"What did people eat during WW2 Britain?" Topic

"This was a time when queues would wind around outside shops and groceries were rationed per person, and no we're not talking about Lockdown and the restrictions on toilet roll. During the Second World War, food imports took a hit both literally, with German submarines being very effective at sinking ships transporting food to Britain, and figuratively, as the government wanted to free up valuable shipping space for transporting war materials and weapons.

Britain in the Second World War learnt a lot from the First World War so ended up doing a much better job at managing food supply and ration coupons the second time around. One of these changes was to not apply rationing to seasonal items, as the government was unable to ensure supply of these items year-round so instead rationing was only for items that it could be sure people could always get – this had a big impact on confidence that the ration coupon would always be honoured. Another one of the biggest changes was the conscious effort to educate your average household on how to put together frugal but nutritional meals. Cooking demonstrations were held in many stores (see photo below of Ministry of Food Advice exhibition in London, 1943) and practical advice was broadcasted on radio programmes and in short movies…"

See here

link

Armand

Mum's parents ran a fish market in Glasgow.
She told me she lived on oysters & lobster.

She had five brothers serving & her parents sent them food parcels regularly.

"Lovely Spam! Wonderful Spam!
Lovely Spam! Wonderful Spam
Spa-a-a-a-a-a-a-am
Spa-a-a-a-a-a-a-am
Spa-a-a-a-a-a-a-am
Spa-a-a-a-a-a-a-am
Lovely Spam! (Lovely Spam!)
Lovely Spam! (Lovely Spam!)
Lovely Spam!
Spam, Spam, Spam, Spam!"

I saw a YouTube video about canned fish, "Snoek," imported from South Africa. While popular in South Africa, it fared poorly with the British palate. Much of the Snoek ended up as cat food.

I thought they ate the Irish!

Kidding aside -- Americans have no idea how restrictive rationing was in the UK compared to the US, or that it continued for long after the war. Useful article altho' could have been much longer and more detailed.

Snoek as cat food? I'm not sure the "powers that be" would have approved. The official line from the U.K. government was that cats and dogs should be destroyed to allow food to be prioritised for humans. Utterly, utterly appalling 😡😢
As a dog lover I can only say that I would be prepared to "go short" if it meant I could keep our two Jack Russells.

Very little, both during and even post war.

Woolton pie !

Not as bad as the potato peel pie eaten under the German occupation of the Channel islands

Thanks!

Armand

I'm sure that I've read somewhere that, under rationing, the British diet was healthier than ever before or since.

When my late mother first went to the UK in the 1970s and had to stand in the "others" queue at passport control at Heathrow, she said that she wished she could have back all the pocket money and food parcels she had sent to the UK during and after the war. Some of us were rather amused when the Brits rediscovered us after Brexit.

Pre war white bread was replaced by "The national loaf" this was made from enriched wholemeal. The point being they got more out of the same grain.
The bread was sold the day after it was made so it was slightly stale and easier to cut thin slices.

Comedy black marketeer:

Wiki – Dad's Army – Private Walker

Post-war comedy black marketeers:

Wiki – A Private Function (Film 1984)

Thanks also…

Armand

Yeah, "Dad's Army" gets a lot of comic mileage out of rationing and all the little dodges and spivving that went on around it.

A vintage comedy show well worth a look from those unfamiliar!