War & Food: 10 Surprising Connections

During wartime, there can be shortages of food or difficulties getting food to the troops. Some of the most popular foods we eat today were introduced during wartime in response to the shortages, feeding troops, and a changing world. Some of these foods are M&M's, corn dogs, SPAM, Rice Krispie Treats, and Cheetos. Let’s look at 10 of these foods.

Caricature of the Rolling Stones serving Rice Krispie Treats.Photo byDa Vinci App / Modern Day Foodie

Rice Krispie Treats

Making your own Rice Krispies Treats was a popular food during World War II. It was introduced to the country during a time of food shortages. Kellogg's first invented Rice Krispies Treats in 1939 as a fundraiser for Camp Fire Girls. The treats became a national sensation, and Kellogg's added the recipe to the back of their Rice Krispies cereal boxes in 1941.

Fun Fact: Rice Krispies introduced a jingle in 1964 that was sung by the Rolling Stones. See video below.

M&M Candy

The original M&Ms were developed by Forrest Mars. He exclusively created the candy in 1941 for U.S. service members deployed overseas during World War II. At first, they distributed the candy in cardboard tubes and said that M&Ms travel well in different climates. The design was patented on March 3, 1941.

Cheetos

The dehydrated cheese powder that gives Cheetos their flavor was originally developed by the US Army to reduce the weight and volume of food shipped overseas. Post-war using that technology, Crunchy Cheetos was invented by General Mills. Crunchy Cheetos remained the brand's sole product for 23 years until the introduction of Cheetos Puffs in 1971.

Instant coffee

Soldiers sought a quick and affordable way to boost their energy levels during the American Civil War. A concentrated coffee/milk/sugar mixture was produced for the Union army under the name Essence of Coffee. A teaspoonful was mixed with a cup of hot water. It was so unpopular that it was soon discontinued.

Corn dogs

The history of corn dogs is a bit controversial, with multiple claims of invention by different people and groups. Although Stanley Jenkins, a businessman from Buffalo, New York, filed a patent for a corn dog-making apparatus in 1927. The patent was granted in 1929.

The military did not invent the corn dog, but the Air Force did play a role in its history. While stationed in the Air Force Airfield in 1946, Ed Waldmire experimented with a batter that stuck to a hot dog while frying. He called his creation a "crusty cur" and sold them at the U.S.O. club. Waldmire's wife did not like the name, so she suggested "cozy dog" instead. The Cozy Dog Drive-In is still in business today in Springfield, Missouri.

Original can of SPAM / Spiced HamPhoto byAnon a mouse Lee, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Common

SPAM

Jay Hormel, the son of George Hormel who founded the Hormel company, introduced Spam in 1937. Spam was created to sell pork shoulder, considered a waste product at the time. In 1936, the product was called "Spiced Ham." The next year it was renamed Spam.

Delivering fresh meat to the front during World War II was difficult. Spam was the answer to this issue. It soon became part of the U.S. soldier's diet. Soldiers would refer to it as, "ham that didn't pass its physical", "meatloaf without basic training", and "Special Army Meat". Before the end of the war, over 150 million pounds of Spam were purchased.

Canned food

In 1809, Nicolas Appert, a French confectioner and brewer, invented the canning process in response to a request from the French government to preserve food for the army and navy. The canning process made it easier to supply armies, explorers, and others who needed to rely on preserved food. Canned food has been a staple of troops' diets throughout history. The reason why canned food didn't spoil was unknown for 50 years until Louis Pasteur discovered the role of microbes in food spoilage.

Chef Hector Boiardi receiving the Gold StartPhoto byChef Boyardee

Chef Boyardee

Italian immigrant Hector Boiardi was a supplier to the U.S. Army during World War II. American troops engaged in battle overseas, and the comforts of home were much appreciated. Chef Boyardee became an essential part of soldiers’ rations. Because of Boiardi and his company's efforts during the war, in 1946, he was awarded The Gold Star.

Freeze-dried foods

Freeze drying was first used in 1909 to preserve biological substances. During World War I, freeze-drying was used on a large scale to dry blood for use in laboratories. Freeze-drying was first used to preserve food for soldiers on long military campaigns. They began researching freeze-dried foods in the early 1950s, and the use of freeze-drying for military rations has increased in recent years.

Refrigerated guacamole

The U.S. Army developed a high-pressure processing technique in the late 1990s and early 2000s to keep guacamole green for weeks.

Do you have any other food items that were created by the military or war? Kindly let us know in the comments.

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References

• National WW2 Museum
• Chef Boyardee
• Cheetos
• Rice Krispies Treats
• Corn Dog Patent
• Instant Coffee
• Spam