The Fascinating Origin Story Of Fish Sticks

Just like a plate of dinosaur-shaped chicken nuggets, the thought of fish sticks can evoke a sense of nostalgia for some. But, did you know fish sticks were actually created because people loved meat more? In fact, SPAM, the canned classic, gained popularity at this time (despite the fact that it goes bad a few days after opening).

During WWII, those in the U.S. were forced to ration food and conserve resources, making meat a hot commodity. But after the war ended, the fishing industry experienced major growth as well. A simple issue of supply versus demand led those in the fish business to come up with products and campaigns that would entice Americans to buy more fish. 

Complaints like its "too smelly" would usually be the sort of thing you'd hear from a picky toddler you're trying to con into eating Brussels sprouts, but at this time it was one of the many reasons people weren't in love with fish for dinner. Homemakers also considered fish more difficult to prepare than meat. (Little did they know, one day sushi would be popular in the U.S. and its top seller would be a major grocery store.) However, Birds Eye, a frozen foods company in Massachusetts, and its then-parent company, General Foods Corporation, hooked a winner when they debuted fish sticks in 1953.

Convenience and a push from the seafood industry aren't the only reasons fish sticks made their way to many American freezers, though. In fact, a failed fish product that predated fish sticks was the epitome of convenience but lacked appeal with consumers: fish bricks.

Yes, as part of the effort to get families buying more fish, the fishing industry tried to mimic the convenience of grocery store ice cream brands. To create the fish bricks, fish were cleaned, fileted, and then stacked and compressed into rectangular containers before being frozen. This process created a brick shape that American homemakers could scoop out like ice cream to cook and serve to their families. If the idea of scoopable fish just made you cringe a bit, then you can understand why this product didn't exactly take off. The fish industry went back to the drawing board, and fish sticks were born as competitors of Birds Eye began creating and promoting their own fish stick products. 

Gorton's, another fish stick producer, ran national ad campaigns, showcasing the ease and nutritional value of fish sticks. Plus, the brand managed to get its fish sticks to be part of the U.S. school lunch program. From there, Birds Eye and other brands began introducing fish sticks on a global scale. The frozen fish product made its way to the U.K. in 1955 as fish fingers instead of fish sticks. Thankfully, fish products have evolved to where we no longer have to think of scoopability as a pro.