Food, Memory, and Service: Remembering Those Who Fed a Nation

Every November, Canadians pause to remember. We wear a poppy close to our hearts, stand together in silence, and recall the sacrifice of those who served in the Canadian Armed Forces. But remembrance is not only about the soldiers who went to war — it’s also about the communities that sustained them, the families who rationed and waited, and the hands that gathered, prepared, and shared food when it was scarce.

At the London Food Coalition, where every pound of collected food represents care made tangible, we recognize that food has always been part of service — from the field kitchens of Europe to the food drives and soup lines that emerged across Canada during and after both World Wars. To feed someone is to honour life. And remembrance, at its heart, is an act of gratitude for life continued.

Feeding the Front and the Home Front

During the First and Second World Wars, Canada’s food system mobilized on an unprecedented scale. Farms, factories, churches, and community organizations became part of a vast effort to keep troops and families nourished. Women’s institutes preserved fruits and vegetables by the tonne; Victory Gardens appeared in backyards and public parks; and food rationing became a national act of solidarity.

Organizations like The Salvation Army, Canadian Red Cross, and local church auxiliaries played a vital role — not only serving meals to soldiers overseas but also supporting the families they left behind. The Salvation Army’s “Hut” programs on the front lines offered soldiers hot tea, soup, and a moment of humanity amid the chaos of war. In Canada, their kitchens became gathering places for those seeking comfort and connection during times of uncertainty — a legacy that continues today in food programs across our cities, including here in London.

In that lineage of compassion, we can see ourselves. The London Food Coalition and our member agencies continue that same spirit of service — not in wartime, but in response to the everyday battles of hunger, isolation, and inequity. We collect, connect, and nourish — so that no one stands alone in the fight to feed their family.

Indigenous Warriors and the Food of the Land

Remembrance Day is also a time to acknowledge those whose service was long overlooked: the First Nations, Inuit, and Métis soldiers who served in every major conflict, from the War of 1812 to Afghanistan. Thousands volunteered despite not yet being recognized as Canadian citizens. They brought with them skills rooted in their cultures — tracking, navigation, endurance, and survival — but also a deep understanding of respect for the land and what it gives.

For Indigenous soldiers, food was not just sustenance; it was ceremony. Wild game, berries, and traditional medicines carried both physical and spiritual strength. And when they returned home — often to communities still facing systemic discrimination and poverty — many continued to serve through generosity: feeding their people, sharing harvests, and teaching the next generations to care for the Earth that feeds us all.

As we reflect on this, we recognize that remembrance is also reconciliation. It means honouring Indigenous warriors not only in uniform but in their daily acts of defence for land, water, and community — acts that continue today. Across Turtle Island, Indigenous food sovereignty movements are reclaiming these teachings, reminding us that the first treaties were not written on paper but in the soil, the rivers, and the harvest itself.

Food as a Bridge Between Past and Future

When we look at the history of food and service in Canada, we find a pattern: in moments of crisis, people gather around food to rebuild hope. Whether it was a volunteer ladling soup in a wartime canteen, a farmer donating crops to the local food bank, or a community member volunteering with the London Food Coalition today — these are all acts of remembrance.

Each delivery made by our refrigerated truck, each box filled by a volunteer, echoes those earlier efforts. It says: We remember the power of generosity. And it invites us to imagine what remembrance could mean if it became a daily practice, not only once a year. What if we honoured our veterans, our ancestors, and our neighbours by ensuring that everyone — every child, every elder, every newcomer — had access to abundant, nourishing food?

A Call to Remember Through Action

On this Remembrance Day, as we pause in silence, may we also take a moment of gratitude for the unseen army of community caregivers — past and present — who feed our spirits and our cities. May we remember that peace is not only the absence of war, but the presence of shared wellbeing.

The London Food Coalition stands on that tradition of service. We remember those who fought for our freedom, those who fed the fighters, and those who continue to nourish our communities with compassion, dignity, and hope. Because remembrance is not a single day on the calendar — it is a practice, carried out one meal, one delivery, one act of kindness at a time.