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The Old-School Dinner 'Club' Your Grandparents Probably Still Remember By Paige Hughes Dec. 6, 2025 8:00 pm EST

What if I told you there's a 99 percent chance your grandparents belonged to one of the most prestigious, yet inclusive, clubs in the country? Yes, the esteemed "clean plate club" welcomed — and even encouraged — every American to join. An informal club describing people who ate everything on their plate at mealtime, the "clean plate club" has a historic origin with messages that still persist today.

The idea goes back to the World War I era. In 1917, then-President Woodrow Wilson created the Food and Fuel Control Act due to the shortage of food for U.S. troops in Europe . This act gave Wilson total control over food in the country, aiming to sh

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