The WWII-Era 'Emergency Steak' Made With An Unexpected Breakfast Ingredient

During the Second World War, Americans' lives changed whether they were personally fighting overseas or not. One major change on the home front was in how people ate. During the war, rationing meant that families could only purchase limited amounts of things like meat, butter, and sugar since much of the food produced in the country was needed to feed the military. Due to the limits placed on them, home cooks came up with inventive ways to stretch rationed items into full meals. One of those meals was Emergency Steak which used shredded wheat alongside beef.

This surprising combination was about texture as well as flavor. And while the dish was called Emergency Steak and shaped to resemble a T-bone steak, it was actually closer to a meatloaf. To make emergency steak, mix ground beef with Wheaties, chopped onion, a little milk, and salt and pepper to taste. This mixture can be shaped into a patty roughly the shape of a T-bone steak and then broiled at a high heat. The result is a bit different from a real cut of steak, but still manages to be a tasty, flavorful meal for lunch or dinner — or even breakfast for a variation on steak and eggs.

While Americans aren't using ration coupons, beef prices have gone up noticeably in recent months due to tariffs, inflation, and other factors. Because of that, many people are looking for ways to save money when making beef-based meals. These tricks can include using less beef, buying cheaper cuts of meat, and mixing the beef with other ingredients to stretch the meal into something more filling.

While it's a bit different from Emergency Steak, Salisbury steak is another "steak" dish that's not quite a steak but still a classic, vintage treat. Salisbury steak is probably closer to a hamburger and often blends ground beef with ground chicken or ground pork. It's traditionally served with mashed potatoes, gravy, and vegetables. The other old-school way to stretch your beef budget is meatloaf. This diner staple can be made with beef, turkey, pork, chicken, or a combination of these plus plenty of bread crumbs and seasonings to round out the flavor. There are a lot of different ways to make meatloaf, from ketchup-topped to barbecue style to tequila-infused meatloaf, so feel free to experiment. One way people used to make meatloaf more filling was to substitute oats in for breadcrumbs.