Here's an analysis of food-related phrase frequency patterns across decades in COHA: 1820s-1890s: The early decades show prominence of basic descriptive and quality-related terms like "wholesome food," "proper food," and "daily food." "Nourishing food" and "farinaceous food" also appear notably in this period, reflecting a focus on food's nutritional aspects. These terms suggest a practical, health-oriented approach to food description in the 19th century. 1900s-1940s: "Pure food" shows a significant spike, likely connected to early food regulation efforts. "Good food" steadily increases in frequency, while "cooked food" and "solid food" maintain consistent presence. "Canned food" begins appearing, reflecting technological changes in food preservation. Terms related to food quality and safety dominate this period. 1950s-1970s: This period marks the emergence of "frozen food" and increased mentions of ethnic cuisines like "American food," "Chinese food," and "Mexican food." "Surplus food" shows notable frequency in the 1950s-60s. These patterns reflect post-war technological developments and growing multicultural influences in American cuisine. 1980s-2010s: Several modern food trends become prominent. "Fast food" appears and increases dramatically, while "organic food" and "healthy food" show significant growth in recent decades. "Real food" and "local food" gain frequency, particularly in the 2000s-2010s. Ethnic food terms ("Chinese food," "Mexican food," "Italian food") maintain strong presence. "Processed food" emerges as a newer term, while traditional descriptors like "wholesome food" and "proper food" decline significantly. The data shows clear evolution from basic nutritional descriptors to more diverse and specialized food terminology, reflecting changes in food technology, cultural diversity, and consumer preferences.