Archive Showcase: Military-Themed Cookbook Covers

In honor of Memorial Day

Edited by Ruth Berolzheimer, 1942

It’s Memorial Day Weekend, and I thought what better way of remembering those veterans lost to us than by showcasing cookbooks dedicated to them in art form.

Patriotic covers were fairly common during WWII, but many of the favorites in my collection feature military service members. I have only a couple that feature women in the military.

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I find the most endearing ones feature children or loved ones like the five shown below.

Check out those blocks of Sealtest ice cream!

Then there are the covers with military men as the stars. They usually feature cheesy grins and, at least in the ones I own, they’re almost always eating something. Haha!

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The following is an interesting book. Published in 1949, it was compiled by The American Women in Blockaded Berlin. It’s a fascinating look at post-war Europe and the lives of American women still living there.

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The military was a huge fan of cans. While they were heavy, canned food traveled really well and lasted a long time.

I love this Watkins Almanac booklet that contained recipes and a list of their products. This is a wonderful example of the Revolutionary War revival trend that was prevalent during WWII. This theme is found in home decor, art, and even recipes harking back to Martha Washington’s kitchen.

The military theme even spread to families on the home front. Military Meals at Home Cook Book took direct inspiration from military meals which were adapted for home use.

edited by Ruth Berolzheimer, 1943

And last, I had to include this fun Canadian cover with a housewife saluting, the wooden spoon her “weapon”. It’s a fantastic example of the patriotism that was felt not just in the United States, but in Canada too!

I hope you enjoyed this tour of the military-themed covers in my cookbook collection. Tell me which one is your favorite!