Special Episode: Lessons from WWII American Food Rationing

Drawing parallels between the pandemic and WWII rationing

Illustration by Antonio Sotomayor from Kitchen Strategy, 1943

Certain times call for special podcast episodes! I hope you enjoyed my special episode which you can listen to HERE. If you've found yourself standing in a line due to the extreme situation of these times dealing with Covid-19, you're not alone! There are many parallels that can be drawn between now and World War II, and things we can glean for our times as well.

As you can see in the next two photos, folks experiencing rationing weren’t strangers to standing in long lines, hoping there was enough to go around.

Lines for sugar rationing, approx. 1942

Coffee Queues, Life magazine, 30 Nov. 1942

Here is this episode's featured cookbook:

Kitchen Strategy by Leona M. Bayer, M.D. (Assistant Clinical Professor of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine) and Edith S. Green, B.A. Illustrated by Antonio Sotomayor. 1943.

I would not recommend their suggestion of using raw hamburger as a sandwich spread! Kitchen Strategy, 1943

Kitchen Strategy, 1943

Health-for-Victory, July 1943

Here's a recipe for the very delicious Mock Chicken Sandwich Filling.

And here are a few other great wartime sandwich filling ideas!

Broiled Baked Bean Sandwich

Broiled Baked Bean Sandwich 

Toast for each sandwich 1 slice of bread. Place a heaping spoonful of  Heinz Oven Baked Beans on each slice, then place over Beans American Cheese, grated or sliced Top with  Half slices of bacon. Broil slowly until bacon is crisp and cheese is melted. Arrange on plate and garnish with Heinz Fresh Cucumber Pickle. Serve at once.

(From Heinz Recipe Book , 1940s)

Liver Sausage Salad

¾ c. liver sausage (liverwurst or Braunschweiger )

3 Tbsp. minced celery

1 tsp. lemon juice

½ tsp. prepared mustard

Salt and Pepper

2 Tbsp. mayonnaise

Combine ingredients and spread on any desired slice of bread. Cover with another buttered slice of bread and cut as desired or use for open-faced sandwiches. Makes about 1 cup filling.

(From The Wartime Cook Book, 1942)

Gingerbread and Cream Cheese 

Gingerbread

Cream Cheese

Butter

Chopped Nuts

Cut gingerbread thin, butter and fill with cream cheese and chopped nuts.

(From Heinz Recipe Book, 1943)

Flaked Fish

1 c. flaked fish, fresh or canned 

3 Tbsp. mayonnaise

1 Tbsp. chopped celery   

½ Tbsp. ketchup

1 Tbsp. chopped pickles (sweet or sour) 

1 tsp. horseradish

Salt, Pepper, Paprika

Combine all ingredients; mix thoroughly.

(From 300 Helpful Suggestions for Your Victory Lunch Box, 1943)

Cream Cheese and Jelly Sandwich

1 pkg. cream cheese

1 Tbsp. mayonnaise

Blend cream cheese with mayonnaise. Cut Boston Brown Bread in thin slices. Spread with the cream cheese filling. Also good to spread one slice with jelly and the other with the filling.

(From How to Pack  Lunch Boxes for War Workers, 1943)

Peanut Butter & Salad Dressing Sandwich 

Peanut Butter

Salad Dressing (Miracle Whip is the best)

Iceberg lettuce

Spread two slices of wheat bread with creamy peanut butter. On one slice, spread a generous portion of Miracle Whip. Add a few leaves of iceberg lettuce for a nice crunch.

(From one of my grandmother's recipes!)

Juggling Act, Kitchen Strategy, 1943. Illustration by Antonio Sotomayor

RESOURCES

PRI’s The World: COVID-19 impact could be as ‘serious as a world war,’ former amb says

(last accessed 9/29/23)

"Trump Labels Himself 'a Wartime President' Combating Coronovirus"

(last accessed 9/29/23)

Food Rationing Tips From WWII Health-for-Victory Meal Planning Guide

(last accessed 9/29/23)

“Sugar Rationing,” 1942-1945, Office for Emergency Management. Office of War Information, U.S. National Archives.