Churchill uses a familiar proverb to express the idea that benefits are often quickly forgotten once they have been received. Bread represents something necessary and valuable at the moment it is given, but after it has been eaten its importance may fade from memory. The saying therefore points to a tendency to value assistance most strongly when it is needed and less so once the immediate need has passed.

The remark can be read as an observation about gratitude, obligation and human memory rather than as a literal statement about food. It suggests that past help does not always create lasting loyalty or appreciation, particularly when circumstances change. In political or personal life, this can affect expectations about how favours, sacrifices or previous support will influence later behaviour. More broadly, the quote serves as a reminder that gratitude may require deliberate recollection, because the practical value of past assistance can become less visible once its benefits have been absorbed.