Epilogue: Foods of war, and wars on food: The American military commissary and (re)shaping the American diet

ABSTRACT

This article pulls together the various threads of the special issue by examining the current state of food within the US military using commissaries and PXs as a case study. It traces the growth of the commissary network during the 20th century, and its expansion during and after World War II. It also conveys how brand name foodstuffs found in commissaries, such as Kraft mayonnaise, Keebler cookies, and CW Post cereals, tell more than just the standard tale of American consumption, branding, and culinary imperialism. They also create zones of belonging, and as such, they create parameters of exclusion, especially when costs exceed a military family's budget. As this article illustrates, the attainment of Kraft cheese slices and Kellogg's Rice Krispies—or the “military-shopping complex”— works hand-in-hand with the military-industrial complex to construct the erroneous image that American soldiers and military families are basking in an abundance of healthy, brand-name foods, courtesy of Uncle Sam.

KEYWORDS:

• army food
• commissary
• military bases
• military consumption
• PX
• US military

Notes

1. See the following for an overview of current scholarship examining the American diet and how it matters on the international stage (i.e., how diets and eating are more than homegrown): Belasco; Cullather; Gabbacia; Goody; Liu; Mariani; Marx de Salcedo; and Smith.

2. See Parkin, Food is Love for an excellent discussion of the power of advertising not only in terms of gender stereotypes but also class values and racial perceptions.