Here are pages 2 and 3 of the WWII ration cookbook titled “Recipes For Today” that was published by General Foods Corporation in 1943 (the cover is page 1). This was during the second world war when the United States was experiencing food rations and shortages (sugar, meat, etc.) and homemakers were looking for creative ways to feed their families.
You can view all the pages in this little book by visiting this category: Recipes For Today (WWII), just click a page title to view that section of the book. You’ll find scans of the pages included below (click pictures to view a larger size) as well as a typed version for easy printing.
Staunch Friends For Today’s Kitchens
Every American kitchen is sharing its food. Shortages are still with us. And we know that our meals cannot always follow their customary pattern, yet they must be nutritious and appealing.
So, we look especially for dependable products–foods that taste good and look attractive, that contribute nourishing goodness to menus, and are easy to use.
For years General Foods has offered a wide variety of just such fine foods. And every effort has been made to keep fullest quotas on the grocer’s shelves.
Among these products are Post Cereals which offer fine flavor and convenience plus important full-grain nutritive values. Nourishing beverages that can be made with milk, like Postum and Baker’s Cocoa. Time-savers like Jell-O, and baking aids, like Swans Down and Calumet.
These foods and many others, all delicious and useful, are produced in modern, sanitary food plants under American standards. They count for good eating in every corner of our land!
GRAPE-NUTS | JELL-O |
GRAPE-NUTS FLAKES | JELL-O PUDDINGS |
GRAPE-NUTS WHEAT-MEAL | JELL-O ICE CREAM POWDER |
POST’S CORN TOASTIES | D-ZERTA |
POST’S 40% BRAN FLAKES | MINUTE GELATIN |
POST’S RAISIN BRAN | MINUTE TAPIOCA |
POSTUM | BIRDS EYE FROSTED FOODS |
BAKER’S BREAKFAST COCOA | SNIDER’S CANNED FRUITS AND VEGETABLES |
BAKER’S CHOCOLATE | SNIDER’S CONDIMENTS |
MAXWELL HOUSE COFFEE AND TEA | SWANS DOWN CAKE FLOUR |
KAFFEE HAG AND SANKA COFFEE | CALUMET BAKING POWDER |
BAKER’S COCONUT | CERTO AND SURE-JELL |
LOG CABIN SYRUP | DIAMOND CRYSTAL SHAKER SALT |
Just realized I may have to spend the rest of my life looking up these recipes! Thank you so much; I KNOW how much work goes into projects like this. Touches my heart w/ tastes of my childhood home.
I also had some of these WWII recipe booklets several years ago, but lost them. I loved reading them; they knew how to stretch those rations, with healthy foods still recommended today! Some of those same recipes also helped me feed my family during some lean times in the 90’s. Thanks for sharing all your treasures.
Thank you for the memories. Most of these common sense recipes should be brought back today with all our pre-cooked,packaged food in the grocery stores.
I have this pamphlet in perfect condition! It came from my mother along with the pamphlet “Timely Meat Recipes” from the National Meat Producers Board c1945 and a few unused ration coupons. It is interesting how many recipes used lard, unacceptable by today’s standards but it added much flavor to those wartime meals.