Wheatless Wednesdays

During WWI a nation-wide effort was made for Americans to voluntarily restrict their meals to make food available to send overseas to troops and those starving in war-torn countries. In April, 1917, millions of men, women and children were patriotically participating in "Meatless Mondays" and "Wheatless Wednesdays." After three years of devastating warfare, western Europe was in a state of ruin. Food was extremely scarce—the war had disrupted transportation, turned farmers into soldiers and left the fields that were not battlegrounds to be tended by women, children and the elderly. Many of the Allies, particularly in France and Belgium, were starving.

With the imperative of feeding the war-stricken combined with the nutritional needs of American soldiers heading for France, the newly formed U. S. Food Administration opened its home front campaign by declaring "Food will win the war." To further its mission of persuading Americans to voluntarily restrict their use of wheat, meat, fats and sugar, the Food Administration, led by Herbert Hoover, relied on professional home economists to create volunteer networks and educate women about food conservation and preservation, growing vegetables and healthful dietary practices.

This same challenge appeared again during WWII when Americans were encouraged to dig Victory Gardens and grow food on every available plot of land, whether it be a yard, park, or school campus.

In this vein I've instituted Meatless Mondays and Wheatless Wednesdays. Today I created a new combination for me, but it sounds like a very traditional southern dish.... Lemon Pepper Garlic Fish with Boiled Butter Beans.

Thank goodness Butter Beans are still in season. You can purchase them at Betty Reeds Fruit Stand in Franklin or if all else fails a bag in the frozen foods section are delicious, too.

I simply boil them in chicken broth until tender and then add a tablespoon of butter to the pan to melt before serving.

The fish is whiting, but any fish will do. Simply pan fry in olive oil with a little Lemon Pepper sprinkled on top and flip to cook through on both sides.

Simple. Delicious. Wheatless.

 

 

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Comments

[N Claison]

Hi. I knew about the Meatless Mondays, but not Wheatless Wednesdays. Thanks for sharing the poster especially. By the way, your text above you say " In the vain," which should be instead, "In the vein."

[Susan]

Thank you for reaching out and for the clarification. Gosh! Doesn't it feel a bit like the 1940s rationing today? What with bare shelves at at the market.

I can't imagine what it was like to live through WWII, and I don't want to. If there is a silver lining to the Covid-19 pandemic, it's that I am much more grateful in general and especially to our healthcare workers and line of people who get toilet paper on the shelves at Kroger.