During both World Wars, Americans were asked to reduce wheat consumption. They were urged to eat more potatoes instead.
83 Years Ago
The April 1, 1943 Colorado Transcript included the following editorial:
POTATOES IN FIGHT FOR FREEDOM
EAT THEM" hot or cold, new or old, large or small, but raise and eat potatoes. The lowly Irish potato has its eyes open to its task of again saving humanity and civilization. During times of drought, famine, pestilence and war the potato comes to the fore. Now that freedom depends on food, the humble potato is again on the job. There are 198 different ways of cooking potatoes. As a “ship-saver” England is growing 70 per cent more potatoes than ever before. Potatoes are a crop that does very well in almost every part of the United States.
So much attention is being given to this matter of food and to the potato that Fortune published this adaptation of one of the Mother Goose rhymes:
There was an old woman who lived in a shoe;
She had so many children she didn’t know what to do;
She gave them potatoes instead of bread,
And the children were happy and very well fed.
