Another recipe from the The Economical War-Time Cook Book, these cookies were designed to save on scarce ingredients such as wheat and fats during World War I. They also help use up leftovers, since they can be made with leftover mashed potatoes.
Read More »
This recipe is one of many variations on “Eggless Butterless Milkless Cake,” an unusual recipe that became a staple during the food shortages of both World War One and World War Two. I’ve found similar recipes across dozens of cookbooks from the 1910s to the 1940s. Interestingly, while wartime cookbooks usually referred to this type of cake with names like “Eggless Butterless Milkless Cake” or “War Cake,” cookbooks published during the Great Depression often call it names such as “Depression Cake,” “Economy Cake,” or “Poor Man’s Cake.”
Read More »
This super quick, super easy recipe comes from War Economy in Food, a recipe booklet published by the U.S. Food Administration during World War I. The macaroons use oats and corn syrup to reduce the amounts of wheat and sugar used. In addition to saving wheat and sugar, the recipe also saves on time and dishwashing – it only uses one bowl, and only takes about 20-25 minutes from start to finish!
Read More »
From The Economical War-Time Cook Book, this recipe was designed to save white flour during World War I, substituting rye, wheat, and cornmeal instead. Although the United States never had official rationing during the first World War, Americans were still urged not to waste food, especially wheat, meats, fats, and sugar. Corn, “the food of the nation,” was promoted in particular as an economical alternative to flour.
Read More »
This gingerbread comes from Foods That Will Win the War, a pamphlet and recipe book instructing cooks how to save food during World War I. Although the United States never had official rationing during the first World War, the U.S. Food Administration ran an aggressive propaganda campaign urging Americans not to waste food, especially wheat, meat, fats, and sugar. Gingerbread was perfect for this, since the use of molasses as a sweetener means that it can be made without any added sugar at all.
Read More »
History in the Making 