. &ldquo;Birdseye: The Adventures of a Curious Man.&rdquo; Thorndike Press. 2012.</li>
<li>&ldquo;Reinsurance for Policyholders in Defunct Concerns.&rdquo; New-York Tribune. Nov. 11, 1917. https://www.newspapers.com/image/894239796/?match=1&amp;terms=%22Clarence%20Birdseye%22</li>
<li>&ldquo;Supervisory Methods Lax.&rdquo; The Kansas workman. Nov. 1, 1917. https://www.newspapers.com/image/480092568/?match=1&amp;terms=%22Clarence%20Birdseye%22</li>
<li>&ldquo;Who invented frozen food?&rdquo; Library of Congress. https://www.loc.gov/everyday-mysteries/technology/item/who-invented-frozen-food/</li>
</ul>

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Stuff You Missed in History Class

Before Clarence Birdseye, frozen food was perceived as being low-quality and kind of gross. But after spending time in extremely cold climates, Birdseye figured out that speed freezing was the key to retaining freshness.

Clarence Birdseye and the Rise of Frozen Foods

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