Hormel probably never imagined their little canned meat would inspire songs, memes, cookbooks, festivals, or global cult followings. They simply set out to solve a practical problem in 1937 and ended up creating something iconic.
So next time you see that familiar blue-and-yellow can sitting quietly on a shelf, think about everything packed into it: the history, the arguments over its name, the debate about preservatives, the creativity of home cooks across continents, the soldiers who lived on it, and the families who grew up with it. SPAM isn’t just food. It’s a piece of shared culture, passed from generation to generation in a metal can that refuses to disappear.
And if you’ve never tried it, don’t overthink it. Crisp up a slice in a pan. Add some rice or eggs. Taste it for yourself. You might be surprised by how much that little can delivers.
