Victory Kitchen Podcast: Special Episode: Lessons from WWII American Food Rationing

Illustration by Antonio Sotomayor
from Kitchen Strategy, 1943

Certain times call for special podcast episodes! I hope you enjoyed my special episode. If you didn't get a chance to listen to it you can find it 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 lessons to be learned as well.

Lines for sugar rationing, approx. 1942
Public Domain
wikimedia commons

Coffee Queues, Baltimore, MD
Life Magazine, November 30, 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

*I would NOT recommend their suggestion of eating raw hamburger!
Kitchen Strategy, 1943

Kitchen Strategy, 1943

Health-for-Victory, July 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

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 Braunswieger )
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!)