During the years of World War I, food shortages were acute throughout the Ottoman Empire. Even in regions where starvation conditions were not present, this forced people to change their diets. Within this situation, one of the best places to eat may have been the state-run Schools of Public Health (Hıfzıssıhha). This 1915 list of items to be furnished by the grocers at the schools would suggest an attempt to maintain a balanced diet for students in the midst of widespread scarcity. The list does not contain the unusual foods described in literature on Ottoman cuisine during earlier periods mostly focused on the palace. Instead, it suggests that the requirements of a healthy diet from Hıfzıssıhha very much resemble the typical food staples in Istanbul today. In fact, the description gives the impression of the exact type of small grocery store we would find 100 years later, minus the various packaged industrial snacks that now fill most shops.
Here's the list (some of these may require googling):
Ekmek ve francala (bread and baguettes)
Yumurta (eggs)
Gevrek ve bisküvi (biscuits)
Soğuk koyun ve kuzu eti ve tavuk söğüşü (cold sheep and lamb meat and chicken breast)
Sade tereyağ, peynirlerin envai (plain butter, various types of cheeses)
Zeytin (olives)
Sade yağ ile pişmiş ve etli yeşil ve kuru fasulye, sakız kabağı, bamya, patates, bezelye, mercimek yemekleri (Green and dried beans with meat cooked in clarified butter, zucchini, okra, potatoes, peas, lentil based foods)
Sütlaç, sütlü ve pekmezli mühallebi, tavuk göğsu, aşura, yoğurt (sütlaç, milk and molasses puddings, tavuk göğsü, aşura, yogurt)
Sütlü salep, çay, halıs süt (milk based salep, tea, whole milk)
Tahin helvası (tahini helva)
Taze yemişler (fresh/dried fruits/nuts)
Kurabiye, çıkolata, akide ve bergamutlu ve naneli peynir şekerleri (cookies, chocolate, hard candy, bergamot and mint candies)
Halıs limon ve portakal, mandaline, vişne, frenk üzümü, çilek şerbetleri (pure lemon, orange, mandarin, cherry, currant and strawberry sherbet)
Kuru üzüm, kayısı hoşafı, komposto (raisins, apricot compote, compote)
Alongside mandating that these foods and hot meals be provided no matter what, there is a warning that health inspectors would force grocers to throw out any expired or tainted foods as well as items being sold not included on this list. In addition, there are some requirements regarding hygiene. The foods should be kept in a closed glass case. Dirty dishes were to be washed one by one in boiled water, and altogether in one big pot, no doubt to ensure thorough removal of any pesky microbes.
Source: MF-HFS 4/5 (20 Kanunusani 1330 [2 February 1915]), no. 1
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