When we think of food rationing our thoughts turn to Britain during World War II but, actually, what happened then was quite different to the situation we have found ourselves in today. “People are buying more than they would do normally because they’re not eating their lunch at Pret and the supply chains are struggling to cope,” says Dr. Annie Gray, food historian and author of Victory in the Kitchen: The Life of Churchill’s Cook. “It’s very different to World War II.”
Struggling to buy loo roll pales in comparison to 1940s rationing. On 8 January 1940, bacon, butter, and sugar were the first items of food to ‘on the ration’. Meat followed shortly after in March 1940 and by the summer of 1942, almost all food was rationed, apart from fresh fruit, vegetables, and bread. Items that were not on the ration were generally unavailable or unappetising. Bananas famously disappeared, as did lemons, and oranges became a rare treat. In 1942, the National Loaf was introduced. Made from wholemeal flour, it was grey, gritty, and promptly forgotten when white bread returned in the 1950s.
This story is from the June 2020 edition of The Field.
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This story is from the June 2020 edition of The Field.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
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