Who Invented Your Favorite Foods?

It might be hard to imagine, but there was a time when nachos didn't exist. Or hamburgers. Or chocolate chip cookies. Every food that we eat, except for the real staples like rice, was invented at some point by someone. We rounded up ten of those inventors, and the stories behind some of your favorite foods are fascinating.

Who Invented Your Favorite Foods? (Slideshow)

When we're eating, we tend to not think about the history and historical context of the food in front of us. We tend to just think about how tasty (or not tasty) it is. But behind every food item lurks a story; many have been lost to the ages (nobody really knows how bread came to be, for example, or pizza), but the stories behind some of the world's most popular foods are still around.

Learning about the histories behind popular foods is important for anyone who considers themselves to be a food lover. Not only are the backstories behind everyday foods great bits of trivia to be able to pull out at a cocktail party (you'll never believe how the term 'sandwich' came to be), they also help to give context to some of the things that we take most for granted.

So read on to learn the histories behind ten popular foods. We guarantee that by the time you're done you'll have learned something, and will also most likely be at least a little hungry.