Corn, Oats, and Victory

Tonight, we’ll read about cooking alternatives to wheat, from the 1918 pamphlet “Foods That Will Win the War”.

Although the United States did not have food rationing in World War I as it did in World War II, it did rely heavily on propaganda campaigns at the time to persuade people to curb their food consumption.

Pamphlets like this one were part of a vast public education effort. Recipes were tailored to use corn, oats, rye, rice, and even potato flour in place of wheat, encouraging families to support soldiers overseas through their kitchen tables. These simple substitutions reflected a broader spirit of sacrifice and civic duty, where everyday meals became part of the national war effort.

Herbert Hoover, who led the Food Administration before later becoming President, became known as “the Great Humanitarian” for organizing food relief. His “wheatless” and “meatless” campaigns not only shifted American eating habits, but also demonstrated how propaganda and practical instruction could merge to shape daily life during wartime.

— read by 'N' —

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