War Time Cookbook

In honor of the eighth anniversary of 9/11, I thought I'd write about a cookbook I bought this morning at an estate sale. I bought 3 little old ones, and I knew I had one that was published in 1950. I started reading through the titles and couldn't help but laugh... Fluffy meatloaf, Full O' Bologney, Nutburgers (are you kidding me?), and Victory Pancakes. But something was funny because it started talking about making your meat go further, using vegetables. So I checked the publication date.... You got it, 1943, right in the middle of WWII.

This is the foreword of the the Betty Crocker Your Share cookbook:

"Hail to the women of America! You have taken up your heritage from the brave women of the past. Just as did the women of other wars, you have taken your positions as soldiers on the Home Front. You have been strengthening your country's defenses-as plane watchers-as flyers-as members of the armed forces-as producers, in war plants and homes-and in Red Cross and Civilian Defense activities. The efforts and accomplishments of women today are boundless!

But whatever else you do-you are, first and foremost, homemakers-women with the welfare of you families deepest in your hearts. Now you face a new and more difficult problem in the management of your homes. You must make a little do where there was an abundance before. In spite of sectional problems and shortages, you must prepare satisfying meals out of YOUR SHARE of what there is. You must heed the government request to increase the use of available foods and save those that are scarce-and, at the same time, safeguard your family's nutrition. Never has there been such an opportunity, and a need, for what American women can contribute.

So to you women behind the men, behind the guns, we offer this little book, with its daily helps for wartime meal-planning and cooking. And we salute you all!"

Betty Crocker
Home Service Staff
General Mills, Inc.

Talk about a call to action! Here are some tips from the cookbook:

" Meat is Rationed. Watch your P's and Q's (points and quantities) Ask for bones and trimmings. Put into a soup kettle and with bits of vegetables. Simmer for soup."

" To help your country, save every bit of FAT that comes into your kitchen!"

" Spread the butter thin."

"CALL VEGETABLES INTO SERVICE *this one made me laugh
-They must pass inspection (tells you how to chose good veggies)
-When they are inducted (how to clean and retain vitamins)
-Prepare for combat (retaining vitamins again)
-Prevent mass execution of Vitamins... and killing of flavor"
this section also has a General Strategy and Commando Tactics :-)

"Spare the Sweets! Here's the way we save our sugar when we must."


At the end is a piece called FOOD IN WAR-TIME. Here are some exerts.

"Food is vital war material. Our fighting forces and those who fight with us need good food. Every American home-maker who selects food wisely, prepares in carefully and conserves it diligently is an important link in our national war effort....Food habits may have to change from day to day if we are to be well-fed in wartime. A change in food habits is a small matter in comparison with our fight for freedom and for country. At the end of the day, let us be sure we can say:
'I worked for freedom today.
I served at least one food from each of the basic seven food groups.
I prepared the food I served with care.
I wasted no food this day'."

I am thankful that despite eight years of war I have never had to think about rationing my food or going hungry. But I know some of our troops have had much less food than they needed at times. Not because of failure on the government's part, but because their supply lines have been cut off by the Taliban. It is terrible that the men and women fighting for us have less food than those of us at home. Pray for their safety and pray for their food to get through. God bless our troops!