Wise Words From America’s Past: Food, Don’t Waste It

Anjali Prasertong
Anjali Prasertong
Anjali Prasertong is a writer and public health dietitian focused on food systems, racial equity, and nutrition. Originally from Los Angeles, she has taught English in rural Japan, worked as a private chef in Malibu, and led an innovative city-funded corner store program in New Orleans that increased fresh food access in low-income neighborhoods. She was previously a contributing editor for The Kitchn, and currently lives in Denver with her husband and two kids.
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updated May 2, 2019
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(Image credit: Apartment Therapy)

In this age of excess, it’s easy to forget that there was a time when people rallied around the idea of individual deprivation for the common good. What a nice surprise to come across this poster, which so neatly sums up some of my most basic beliefs about food, and realize it was created nearly a century ago.

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy)

Designed by Fred G. Cooper for the U.S. Food Administration in 1917, this poster and others like it were part of an effort to get Americans to voluntarily reduce consumption of certain staples during World War I. The effort led to the introduction of the original “Meatless Mondays” as well as “Wheatless Wednesdays,” and helped the country avoid government rationing during the war.

It seems we’ve come full circle in the nearly 100 years since this poster was designed. Ideas that seem so modern — eat locally! use less meat! — are actually a return to the past, back to a time when food was more precious and powerful enough to win wars.

→ Find it: Food, Don’t Waste It poster, $9.99 at The 2 Fun Ad Guyz

Related: 5 Ways To Combat Food Waste At Home

(Images: Library of Congress, in the public domain)

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