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tables on the terraces at Clifton’s Brookdale. Singing birds
are in cages. (5) Two plates of food on a table, with salt and
pepper shakers: “25¢ plate includes meat, potatoes, carrots,
bran muffin and butter. Even cheaper is 5¢ Vita-Meal;
soybeans, rice, meat and vegetables cooked together, plus
cookie.”
Note 1. This is the earliest document seen (Jan. 2011)
that mentions “Vita-Meal” in connection with Clifford
Clinton or his cafeterias in Los Angeles. Vita-Meal was a
forerunner of Multi-Purpose Meal and Multi-Purpose Food
(MPF). (6) Dinner at the Clinton family home. Clifford is
standing, apparently serving. Many people are seated
around the large dining table, including business associates
and his wife’s parents. (7) Two plates of food on a table,
with salt and pepper shakers plus a glass or milk. “30¢ plate
offers four choices of entree, adds salad, milk, pie. Until the
war, Clinton’s meals included portions of free sherbet, free
limeade and free lollipops for children. (8) The swimming
pool at the Clinton’s home; it is open to employees. Clifford
Clinton is in the pool, resting by the edge. Esther Orrin, a
cafeteria checker, rides joyfully on a swing, high above the
pool. One of the 16 rooms in the Clinton home is an
employee hospital.
Note 2. What happened to the string of restaurants that
Clifford Clinton planned to open across America? Donald
Clinton, his son says (21 Jan. 2011): “Dad tried one of his
small community center prototypes. It did not work, so he
threw himself into Meals for Millions.” Address: Los
Angeles, California.
22. Photograph of Clifford Clinton at the “peep hole” in the
front door of the family’s residence in Los Angeles. 1944.
MEALS FOR MILLIONS, SOY, AND FREEDOM FROM HUNGER 21
© Copyright Soyinfo Center 2011
• Summary: The plaque below the “peep hole” reads: “Our
door’s unlatched for every guest. Let he who enters find
peace and rest.”
Donald Clinton explains: “We did find a street person
on the living room couch one morning, when we came
down to breakfast. We never locked the doors. They were
kinder and gentler times then.”
This photo and date were sent to Soyinfo Center by
Donald Clinton, son of Clifford Clinton (Jan. 2011).
23. Photograph of Clifford Clinton in U.S. army uniform on
a balcony overlooking Clifton’s Pacific Seas cafeteria in
Los Angeles. 1944.
• Summary: This photo and date were sent to Soyinfo
Center by Donald Clinton, son of Clifford Clinton (Jan.
2011).
24. Product Name: Multi-Purpose Meal (MPM). Renamed
Multi-Purpose Food (MPF) by Nov. 1947.
Manufacturer’s Name: Meals for Millions Foundation,
Inc.; F.W. Boltz Corp.; C.B. Gentry Co.
Manufacturer’s Address: 648 South Broadway, Los
Angeles 14, California.
Date of Introduction: 1945. January.
Ingredients: Soy grits (68.0%; low fat, expeller process,
precooked and dehydrated, 50% protein), dehydrated
vegetables (23.4%; combinations as desired of onions,
potatoes, green pepper, cabbage, tomatoes, celery, parsley,
leeks, garlic and chili peppers), seasonings (8.6%; each
manufacturer has his own seasoning blend).
Wt/Vol., Packaging, Price: 2.25 oz or bulk.
How Stored: Shelf stable.
New Product–Documentation: Paul de Kruif. 1945.
Reader’s Digest. Sept. p. 50-52. “How we can help feed
Europe’s Hungry; Soybean Digest. 1945. Dec. p. 14. “To
feed world’s starving peoples: M.P.M. Five-cent soy meal.”
“The result, late in 1944, was the ‘multi-purpose meal.’ Its
tasty formula is dominated by 68 percent of soybean grits,