MAPACA

Mid-Atlantic Popular &
American Culture Association

During World War II, women were singled out as an important part of the war effort—not just in the factories, but in the kitchen. Given the success of Herbert Hoover’s Food Administration during World War I, new guidelines for Americans were put into place after the United States entered the conflicts in Europe and the Pacific. Government programs, propaganda, magazines, and film geared toward women elevated tasks like food preparation to a level almost as significant as the act of physically fighting the war. While the message was clear that women on the home front had an important role in ensuring victory overseas, these activities were still firmly couched in language that reinforced the traditional gender roles of the time. This paper will examine how the kitchen was marketed to women as the primary way they could help to win the war.