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By Lisa Sharp1 Comment
These 1940s ration recipes are a look into the past and the struggles of rationing during WWII. Try one of these vintage desserts or dinner recipes today!
During World War II rationing was implemented by many governments in an effort to make sure that military and civilians had fair access to scarce resources.
Rationing systems varied by country buttypically involved the government issuing ration books and coupons or stamps to households that could be exchanged for specific goods at designated shops. The number of coupons or stamps a household received was based on its size and composition, and they were typically limited to a certain amount per week or month.
In the United States, rationing began in 1942 and lasted until 1947, though most ended in 1945. Sugar was rationed until 1947. The rationing system covered a wide range of goods, including meat, dairy products, sugar, coffee, and gasoline. Families were issued ration books, which contained stamps for each type of product. The stamps had to be used to purchase the corresponding item, and once the stamps were used up, families had to wait until the next month to receive their next ration.
In Britain, rationing began in 1940 and lasted until 1954, long after the end of the war. The system covered a similar range of goods as in the United States, but the British government also rationed clothing and household goods such as soap and washing powder. Families were issued ration books and had to register with a local shop to exchange their stamps for goods.
Rationing was a significant hardship for many people during the war, as they had to adapt to a restricted diet and limited access to essential goods. However, it was also seen as a necessary sacrifice for the war effort, and many people supported the system as a way to ensure that resources were fairly distributed.
In addition to rationing, many countries also implemented other measures to conserve resources during the war. For example, governments encouraged people to grow their vegetables in victory gardens, people were also encouraged to keep animals like rabbits and hogs for food, and they introduced recycling programs to collect scrap metal and other materials for use in the war effort.
Reading wartime cookbooks is a really good way to see what it was like to try and feed a family with rations. It could be very hard and often people were left feeling hungry and many didn’t agree with how food was rationed. Some even bought extra food on the black market.
Many ration recipes have survived and are still enjoyed today. They are still a great way to save money and make your food go further.
1940s Ration Recipes
Give these ration recipes a try for a look at our past and a time when people had to get creative to feed their families while helping the war effort.
This old-fashioned ice box cake uses chocolate wafer cookies and whipped cream to make a delicious “cake”. Also known as “Zebra cake”, these types of cakes became popular during the war era because of sugar rations.
Also known as War Cake, Wacky Cake is mixed in the pan that it's baked in. And it has no eggs, milk, or butter due to the rationing of those ingredients. It's moist and tender and perfect with a cup of coffee.
A British dish that is eaten for breakfast, lunch, a snack or dinner, beans on toast has kept UK families sustained for years. It was very popular during wartime.
The classic World War 2 cheap vegetable pie with a delicious shortcrust pastry crust and loaded with lots of seasonal root vegetables. One of the best rationing meals during World War 2.
This is a recipe much like the National Loaf which was a bread made from wholemeal flour with added calcium and vitamins. It was created to help with the shortages of white flour and sugar.
Grandma's War Time Orange Drop Cookies are an old family favorite dating back to the second world war when rationing was in force. Grandma always came up with a great cookie for everyone enjoy!
I have ordered some wartime cookbooks and will be sharing more ration recipes over time so be sure to stick around. If you sign up below you will not only get a vintage dessert e-cookbook for free, but you will also get to see more vintage recipes and homemaking.
A: Millions of ration books were issued during World War II. They were intended to prevent the hoarding of such goods as coffee, sugar, meat and other items in short supply due to the war. Ration books generally sell in the $5 to $25 range, but unlike savings bonds, you can't cash them in as you wish.
A typical weekly ration per person, when at its lowest level, was butter 4oz; bacon and ham 4oz; loose tea 4oz; sugar 8oz; meat one shilling-worth; cheese 1oz; preserves 8oz a month. By 1942, most foods were rationed except vegetables, bread, and fish.
Also known as the 14-Man Ration, the 'compo' ration came in a wooden crate and contained tinned and packaged food. A typical crate might include tins of bully beef, spam, steak and kidney pudding, beans, cheese, jam, biscuits, soup, sausages, and margarine.
Old ration books from a financial point of view have very little value, however from a social history point of view, they are priceless. Without the issue of them to ensure that what food was available was distributed fairly, many people would without doubt, have gone hungry.
Military helmets from throughout history have always been among the most popular collectibles. Military uniforms are also consistently sought after, though they can be difficult to care for and display for a beginner. Then there are the military decorations, including medals and buttons.
The overall condition of the booklet as well as the stamps have the biggest impact on the resale value, with a large number of these available on the market. With 100+ stamps and in very good condition your 1940's era War Ration Book would have a fair market or resale value of between 25-50 dollars.
Two ration books were distributed to "every eligible man, woman, child, and baby in the United States." One contained blue coupons for processed goods while the other contained red coupons for meat, fish and dairy products. Each person started with 48 blue points and 64 red points each month.
An English Breakfast during WWII. Breakfast tended to be porridge with milk if available but some families would use melted lard! OMG. A special treat was toast or bread and jam (we always had jam apparently – my grandmother would make it, but so little sugar, she relied on the fruit.
As a result of rationing and an increased focus on fruit and vegetables being included in the diet, the population's health by and large improved considerably during these years, as there was more reliance on vegetables and less meat in their diets.
*I do want to point out that the nomenclature “C” is the follow-up letter after the “A” and “B” type Field Rations and does not stand for “Canned” or “Combat” ration. The post-war canned ration, evolved out of the ww2 C Ration, is the “Ration, Combat, Individual”, but are commonly called C ration as well.
Besides C-Rations, K-Rations were also issued during World War II, but in a more limited number. These were distributed for missions of short duration, such as paratroopers participating in airborne operations. K-Rations were lighter than C-Rations, and three meals a day netted only 2,830 calories.
The C-ration differs from other American alphabetized rations such as the A-ration, consisting of fresh food; B-ration, consisting of packaged, unprepared food; D-ration, consisting of military chocolate; K-ration, consisting of three balanced meals; and emergency rations, intended for emergencies when other food or ...
"War Ration Book Four," also identified as OPA Form No. R-145, originally contained eight perforated pages of multi-colored paper ration stamps including "spare" stamps that occasionally were validated for the purchse of five extra pounds of pork.
Two ration books were distributed to "every eligible man, woman, child, and baby in the United States." One contained blue coupons for processed goods while the other contained red coupons for meat, fish and dairy products. Each person started with 48 blue points and 64 red points each month.
Food rationing was introduced in January 1940. Everybody was issued with a ration book. This contained coupons that had to be handed in to the shops every time rationed food was bought. As well as the basic ration everybody had 16 coupons each month that they could spend on what they wished.
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