---
title: 'Food is a weapon: Don''t waste it!'
url: https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/food-is-a-weapon-dont-waste-it-1943/
description: A painted empty plate holding a wishbone and bones, with knife, fork, crumpled napkin and a near-empty glass on a green ground.
section: Collection
---

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3. Food is a weapon: Don't waste it!

[![Food is a weapon: Don't waste it!, 1943 US poster: A painted empty plate holding a wishbone and bones, with knife, fork](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/images/food-is-a-weapon-dont-waste-it-1943.jpg)](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/images/food-is-a-weapon-dont-waste-it-1943.jpg)

# Food is a weapon: Don't waste it!

A painted empty plate holding a wishbone and bones, with knife, fork, crumpled napkin and a near-empty glass on a green ground. The headline 'Food is a weapon' and the instruction 'Don't waste it!' with 'Buy wisely - cook carefully - eat it all' carry a military word onto household eating, a transfer from the war effort to the dinner table.

## Propaganda techniques used in this poster

[Transfer](https://propagandaarchive.org/techniques/transfer/)

## Text on the object

Original (English) · read from the image, not independently checked

```
FOOD IS A WEAPON

DON'T WASTE IT!
BUY WISELY - COOK CAREFULLY - EAT IT ALL

FOLLOW THE NATIONAL WARTIME NUTRITION PROGRAM

[imprint:] OWI Poster No. 58. Additional copies may be obtained upon request from the Division of Public Inquiries, Office of War Information, Washington, D.C.
[imprint:] U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE : 1943-O-520466
```

[← Food Comes First](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/food-comes-first-1943/) [Food is fighting strength - conserve it! →](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/food-is-fighting-strength-conserve-it-1943/)

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