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Canning Through the World Wars

American housewives canned more than 4 billion cans and jars of food in 1943, and nearly 3 ½ billion quarts of food in 1944. The latter represents nearly one-half of the canned vegetables and two-thirds of the canned fruits that were available for civilian consumption that year.

--Toepfer, E. W. & Reynolds, H. (1947). Advances in home canning. United States Department of Agriculture: The Yearbook of Agriculture 1943-1947. Retrieved from http://naldc.nal.usda.gov/naldc/catalog.xhtml?id=IND43894002&start=0&searchText=&searchField=&sortField=&yearFacet=1943&authorFacet=Reynolds%2C+Howard

Canning as a method of food preservation greatly increased with the advent of both World War I and World War II, spurred on by rationing and advanced techniques, along with an increased awareness of the importance of following good food safety practices.

How Did We Can?

Canning Through the World Wars

American housewives canned more than 4 billion cans and jars of food in 1943, and nearly 3 ½ billion quarts of food in 1944. The latter represents nearly one-half of the canned vegetables and two-thirds of the canned fruits that were available for civilian consumption that year.

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