Making Meals in Minutes
Studying my grandparents’ era reminds me they lived in a world of upheaval and danger. Listening to their stories of life during World War II, it often struck me how they took life-changing world events in stride. It still encourages me to remember their calm yet devoted steadfastness in everyday life. That seems to have been the general attitude of their generation, as the famous 1939 poster says: Keep Calm and Carry On.
One major component of this slogan, for homemakers, was keeping home and family in healthy working order. Countless hours of research were done by governments, schools, companies and individuals toward this end. Nutrition was studied intensely—in particular, exactly what the human body needed to stay healthy and active.
Advertising in Wartime
Savvy food manufacturers reinforced the guidance being given to citizens on the home front. Advertisements often made direct reference—sometimes with lengthy explanations—to problems with rationing, finding ingredients or dealing with shortages.
I recently found a single-page ad from an unknown magazine in a local antique shop. Based on its statement about Libby’s 75th year, the ad was likely published in 1944. Quick-Time Dinners for busy war days is a classic example of the 1940s mix of advertising and community service. It empathizes in detail with the homemaker’s lack of time, rations and shortages, and need for a variety of options to make menus work.
Savory Shortcakes
The ad includes three full menu suggestions that lend themselves to whatever could be found on any given week. I decided to try the first menu for hamburger shortcake. The ad provides the hamburger recipe and suggests store-bought buns. In a pinch, those would work perfectly but the “shortcake” part of this recipe snagged my curiosity. I had to find out if savory shortcakes were common in the 1940s.
The 1943 Rumford Complete Cook Book includes its recipe for shortcake biscuits. Although the recipe includes variations for two fruit shortcakes, the recipe itself includes no sweetener at all, so it would have been perfect for something like hamburger shortcake. Incidentally, I have another blog post called Splendid Summer Salads that showcases recipes from this excellent cook book. If you can locate a copy, you’ll have a treasure.
Making the shortcake biscuits took an extra 15 or 20 minutes, in addition to the baking time, but they were well worth it! I made my homemade version of chili sauce—an ingredient called for in the hamburger mixture—and finished the filling in the 15 minutes the shortcakes baked. (The chili sauce recipe is in this blog post if you would like to try it.) The frozen peas also cooked in that time so the Libby’s menu plan really did turn out to be quick. Using store-bought buns would have put the meal on the table in 20 minutes. The menu seemed a bit heavy on fruit but this would have been much-needed nutrition for energy during wartime, and it was the perfect counter-balance for the hearty hamburger shortcake.
Making Do & Making Substitutions
The Libby’s ad pointed out that food dealers may not always have had the exact items homemakers wanted, and that the menu suggestions were easy to adjust based on what could be found. After preparing the first menu, it is easy to appreciate the many other ways it could be adjusted. For example, it could become vegetarian by substituting chopped mushrooms for the hamburger and olive oil for the butter.
In-season fruits and vegetables could be used. Other beverages could be swapped in. Gluten-free bread—or rice or another grain or seed—could have been used. I substituted dehydrated onion flake for the fresh onion and didn’t have bottled chili sauce on hand so made my own 5-minute version. Ketchup could also have been substituted—although I highly recommend the recipe as written because it has an old-school umami flavor that is sublime.
Variety & Good Health
Next time, I want to try the second menu for stuffed frankfurts. Who would have thought of stuffing the hot dogs instead of topping them? The cups o’ fruit also sound delicious, made with slices of toasted bread shaped into tiny bowls.
During the war, nations had entire government agencies working on the problem of getting enough food and getting the right balance of foods to keep citizens healthy and able to work. A vigorously healthy population meant the difference between victory and defeat. Those on the home front were required to meet the needs of the military as well as their own needs.
Time and energy were in short supply. If you found yourself in a challenging situation with lack of time and resources—and no fast food—what would your favorite go-to meals be?
Chili Sauce
Ingredients
Instructions
- Mix all ingredients together in a pint-sized jar. Mix well.
References
Rumford Chemical Works. Rumford Complete Cook Book. Norwood, MA: Norwood Press. 1943.
“Trust in Him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us.”
Psalm 62:8