The Evolution of American Military Food - Gastro Obscura
From salted beef and canned bread to pizza and cheesecake, military food in the United States has come a long way. Revolutionary War: To keep soldiers from getting scurvy on their diet high in salted beef, pork, and fish, George Washington’s troops were given up to a quart of spruce beer—a handy source of vitamin C used since Viking times—daily. Your newsletter subscriptions with us are subject to Atlas Obscura's Privacy Policy and Terms and Conditions. Civil War: Standard rations for Union soldiers included a pound each of salt pork and hardtack bread. When the dried bread grew moldy or started sprouting maggots, soldiers would boil it with their coffee to kill vermin. World War I: The Reserve Rations that sustained U.S. troops through trench warfare consisted of about 4,000 daily calories, much of them in the form of canned meat and vegetables. To liven things up ever so slightly, soldiers received half a pound of candy every 10 days, as well as tobacco and cigarette papers for rolli