Creamed chipped beef on toast
Creamed chipped beef on toast, often humorously called S.O.S., is a classic American comfort food made with thin slices of dried, salted beef simmered in a white sauce and served over toasted bread. The dish typically uses chipped beef, milk or cream, butter, flour, and sometimes seasonings like pepper or Worcestershire sauce, and is a staple of home cooking and military mess halls.
🍽️ Nutrition at a glance
This dish is high in protein from the beef and dairy, moderate in fat from the creamy sauce, and relatively high in carbs from the toast. A typical serving provides around 400-600 calories, along with notable amounts of iron, sodium, and calcium.
Nutrition breakdown
| Calories | 280 kcal |
| Protein | 18 g |
| Carbs | 20 g |
| Fat | 14 g |
| Fiber | 1 g |
| Sugar | 3 g |
| Sodium | 1200 mg |
| Iron | 4 mg |
| Calcium | 150 mg |
| Potassium | 300 mg |
| Phosphorus | 250 mg |
| Zinc | 3 mg |
| Vitamin B12 | 2 mcg |
| Niacin (B3) | 5 mg |
| Selenium | 20 mcg |
Per 1 cup (240 g) · estimated, varies by recipe
💡 What's interesting
Culturally, it's a nostalgic dish often associated with mid-20th century American cuisine and military rations, valued for its simplicity and shelf-stable ingredients. Nutritionally, it's a dense, hearty meal that was historically practical for providing sustained energy, though its high sodium content makes it a less common choice in modern diets.
