Skip to main content

World War II Food Ephemera Collection

 Collection
Identifier: Ms-2024-039

Scope and Content

The World War II Food Ephemera Collection consists of pamphlets, booklets, newsletters, and canning labels. They contain topics on canning, home economics, meats, nutrition, hospitality, meal planning, wheat and flour, menus, vegetables, and desserts. Many of the materials describe the signficance of rationing during the wartime.

Series I: Desserts contains pamphlets that have dessert receipes for wartime rationing.

Series II: Hospitality includes a booklet on how to host guests.

Series III: Kitchen Equipment includes booklets for information on oven drying and refrigerators.

Series IV: Meal Planning contains materials to help with meal planning recipes and workbooks.

Series V: Meats consists of materials on meat cuts and recipes during wartime. One pamphlet features Uncle Sam with the quote "I Must Have MORE CHICKS Raised in 1942!" and other cartoon drawings of eggs and chickens.

Series VI: Menus contains two menus for wartime recipes.

Series VII: Newsletters includes newsletters from corporations on food during wartime.

Series VIII: Nutrition has booklets and pamphlets for nutritional information. One booklet "Eat Right to Work and Win" contains cartoons featuring characters, such as Popeye, Toots and Casper, and the Phantom, to teach nutrition.

Series IX: Vegetables has pamphlets and canning labels. There are 8 copies of the canning labels from Veg-All, mixed vegetables.

Series X: Wheat and Flour contains pamphlets. One pamphlet includes information on enriched flour and bread during the wartime, with information on what this means and how it helps the wartime U.S.

Dates

  • 1941 - 1945

Language of Materials

Materials in this collection are in English

Conditions Governing Access

The collection is open for research.

Conditions Governing Reproduction and Use

The copyright status of this collection is unknown. Copyright restrictions may apply. Contact Special Collections and University Archives for assistance in determining the use of these materials.

Reproduction or digitization of materials for personal or research use can be requested using our reproduction/digitization form: http://bit.ly/scuareproduction.

Reproduction or digitization of materials for publication or exhibit use can be requested using our publication/exhibition form: http://bit.ly/scuapublication. Please contact Special Collections and University Archives (specref@vt.edu or 540-231-6308) if you need assistance with forms or to submit a completed form.

Extent

0.2 Cubic Feet (1 box)

Abstract

The World War II Food Ephemera Collection consists of pamphlets, booklets, newsletters, and canning labels. They contain topics on canning, home economics, meats, nutrition, hospitality, meal planning, wheat and flour, menus, vegetables, and desserts. Many of the materials describe the signficance of rationing during the wartime.

Arrangement

The collection is organized by types of kitchen and food items.

Source of Acquisition

The collection was purchased by Special Collections in February 2024.

Rights Statement for Archival Description

The guide to the World War II Food Ephemera Collection by Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech, is licensed under a CC0 (https://creativecommons.org/share-your-work/public-domain/cc0/).

Processing Information

The processing, arrangement, and description of the World War II Food Ephemera Collection was completed in April 2024.

Title
World War II Food Ephemera Collection, 1941 - 1945
Status
Completed
Author
Kaitlynn Harless, Graduate Assistant
Date
2024 (CC0 1.0)
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin

Repository Details

Part of the Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech Repository

Contact:
Special Collections and University Archives, University Libraries (0434)
560 Drillfield Drive
Newman Library, Virginia Tech
Blacksburg Virginia 24061 US
540-231-6308