What can Jell-O tell us about the United States during the Gilded Age? What about Spam during World War II?

According to Anna Zeide, food historian and author of the new book “US History in 15 Foods,” they can tell us a lot about the evolution of American values, government — and of course, the American economy.

On the show today, Zeide walks us through the history baked into food items from all-American whiskey to Korean tacos. And, why food is often much more than something we simply eat.

In the News Fix, we remember Judy Heumann, an activist who championed crucial pieces of disability rights legislation. Also, eyes are on Walgreens after the company said it would stop dispensing abortion pills in some Republican-led states where abortion is still legal. Plus, we’ll get into why some women in high-level positions are too burned out to stay in the workforce.

Later, a listener sings us a song inspired by Marketplace’s Nova Safo. And, this week’s answer to the Make Me Smart question comes from a listener who was wrong about dancing.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

What have you been wrong about lately? We want to hear your answer to the Make Me Smart question! Leave us a voice message at 508-U-B-SMART, and your submission may be featured in a future episode.