master-cooks | Why The US Once Banned Sliced Bread

In 1943, during World War II, the United States implemented a temporary ban on sliced bread as part of broader wartime conservation efforts. The rationale behind this decision was primarily to conserve resources such as wax paper, wheat, and steel. Sliced bread required thicker wax paper to prevent it from going stale quickly, which was seen as an unnecessary use of materials during a time when the nation was attempting to conserve resources for the war effort. Additionally, the machinery used to slice bread was believed to require steel parts, which were also in high demand for military production. The ban, however, was met with widespread public dissatisfaction. Housewives and consumers appreciated the convenience of pre-sliced bread, and its absence created a notable inconvenience. Public outcry, coupled with doubts about the actual savings achieved through the ban, led to its reversal just a few months later. On March 8, 1943, the ban was lifted, allowing sliced bread to return to the shelves, much to the relief of the American public. The episode highlights the challenges and complexities of balancing resource conservation with consumer needs during wartime.

Americans couldn't live without sliced bread

Americans can credit Wonder Bread for the rise of sliced bread; it was one of the first widely available basic sliced white breads, appearing in stores during the 1930s. The convenience quickly caught on, and when it was banned a dozen years later, the public reaction was immense.

The situation changed rapidly. With women managing households while also entering the workforce, it became clear that sliced bread significantly reduced meal preparation time. Many women even wrote letters to newspapers to express how important sliced bread was to their daily lives. Additionally, numerous bakeries had their own slicing machines, meaning that not using them wouldn't actually save on steel. This led to a disparity in the bread market, as bakeries with slicing machines became much more popular than those without.

The ban was implemented in mid-January 1943, but by early March, it was lifted. Secretary of Agriculture Claude R. Wickard, who had initially announced the ban, was also the one to rescind it. While it is commonly believed that the outcry from housewives prompted the reversal, Wickard and the government claimed it was due to lower-than-expected savings on wax and steel.

Why The US Once Banned Sliced Bread

Americans couldn't live without sliced bread

Recommended

Next up