During World War II, the U.S. military was shipping so much meat overseas to feed troops and allies that a domestic shortage loomed. According to a 1943 Breeder's Gazette article, the American soldier consumed close to a pound of meat a day. Beginning that year, meat on the homefront was rationed-but only the mainstream cuts. You could have all the organ meats you wanted. The army didn't use them because they spoiled more quickly and because, as Life put it, "the men don't like them." Civilians
During World War II, the U.S. military faced a significant challenge in managing meat supplies, as vast amounts were being sent overseas to sustain troops and allies, leading to potential shortages for civilians. An article from Breeder's Gazette noted that American soldiers typically consumed nearly one pound of meat daily. To address this issue, the government implemented meat rationing on the homefront starting in 1943, but this primarily affected popular cuts, allowing civilians access to organ meats instead.
The military's preference for common cuts over organ meats was due to spoilage concerns and the fact that soldiers generally found organ meats unappetizing. Consequently, while civilians had the option to consume organ meats without restrictions, many preferred not to, prompting a unique dynamic between military needs and civilian rationing during the war. This period spotlighted the complexities of food distribution and consumption during wartime, as reflected in Mary Roach's book, "Gulp: Adventures on the Alimentary Canal."
