World War 2 rationing - meal ideas, games and memories.

Rachel021967 · 28 January 2006 at 1:10AM

Hello,

My daughter's class is learning about a child's life in World War 2. Does anybody have any meal ideas, games or memories they would like to share on this subject?

Thank you.
Rachel.

elisebutt65 · 28 January 2006 at 1:55AM

You don't live in Leamington do you - that's exactly what my lad is doing this term - unoess it's on the SATS list and every Yr6 is ding the same topic - lol

He's going to question my gran about it as she was bringing up my mum then.

squeaky · 28 January 2006 at 9:28AM

The following older threads may be of some help:-

Book on world war two
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=40594

WWII rations
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=68418

The victory cookbook
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=47976

ariba10 · 28 January 2006 at 3:50PM

A fact that is not generally known is that rationing was far strickter in the years following the war than it was during the war.

MATH · 28 January 2006 at 4:23PM

I'm far toooo young to speak from personal memory of course (maybe TM could help you with eye witness details;) ) but our church recently hosted a VE day celebration meal for all the olds. I didn't go but I know they had paper hats and linked men paper chains made of newspaper and spam fritters were on the menu. Masking tape in a cross on ya windows and a cd of hits from the era will set the scene. HTH

Spendless · 29 January 2006 at 12:23AM

One of my nans was 15 in March 1939. She was still at school as she was at a Grammar and they left at an older age. When she returned to school in Sep, just as war had been declared she decided to leave without taking her exams. The headmistress wrote her a reference saying she had been expected to pass all her subjects and was able to get an office job even without any qualifications.

My other nan who would have been 14 in Sep 1939 has told me that initially the corner shop would only mark the ration book in pencil to say they had used that token. As there were 11 children, her mum would rub the pencil mark out and send another child to the shop next time. Eventually the system changed and the tokens were no longer marked in pencil.

Both my nans are still alive. If I find out any more I'll post again.

Rachel021967 · 1 February 2006 at 1:15AM

Thanks for the information. It gives me plenty to go on.
Rachel.

[Deleted User] · 1 February 2006 at 9:57AM

Hi Rachel021967

I've recently returned from the library with a fantastic newly published book about this -
Feeding the Nation. Nostalgic Recipes and Facts from 1940 - 1954 by Marguerite Patten OBE ISBN 0-600-61472-7

This lady was there. She was our first TV cook in 1947 and has seen it all. (Look her up in google and you'll be amazed) I saw her on BBC1 breakfast TV at christmas doing the promotion for the book and she was still sprightly even though she's in her eighties. She said she couldn't stay long on the show as she had to get to her cookery demonstration in Covent Garden!

The book has recipes, pictures, war adverts and poems. Approx 217 pages of it. It has her experiences of demonstrating new kitchen appliances (kitchen blender) in the Ministry of Food Hall which I believe is now the Harrods Food Hall. Haven't read it all yet but it is a fascinating insight into those years. It contains lots of war slogans, adverts, pictures and loads of recipes.

Hope you can find a copy in your local library. If they've not got one you can always ask them to order one from another library for a small charge ~£1.

Good Luck

doddsy · 1 February 2006 at 11:40AM

Hi Rachel,

Slightly off topic but a good friend of mine is the editor of acountrylife.com (well worth a visit!). She is a WWII buff and expert on rationing. Anyway, after years of failed diets and reaching 23 stone by end of 2005 she decided to spend 2006 surviving on the 1942 rations, there is a section on her website with details of rations allowed - and how she is getting on with it. Apparently the cheese allowance for the week is what she would normally have as a slice of cheese and toast!
Doddsy

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World War 2 rationing - meal ideas, games and memories.

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