Bacon lovers are bemoaning the horrifying news that their favorite breakfast food has now been added to the ever-growing list of things that cause cancer. Vintage ad Swifts bacon 1961
Who says “you’re right in liking meat?”
Certainly not the World Health Organization who caused mass hysteria recently by adding much beloved processed foods like bacon, sausage, cold cuts and hot dogs to the list of cancer causing items.
Mighty red meat was not far behind, joining that ever-expanding carcinogenic list of other once prized mid century classics like tobacco, asbestos and DDT.
Now demonized, these same food items were once the darlings of nutritionists.
Processed meat was not only cherished, it was revered, prized for its high nutritional value.
Once upon a time folks were not concerned if their consumption of red meat was too high, but worried that they were not consuming enough of the healthy stuff!
Who Put the Meat in America
Vintage ad American Meat Institute 1947
To make certain mid-century Americans included plenty of essential red meat in their diet, The American Meat Institute created a long running ad campaign touting the benefits and magic of meat, assuring the public that yes, you’re right in liking meat!
The ads that ran from WWII through the 1950’s drew no distinction in food value or health benefits whether from the lowly hot dog or the king of meat, the sirloin steak.
Meat was the yard stick of protein, the gold standard of nutrition or as the American Meat Institute called it “the nutritional cornerstone of life.”
Some bacon lovers today would firmly agree.
You Know It Was Good
All their ads came with the certification of the American Medical Association,confirming meats nutritional value. Vintage Ad American Meat Institute.
Bacon aficionados, a group hit hard by this recent cancer confirmation, can now take heart in this vintage ad that asks the reader: “You Know it was good- but did you know it was this good?”
“Those ribbons of rosy lean and crispy fat are more than food- with flavor,” the copy explain about nutritious bacon. “Each streak of fat is energy food. Each streak of lean has complete protein – with all ten of the body building amino acids that must be provided at the same time to do their work right!”
Nourishing Bacon – Fill er up!
Vintage ad American Meat Institute
Here’s the break at breakfast the snap in sandwiches a flavor lift for all other foods a mighty good main dish too! And look what bacon brings to the meal. Protein the kind supplied by all meat- is the greatest builder of muscles and bodies – essential for maintaining healthy tissues and nerves.
So bring home the bacon. You’re Right in liking meat!
A Sizzling Sausage Says All’s Right With The World
Vintage ad American Meat Institute 1947
Behind Good eating sure…but behind that flavor and sausage sizzle are high digestibility and good sound nourishment the kind of nourishment that contributes to that feeling that “all’s right with the world.”
Cold Cuts -Yardstick of Protein Foods
Vintage ad American meat Institute 1948
Cold Cuts as a nourishing meal…. that’s no baloney
Something nice to come home to the cold cut dinner- Ingenious wives are finding ways to build glamorous and well-balanced meals around the all meat economy of cold cuts. And appreciative husbands are giving them a hand.
A Square Meal Feeling
Vintage ad American Meat Institute 1946
Cooked to a carcinogenic turn, burgers and hot dogs grilled over the coals is quintessentially American.
Sure, high temperatures cooking such as cooking meat in direct contact with flames produce more carcinogenic compounds but as this ad says: “meat from the outdoor grill is more than just eating fun. Meat has the right kind of protein containing all of the amino acids essential to life and health. Meat provides satisfaction in the eating that good “square meal feeling.”
“Yes, outdoors or indoors you’re right in liking meat.”
Vintage ad American Meat Institute 1948
Hot diggety dog, those red hots are a complete nourishing protein meal!
As American as the Lincoln Highway friendly franks these tender juicy ruddy packages of fine meat food- handy and nutritious. Americans like ’em for their convenience. Our choice has been a wise one. The fine chopped, tender meats of this popular food contain high quality proteins and balanced nutrition
Meat…You’re right in liking it because it contains so many things that are good for you…and maybe some things that aren’t.
Continuing this week … an homage to meat and a time when Americans were encouraged to not only bring home the bacon, but the rump roast, pork chop and swiss steak too!
You Might Also Enjoy
© Sally Edelstein and Envisioning The American Dream, 2015. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Sally Edelstein and Envisioning The American Dream with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
