During the First World War, food-related challenges played a central role in the ability of belligerent nations to meet the demands of total war. Never before had wartime countries faced the task of feeding such vast numbers of soldiers and civilians simultaneously, within economies that were already highly globalized but profoundly disrupted by the conflict. In 1918, the defeated Central Powers (Germany, Austria-Hungary) were also those that had failed to address these constraints, unlike the Allies (France, United Kingdom), which had implemented more effective and equitable policies. A source of innovation, the war accelerated the dissemination of industrially processed food products and modernized the diets of European populations, exposing them to new food cultures. The conflict also established models for food aid and the rationalization of food practices, shaping long-term approaches to food distribution and consumption in wartime.