Cook Up History: 5 Easy WWII SPAM Recipes for Kids
Published:
July 25, 2025
Contributor:
Charis King
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SPAM™ is more than just a quirky pantry item. It’s a bite-sized history lesson, a taste of culture, and a surprisingly fun way to mix cooking with homeschool learning. These 5 easy SPAM recipes are perfect for kids to make with a parent, and each one has a quick history bite to enjoy. We’ve also included springboard learning ideas across subjects like history, geography, science and more. So cook up some fun and sneak in some serious educational value, all without ever opening a textbook.
Don’t forget to grab your free Print & Go recipe cards, recipe challenge and a SPAM coloring page as well!
A Quick Bite of SPAM™ History
SPAM™ (yes, the name is trademarked) first hit shelves in 1937 after it was created by the Hormel company. During WWII, it became a battlefield staple because it didn’t need refrigeration, didn’t spoil easily, and was easy to ship. In fact, over 100 million cans of SPAM were sent to troops!
After the war, it took off in places like Hawaii, Guam, and the Philippines, where it was combined with local flavors. Today, Hawaii eats more SPAM per person than anywhere else in the U.S., with SPAM sushi, SPAM tacos, and SPAM jam on the menu.
5 Easy SPAM Recipes to Make with Kids
1. SPAM Fried Rice
History Bite: When American soldiers brought SPAM to Asia and the Pacific Islands, it met a stir-fried welcome. Leftover rice + chopped veggies + sizzling SPAM = a fast, filling meal that tastes like home. Fried rice is flexible, so families could toss in whatever they had on hand. Even today, it’s a budget-friendly favorite.
What You Need:
- 2 cups cooked rice (cold works bests)
- 1 can SPAM, diced
- 2 eggs, scrambled
- 1 cup frozen peas and carrots
- 2-3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons oil
Directions:
- Heat oil in a skillet. Add diced SPAM and cook until crispy.
- Push SPAM to the side. Scramble the eggs in the same pan.
- Add rice and veggies. Stir everything together.
- Splash in soy sauce. Stir-fry 3-5 minutes until hot.
Try this: Add pineapple for a sweet-savory Hawaiian twist.
2. SPAM Musubi Recipe
History Bite: Think of SPAM Musubi as a delicious mash-up of sushi and a sandwich. Japanese rice, seaweed, and grilled SPAM come together in this island favorite. It gained popularity after WWII, especially in Hawaii, where local ingredients blended with military rations to create something totally new and totally delicious.
What You Need:
- 1 can SPAM, sliced (8-10 pieces)
- 2 cups cooked sushi rice
- Nori (seaweed) sheets, cut into strips
- 1 tablespoon oil
What’s sushi rice? Sushi rice is a special kind of short-grain rice that’s stickier than regular rice, which helps it hold together when you press it into shapes like musubi or sushi rolls. If you don’t have sushi rice, you can use any short-grain rice or even regular white rice – just make sure it’s cooked a bit stickier than usual so it stays together when you press it.
Directions:
- Pan-fry SPAM slices until golden brown.
- Use a musubi mold (or clean SPAM can) to press rice, a SPAM slice, and more rice together.
- Wrap with a strip of nori.
Try this: Dip in a homemade musubi sauce (see bonus recipe).
3. SPAM and Eggs Recipe
History Bite: In the 1940s, American families were encouraged to “stretch the meat” and eat hearty breakfasts. Enter SPAM and eggs. Quick, protein-packed, and perfect for a country powering through war and rationing. In Hawaii and parts of Asia, it’s still a breakfast staple (but with rice, not toast).
What You Need:
- 1 can SPAM, sliced and fried
- 4 eggs, scrambled or fried
- Optional: steamed rice or toast
Directions:
- Fry SPAM slices until edges are crisp.
- Cook eggs to your liking.
- Serve side-by-side or stacked like a sandwich.
Try this: Sprinkle with furikake (rice seasoning) for a twist.
4. SPAM Sandwich Recipe
History Bite: During WWII, SPAM was packed into soldiers’ rations. In fact, Soldiers joked that SPAM stood for “Special Army Meat,” “Something Posing As Meat,” or even “Spiced Ham.” No matter the name, it was a staple that showed up in military meals and came back home after the war ended.
Fried SPAM on white bread, maybe with mustard or pickles, became a fast, filling lunch for kids and parents alike. It was easy, cheap, and oddly comforting.
What You Need:
- 1 can SPAM, sliced and fried
- Bread or sandwich buns
- Optional: cheese, lettuce, pickles, mustard, mayo
Directions:
- Fry SPAM slices until golden.
- Layer on your favorite bread with toppings of your choice.
Try this: Toast the bread for a crispy edge!
5. SPAM Quesadilla with Pineapple Recipe
History Bite: Today, SPAM fans are still getting creative. Quesadillas became a popular way to fuse SPAM with Tex-Mex and tropical flavors. In places like Guam and Hawaii, where SPAM is eaten more per capita than almost anywhere else in the world, recipes often include pineapple, cheese, and spice.
What You Need:
- 1 can SPAM, diced and pan-fried
- 1 cup shredded cheese
- 1/2 cup pineapple chunks
- 4 flour tortillas
Directions:
- Heat a tortilla in a skillet. Add cheese, SPAM, and pineapple.
- Top with another tortilla and cook until cheese melts.
- Flip carefully and crisp both sides.
Try this: Serve with our fresh pineapple salsa (see bonus recipe).
Bonus SPAM Recipes
Want to add a little bit more flavor to a couple of the recipes above? Give these 2 bonus recipes a try…
Bonus Recipe #1: SPAM Musubi Sauce Recipe
This sweet-savory glaze makes your musubi pop a little more.
What You Need:
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon mirin (or substitute rice vinegar + a pinch of sugar)
Directions:
- Simmer all ingredients in a small pan until slightly thickened.
- Brush over cooked SPAM slices before assembling musubi.
Bonus Recipe #2: Pineapple Salsa Recipe
Fresh and zingy for your quesadillas or sandwiches.
What You Need:
- 1 cup pineapple, diced
- 1/4 cup red onion, diced
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- Optional: diced jalapeño or chopped cilantro
Directions:
- Mix all ingredients in a bowl.
- Chill before serving.
Print & Go: FREE Cook Up History Activities
Hand-on activities can really help bring history to life so be sure to grab these to use with your homeschool or classroom lessons:
Cook Up History: SPAM Recipe Cards
We’ve turned these 5 easy WWII-era SPAM recipes into fun, printable recipe cards. We’ve also included the 2 bonus recipes as well as a blank recipe template card. The 5 recipe cards feature a quick history bite, a spot to color stars to rate the recipe, and kid-friendly steps. Just print, cook, and taste your way through history.
Cooking Challenge: Create Your Own SPAM Recipe Worksheet
Challenge your kids and family members to brainstorm and invent their own SPAM dish using whatever ingredients you have at home. Younger kiddos could be paired up with an older sibling or parent. Write down each recipe, name it, and share it over dinner. You can even turn it into a little friendly competition – who can come up with the most creative or tastiest SPAM recipe?
Free SPAM Soldier Coloring Page
Add a little fun to your history lesson with this free SPAM soldier coloring page. Inspired by real WWII rations, this talking can of “Special Army Meat” shares a fun fact about SPAM and the American soldiers. Print it out and let your little ones color it while your old kids help you cook one of the SPAM recipes.
Springboard Learning Ideas
- Mark Your Calendar for SPAM Fun: July 31 is National SPAM Day, and August 8 is National SPAM Musubi Day – two tasty reasons to dive into SPAM’s quirky history. Celebrate by cooking one of the recipes in this post, making your own musubi, or inventing a brand-new creation for your family to try.
- Want to add a little art? Draw or photograph the finished meal before you eat.
- History Extension: Use online resources or library books to explore WWII rationing. Try creating your own “ration cards” to simulate limited food shopping.
- Math in the Kitchen: Let your kids practice fractions and halve the ingredients or practice multiplication and double the recipe. Cooking is sneaky math at its tastiest.
- Geography Connection: Print a world map and mark places where SPAM is popular today. Ask kids to find Hawaii, South Korea, the Philippines, and Guam.
- Science Spotlight: Investigate why SPAM lasts so long without refrigeration.
- Field Trip: Visit the SPAM™ Museum in Austin, MN for a unique field trip. It’s quirky, free, and filled with interactive fun. If you can’t there in person then be sure to enjoy their free Virtual SPAM Museum Tour (YouTube).
FAQs about SPAM
Have a few questions? We have a few answers:
Q:Why did SPAM become popular in Hawaii?
A: SPAM was shipped to the islands during WWII. It was affordable, shelf-stable, and became part of local cuisine, blending with Asian and Pacific Island flavors.
Q: How much SPAM does Hawaii eat today?
A: A lot! Hawaiians consume over 7 million cans of SPAM each year – that’s about 5 cans per person!
Q: Is SPAM healthy?
A: It’s high in sodium and fat, so it’s best as an occasional treat. But it’s a fun way to explore food history with kids.
Q: What does SPAM™ stand for?
A: Nobody knows for sure. Some say it’s “Shoulder of Pork and Ham,” others say it’s “Spiced Ham,” but even the SPAM™ company keeps it mysterious.
Learn More About SPAM and Food History
Dive deeper into the fascinating world of SPAM with these fun and educational books and videos. Whether you love cooking, history, or just want to know the story behind that pink can, these picks have you covered!
Books:
- Tasting History: Explore the Past through 4,000 Years of Recipes (A Cookbook) This cookbook brings history to life with delicious, authentic recipes from World War II and more. A must-have for curious cooks and history buffs alike!
- SPAM: A Biography: The Amazing True Story of America’s “Miracle Meat”! – Explore the surprising story behind SPAM’s rise to fame and its cultural impact around the world.
Videos:
- How SPAM Makes Millions Cans in a Factory (YouTube) – See behind the scenes of the Spam factory and find out what makes this canned meat last so long.
- Mighty Python Spam Song (YouTube) – Kiddos will get a kick out of this short song about SPAM. What a great way to check off music in your lessons if you take the time to listen to it. 😉
Final Thought
Cooking up history doesn’t have to be complicated. These quick and quirky SPAM recipes are more than just food – they’re bite-sized ways to explore world events, culture, and creativity from your own kitchen. Whether your kids love it or think it’s weird, one thing’s for sure: they’ll never look at that blue can the same way again.
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Charis King
Charis King is the owner & steward of Homeschool Giveaways, a wife whose husband lives in Heaven, and a mom of twin daughters currently attending college. She and her husband homeschooled their daughters with the belief that each person is a unique masterpiece of God – created with gifts, interests and talents. (Eph 2:10). Even though the season of homeschooling her own daughters ended a few years ago, Charis is grateful for the opportunity to support other families along their own unique homeschool journey.
