Part 5/9:

Culinary Creativity: Making Do at Sea

Crew members often lamented the monotony of their meals, which usually included canned goods and hard tack. As one officer recalled in an interview, the constant diet became unbearable, often leading to inventive ways to secure better food. For instance, a U-boat crew once embarked on a successful hunt for wild goats on an uninhabited island, resulting in a celebratory feast. However, such opportunities were rare.

Following the sinking of the Lusitania, U-boats were known to scavenge from merchant vessels, enhancing their supplies with commodities from the ships they attacked. This practice often led to sailors returning home with parcels of sugar or bacon—a welcome relief from their standard fare.