In 1955, President Eisenhower’s Federal Civil Defense Administration introduced an early version of the Survival Cracker Project, known as "Grandma’s Pantry." The name was inspired by the idea that Grandma was always prepared for unexpected company, emphasizing the need for American households to maintain a ready supply of food and water in case of nuclear attack.
As part of this initiative, the Eisenhower administration sought to develop a nutritious, cost-effective, mass-producible, and shelf-stable food source that could sustain civilians during a crisis. Taste was considered secondary to practicality, as the primary goal was to create a long-lasting survival food that could be stored underground for indefinite periods without spoiling.
This 3D image showcases an authentic tin of Survival Crackers, one of the emergency rations distributed to fallout shelters and stockpiled by the public. These crackers became a staple of Cold War-era preparedness, serving as a symbol of national defense planning in an era dominated by uncertainty and the looming threat of nuclear conflict.