Throughout the 1920s, the Canadian Department of Health issued a series of "Little Blue Books." These government-sponsored pamphlets were authored by Dr. Helen MacMurchy, chief of the Child Welfare Division under the Department of Health. Offering advice on childcare, health, and home economics, the Little Blue Books were printed in large quantities and circulated widely. How We Cook in Canada was the 13th publication among the 16 Little Blue Books in the household series. Due to their popularity and availability, many copies of the Little Blue Books were distributed throughout Canada in the 1920s and 1930s. 

How We Cook in Canada and the Little Blue Books can be viewed as examples of government-issued public education booklets for young Canadian women in the early 20th century. The author wrote in a cheerful and encouraging tone and the prose is easy to read. The book provides useful information about the fundamental principles of cooking and other know-hows useful in the kitchen, especially ones that new brides or inexperienced cooks may need to know. The bulk of the content relates to information about selecting stoves and heat resources; recipes for cooking common ingredients like meat, vegetables, and bread; and food preservation methods. As a government publication, this cookbook also reflects the dominant Christian ideologies of the time, as the author attempts to sell an idealized image of home, family, and community to young, female homemakers.