Once life and culture had stabilized in the 19th century and moved beyond the frontier focus on subsistence and survival, Americans began to explore the idea of improving health and creating more comfortable lifestyles. Health reform in the late 19th century emerged from the idea that a healthy body and practicing moderation in daily living were necessary to a spiritual, meaningful existence. From these ideas, the vegetarian philosophy was codified, and The Health Reformer’s Cook Book embraced trends that still have significance today. 

This edition of The Health Reformer’s Cook Book was reproduced by permission from the volume in the collection of the American Antiquarian Society, Worcester, Massachusetts. Founded in 1812 by Isaiah Thomas, a Revolutionary War patriot and successful printer and publisher, the Society is a research library documenting the life of Americans from the colonial era through 1876. The Society collects, preserves, and makes available as complete a record as possible of the printed materials from the early American experience. The cookbook collection includes approximately 1,100 volumes.