These “Share the Meat” Ration Recipes Show The Innovation Of The Greatest Generation

Based on the WWI campaign of “Share the Meat,” the Farm Security Administration developed recipes for housewives that contained no meat. These sometimes-odd creations were intended to help provide a protein-rich diet during the scarcity of WWII.

Baked Eggs with Cheese

This one doesn’t sound like much of a scrimp! My mom used to make this type of dish often, for any meal of the day. Eggs for dinner doesn’t seem so unusual! For a family who may have been accustomed to meat for dinner every night it might have been a stretch. The more likely scenario is that this would have used up your family’s egg rations for days, meaning no omelettes or cakes later in the week.

Via/ Library of Congress

From the original caption: “Rich in iron and vitamin B, eggs can be cooked a hundred delicious ways. Baked eggs with cheese is a particularly good egg dish, simple and quick to prepare. Ingredients, in addition to eggs, are grated cheese, bread crumbs, milk, butter, salt and pepper.” Also, check out those lovely milk glass salt and pepper shakers and the old-fashioned cheese grater!

Via/ Library of Congress

This anytime meal goes well with bread or any number of other foods, as most of us can attest to. I think today, though, we’d be likely to serve it in a less-formal setting.

Via/ Library of Congress

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