Changes Of The American And European Food Diet During World War I

During World War I, at the time referred to as The Great War, American and European strategies involving food changed as the war progressed. The American meat markets expanded largely during the war, about 36 times more than the exports in the year before the war. While the United States was thriving, Germany was giving out meat cards which rationed the limited meat out to their population. The US proposed on November 1, 1917 to initiate a campaign which aimed to reduce the war profits on absolutely necessary items for the people. Peanuts became useful during the war, after its new uses had been discovered such as a cheap substitute for cattle food peanuts increased in production.

World War I brought change to the American and European diet through increased meat exportation in the US, distribution of meat cards in Germany, reducing profits on items of necessity within the US in order to help the people, and the discovery of the numerous uses that peanuts offer.

Meat was in high demand during the war, the US was satisfying a large foreign demand for meat exports as well as supplying the US. Meat exports increased from 455, 000, 000 pounds in the year before the year to 885, 000, 000 in the first year then 1, 339, 000, 000 in the second. The United States war trade gain included gold as well as a trade balance of more than $2, 000, 000, 000. Meat prices eventually began to rise, beef at wholesale was selling for 14. 5 cents and went up to 15 cents.

Germany’s supply of meat was not enough to sustain their population, meat cards were given out to regulate this issue. Bread and butter cards had already been implemented, but meat soon after became an issue. A central meat distribution office regulates the meat consumption throughout the country. Germany’s people supported this effort, they believed this was the way of the war. Food Administrator Hoover, following months of work, proposed to initiate a campaign that would reduce profits on items deemed absolutely necessary for the people. Items included are “beef, pork and mutton, syrups and molasses, cleaned rice and rice flour, lard and lard substitutes, oleo oil, cooking fats, condensed milk, and various canned goods and dried fruit”. This helped lower costs, which helped gain favor with the struggling food situation.

According to the Imperial Institute in London, peanuts can be a substitute for higher priced cattle food. The nuts are crushed and pressed for oil, and the residue pressed into cakes for cattle. Prior to the war, nuts were imported from France and Germany. The New York Times newspaper provided ample research for this topic. Newspaper sources are a great way of identifying inquiry into the changes of the food diet during the war as well as new strategies.

America’s ability to take advantage of the meat market and export more than 36 times in the year before the war to the year after was very beneficial for them during the war. Germany did not do well while their food supply was dwindling, which forced the need for meat cards. although their people still gave their support. Britain worked to discover cheap alternative foods in place during the war, their work led to the discovery that peanuts are a cheap substitute for cattle food.