15 Just Plain Unfortunate Foods People Had To Eat During World War II

It’s no secret that what people eat on a daily basis has changed throughout history. Food and meals usually change based on what options are available at the time, the various trends that are happening, and current events. There are some classics that seem to stick around (think chocolates and ice cream), but for the most part, what we eat changes a lot. The foods we know and love at the moment (like avocado toast) could become way less popular in the future — and could seem gross to anyone who’s never had them before.

That’s kind of like what has happened with a lot of the things people ate during World War II. This was a time when food and other supplies had to be rationed because of the war, which meant that those at home were making do with what was available to them. There were restrictions on imported foods, and vouchers for sugar, coffee, meats, cheeses, and some canned goods. This led to some recipes that may seem really odd or even gross nowadays, but back then, they were just making the most of things!

1. Victory Garden Veggies

People were encouraged to grow their own food.

And these homegrown victory gardens helped lessen the negative effect of war rations. Individual homeowners and governors of public land all planted and tended these small plots. In addition to letting more of the overall food supply go to the troops in the war trenches, the victory gardens ensured that growing children would get enough servings of fruits and vegetables.

2. Canned Food

Canned foods were staples in almost every home during World War II.

In fact, people grew much of their own produce in victory gardens and then canned most of it at home. Whether they came from wealthy homes or not, entire communities got together to preserve their own food. In fact, neighborhood centers sprung up to help support the effort. Nearly everyone saw canning as a way to support active soldiers.

The United States Department of Agriculture even helped hand out information on how to can food correctly.

That’s how important it was! Canned foods helped families supplement their food supply when the rations were especially strict. In fact, people who canned could request more than the typical amount of rationed items. The government might allow individuals who canned up to 20 pounds of sugar, while everyone else received only five pounds of the hot commodity ingredient.

3. Kraft Macaroni and Cheese

Some brand items were more available than others.

Kraft Macaroni and Cheese was a really popular option for meat and dairy products, and 80 million boxes were sold in 1943. According to Smithsonian Mag, “With rationing in effect during World War II, the boxed mix continued to gain in popularity; staples such as fresh meat and dairy were in short supply.” With this in mind, it’s interesting that Kraft macaroni and cheese is a staple at college dorms everywhere.

4. Butter Substitutes

Real butter was hard to find, so substitutions came up.

One popular one was oleomargarine. According to National Geographic, “This was helped along by improvements in the manufacturing process — margarine was now made from hydrogenated vegetable oils rather than animal fats — and by a clever side-step of the yellow ban in which white margarine was sold with an included capsule of yellow food coloring.” The yellow ban refers to the fact that different colors of margarine were banned in certain states. Weird…

5. Cottage Cheese

Cottage cheese sales also increased tremendously as it became a substitute for meat, of all things.

Sales went from 110 million pounds in 1930 to 500 million pounds in 1944. The government even put out recipes they suggested people follow to make the most of the rationed food. This is where a lot of popular recipes came from, including various Jell-O salads involving the mixing of cottage cheese, Jell-O, and various fruits and veggies.

6. Loaf Food

World War II Recipes: Victory Cake and Economy Loaf <- The Cake Walk ❤️🇺🇸👍 https://t.co/Vz0h9WM5SH pic.twitter.com/lKxIeGbKAn

— SL Strategies (@slstrategiesusa) June 10, 2017

Food in “loaf” form was popular.

This included something called Economy Loaf, which was a mix of basically vegetables, eggs, and spices. According to Time, which referenced a World War II recipe, the loaf is garnished with “additional egg slices, or with broiled bacon, if desired.” You can serve it with tomato sauce, butter, herbs, and a splash of Worchestshire or A-1 sauce. Definitely an interesting mix that might confuse your tastebuds.

7. Woolton Pie

Woolton pie became popular in Britain and then made its way to the U.S.A.

It was basically a vegetarian pie with lots of potatoes, and was a nutritious way to feed the family. According to Genius Kitchen, “Woolton Pie was created by a chef at the London Savoy during World War II. It was designed to be filling while predominantly using vegetables from the garden (which were obviously unrationed). This is the traditional wartime recipe and rather bland by modern taste.” They add that, nowadays, it can be adjusted with various condiments, herbs, and spices.

8. Apple Brown Betty

Apple Brown Betty was one way to make a sweet dessert that didn’t include sugar.

This was super important, since sugar could be hard to come by. Curious Cuisiniere states that it first appeared in writing in 1864, and that it dates back to colonial America. History.com adds that Apple Brown Betty was originally created so that households could use up leftover bread, which sounds ideal for a time when rationing and using every last crumb was essential.

9. Wartime Drippings

Wartime drippings were one way to make the most of meat shortages.

The drippings were bacon fat that was collected when people made bacon. Drippings were used to grease pans and season other foods, and even used as a topping. Though it may not sound appetizing to some, it’s definitely a great way to prevent waste as you make sure you’re giving your family enough to eat during wartime.

10. Casseroles

Casseroles were really popular options.

They could be made with food that was grown in the garden, and could be satisfying and filling, even with rationing. The best part is that casseroles are versatile, so you’re able to throw whatever you have into the mix — especially if you don’t want anything to go to waste. And if there’s one thing we know about people during World War II, it’s that they never let anything spoil.

11. Baked Custards

Baked custards were a sweet treat that a lot of people made.

They required maple syrup, which was much more readily available than sugar. According to What’s Cooking America, an old-fashioned custard would involve eggs, sugar, vanilla, and milk — though these ingredients were likely changed out depending on what was being rationed at the time. Hence the sugar being replaced with maple syrup.

12. War Cake

War Cake was also a popular recipe that came from Canada.

It used a pretty strange mix of food, but it was still cake. According a recipe First We Feast pulled, the cake contains “no butter, no eggs, no milk,” which is pretty hard to fathom based on the cakes we know and love today. But for a time when dairy and eggs were limited, and basically everything was being rationed, this makes perfect sense.

13. Veggie Everything

Anything made with vegetables was also common, whether it was soups, casseroles, or pies.

That’s because veggies were easy to grow on your own and weren’t rationed. This goes back to the idea of a Victory Garden, which the government encouraged citizens to adopt. Plus, according to Living History Farm, “Families were encouraged to can their own vegetables to save commercial canned goods for the troops.” That’s especially because labor and transportation shortages made it difficult for the food production industry to thrive.

14. Potatoes

Oh, and potatoes.

Potatoes were easy to find and super common, so they were in everything. Potato cakes were especially popular. After World War II, according to Smithsonian Mag, potato farmers began to use DDT, a pesticide, as a way to combat the potato beetles that were threatening their crops. Just goes to show you how important potatoes were during that time.

15. Spam

This is also when Spam became a thing… unfortunately.

It was mostly eaten by soldiers, but civilians tried it too. “Over 150 million pounds were used in the war effort, making Spam a cornerstone of troops’ diets,” states Smithsonian Mag. Apparently, soldiers also used Spam to lubricate their guns and waterproof their boots. Talk about a multipurpose product!

To be honest, a lot of these don’t look that bad. Still, we can’t say we aren’t happy this food era is over!