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Christmas 1918: Patriotism Served on the Dinner Table

12/20/2025

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Summary

Story summary

During Christmas dinner in 1918, Americans expressed patriotism through meals amid World War I.
The U.S. Food Administration urged families to conserve food for troops and promoted the cookbook Win the War in the Kitchen.
Dishes such as corn fritters and Puritan turkey stuffing highlighted wheat alternatives.
The National WWI Museum in Kansas City preserves this history, illustrating how wartime constraints shaped holiday dishes.

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Story summary

During Christmas dinner in 1918, Americans expressed patriotism through meals amid World War I.
The U.S. Food Administration urged families to conserve food for troops and promoted the cookbook Win the War in the Kitchen.
Dishes such as corn fritters and Puritan turkey stuffing highlighted wheat alternatives.
The National WWI Museum in Kansas City preserves this history, illustrating how wartime constraints shaped holiday dishes.