WW2 lifestyle in 2018

Ms_W

Hello,
I am looking for a list of rations that came under the points system, as I am trying to simplify our diet as well as having a very limited budget to live on. I have read the books etc all about weekly and monthly rations on say meat, butter, sugar etc, but it is the 'extras' that's you bought with the points system i.e.canned goods. I wondered if there is a list anywhere or if anyone can add any points that they know for certain items.
Was it 20 points per person per month?
Thank you for your help in advance
Ms W x

amandaatnumber7

Sorry I can't help but I'm interested to follow your journey

tori.k

Ralph W Hill did a great piece on the BBC people's war
Some of his memories are 24 points per person a month ( this varied due to time of year and availability) points were by tin or pound weight.
Rice 8
Sardines 2
Baked beans 2
Sultanas 8
Skimmed milk 5
Currants 16
Biscuits ( dry) 2 sweet 4
Herrings 2
Stewed steak. 20
Rolled oats 2
Sausage meat 12
Chopped ham 3 per oz
Small tin of red salmon 32.
I suppose in a way keep a no way similar but simple menu in our house hold, meals are built around seasonal fresh produce with very little processed foods but 2oz of cheese is a sandwich in this house never mind a weeks supply.
Good luck

Caterina

Have a look at this wonderful blog: https://the1940sexperiment.com

AndyCF

Not sure if its related to the above but about a year or so ago the BBC did have an hour long program where they did a 'traditional' type of Christmas dinner, using ingredients from that time period such as only certain variety of potato etc.

Similar with the meat too from what I recall. I do remember they said the cost was very high to obtain said varieties of each 'item' but they went to great lengths to ensure that for example the potato's were grown using said 'from that time' methods and varieties.

From memory they then served two dinners, one 'up to date' and one 'traditional older style ingredients' and I think most preferred the older one for taste.

I can't remember any more details on it, other than it was about an hour long and a single part program.

I would guess some of the "not bright orange" carrots might of caused a few moments :rotfl:

luxor4t

This thread might be of interest: http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=481412

Linda32

I second Thriftlady's experiment. I often go back to read it.

Ms_W

thank you for your help in the ration points system, will also go and read the blog.

VfM4meplse

Marguerite Patten is welll known as the doyenne of WW2 home economics. She's written several books about different stages of her life. I'd be tempted to read on now, were it not for the fact that its currently buried under at least 600 others

Primrose

A really interesting read, albeit a very bulky one, is Austerity Britain by the historian David Kynnaston. He gives a very detailed explanation of all aspects of domestic and British economic life in the late war and post war period.
Reading back on the points system allocated for certain foodstuffs you can understand why having a tin of stewed beef or a tin of salmon was the equivalent to having a pot of gold stored in your larder. Small wonder that they were saved up for very special occasions !

monnagran

Indeed, opening a tin of salmon was akin to carving a chicken at Christmas.

I do remember my mother getting hold of some jelly crystals and keeping them for my birthday. I never did have a party on my birthday but I'll always remember the year I had jelly for tea.

It was one thing having points to spend but quite another to find goods in the shop to spend them on. If word got around that a certain shop had something in stock that was very scarce, the most enormous queues formed immediately. It was a well known joke that if you saw a queue you joined it, hopeful that it would be for something really nice.
I don't recall it myself but one Christmas my mother queued for over 2 hours to buy a small bar of chocolate for my stocking. On Christmas Eve there was an air raid warning and we all had to go down to the cellar. Mum managed to smuggle my stocking down as well, not knowing how long we would have to stay there. During the night a mouse nibbled through my stocking and right through the bar of chocolate.
The adults were so upset for me that my grandmother cut round the hole that the mouse had made and I ate the rest of it.
Unbelievable!