Skip to comments.
The FReeper Foxhole Reviews Food Rationing on the Homefront during WWII - October 23rd, 2004
see educational sources
Posted on 10/22/2004 11:46:24 PM PDT by snippy_about_it
Lord,
Keep our Troops forever in Your care
Give them victory over the enemy...
Grant them a safe and swift return...
Bless those who mourn the lost. .
FReepers from the Foxhole join in prayer for all those serving their country at this time.
...................................................................................... ........................................... |
|
|
|
|
|
U.S. Military History, Current Events and Veterans Issues
Where Duty, Honor and Country are acknowledged, affirmed and commemorated.
|
Our Mission: The FReeper Foxhole is dedicated to Veterans of our Nation's military forces and to others who are affected in their relationships with Veterans. In the FReeper Foxhole, Veterans or their family members should feel free to address their specific circumstances or whatever issues concern them in an atmosphere of peace, understanding, brotherhood and support. The FReeper Foxhole hopes to share with it's readers an open forum where we can learn about and discuss military history, military news and other topics of concern or interest to our readers be they Veteran's, Current Duty or anyone interested in what we have to offer. If the Foxhole makes someone appreciate, even a little, what others have sacrificed for us, then it has accomplished one of it's missions. We hope the Foxhole in some small way helps us to remember and honor those who came before us.
To read previous Foxhole threads or to add the Foxhole to your sidebar, click on the books below.
|
|
|
|
|
Grocery Rationing on the Homefront
World War II had a great impact on daily life in America. Among the many new realities of the time were air-raid drills in schoolrooms, scrap-metal and rubber drives, and rationing of food and other goods imposed by the Office of Price Administration.
American women, who had been called to duty in the workforce and possibly also had spouses overseas, grappled with another new hardship: grocery shopping with ration stamps. This was no easy task.
Shoppers received stamps of different colors for different types of foodsome good for thirty days, others valid a week at a time but could be held over until they expired the last week of the monthand point values of foods were subject to change, so planning at home often proved difficult.
Prudence Penny's Wartime Wisdom
Thankfully, shoppers were not without help. In 1943, the 128-page Coupon Cookery was published. Its author, Prudence Penny, counsels readers how to provide their families with sound nutrition plus appetite-appeal within the bounds of Uncle Sams allowance.
Prudence Pennys Coupon Cookery, front cover. Murray & Gee, Publishers: Hollywood, CA, 1943. An investment that will pay for itself many times over in money, time, patience, nutrition value, and good meals! Museum Library.
The book, which sold for $1.50, contains a number of tongue-in-cheek illustrations featuring a perky-looking, apron-clad housewife, and patriotic poetry is peppered throughout. Its dedication begins, To the housewives of America/ those soldiers, tried and true/ who are struggling on the homefront/ to serve good meals to you! Good nutrition is presented as the ultimate patriotic statement, as is good cooking: U. S. needs US strong! Wars may come and go, but real, red-blooded American Homemakers will put up a struggle to preserve that cherished custom of Good Eating!
It may not be convenient But we don't admit defeat For in spite of War and Rationing America must eat It may take a deal of cunning And a bit of laughter, too To keep the meal-time pleasant When the coupons are too few!
To cook Good Meals, In Spite of It All required a little magic. Coupon Cookery, p. 21.
In addition to advice on organizing and s-t-r-e-t-c-hing ration points, Ms. Pennys book includes tables for keeping track of different foods point values and hundreds of recipes designed to make the most of available ingredientsfor example, Pork Knuckles in Sour Cream, Liver Gems, and Hearty Lima Molds. In the chapter Prudent Tips and Penny Savers, readers are reminded that tough cuts of meat can be made more enjoyable by long, slow cooking, and learn how to substitute baking powder for eggs. Coffee, which was strictly rationed, could be stretched by being mixed with Soyfee, an unrationed coffee substitute. And through it all, of course, readers were urged to turn in cans for scrap metal.
The extreme economies suggested by this book may seem to some as antiquated as its bright, booster-ish turns of phrase and old-fashioned recipes. But those who lived through World War II witnessed a unique period in American historywhen civilians across thousands of miles were unified in their actions and struggles by a single purpose. Prudence Pennys book is an intriguing and irreplaceable symbol of that era.
Story by Alyssa Shirley Morein
FReeper Foxhole Armed Services Links
|
TOPICS: VetsCoR
KEYWORDS: freeperfoxhole; history; rationstamps; samsdayoff; veterans; victorygardens; wwii
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 61-80, 81-100, 101-120, 121-132 last
To: Professional Engineer
Time for my first bifocals. Uh oh, the B word. I usually give up and look over the top of my glasses (like a school marm). Hobbit Lass gets all worked up and tells me "That's creepy!"
121
posted on
10/24/2004 5:33:18 AM PDT
by
Samwise
(If you want to understand the differences between the two parties, study the nature of their enemies)
To: snippy_about_it
Hey Snippy. Thanks for the post. I did not know what was going on with the food rationing. My parents had died and I was in an orphanage. [We did not attribute any food problems to the war!].
Gas rationing was another biggie. One of the 'prefects' at the orphanage had his own 'system'. He would go into some bar and buy drinks and he had one of the kids siphon some gas out of cars outside. Those without such a 'system' scraped by. My future father-in-law put his 37 Chevy up on jacks for the duration. He was then unable to visit his wife's grave. Clothing was also a problem. My future wife used to go to NYC and stand in quite a line to buy 'nylons' or whatever.
Thanks for reminding people that war really made a difference in people's lives. People would say 'Don't you know there's a war on'. Rubber tires went to war as did the green color of Lucky Strike cigarettes. "Lucky Strike green has gone to war" was how they introduced white.
People don't want to hear this today but with the draft, war bonds and the nation's cooperation all our well-armed enemies were completely defeated less than 4 years after Pearl Harbor.
122
posted on
10/24/2004 9:56:37 AM PDT
by
ex-snook
(Vote for someone who res your views or your views will be ignored.)
To: SAMWolf
Most of my lot has bedrock 20 -24 inches down. To put the city sidewalkj in, the contractor had to jackhammer a 15' strech to get down far enough. Bedrock there was exposed until the lawn was put down.
To: snippy_about_it
No jackhammers around huh?Didn't I tell you my name is Jack?
To: PhilDragoo
LOL! Daffy Duck can kick Kerry's ass anyday.
125
posted on
10/24/2004 11:32:16 AM PDT
by
SAMWolf
(Vegetables are not food. Vegetables are what food eats)
To: ex-snook
Thanks for sharing your memories, ex-snook.
One of the 'prefects' at the orphanage had his own 'system'. He would go into some bar and buy drinks and he had one of the kids siphon some gas out of cars outside.
I'd call that "scrounging" ;-)
126
posted on
10/24/2004 11:34:00 AM PDT
by
SAMWolf
(Vegetables are not food. Vegetables are what food eats)
To: Samwise
I've been doing the librarian trickfor reading, lokking at hymnals, etc. for a year. It's gotten vey old.
To: Professional Engineer
Most of my lot has bedrock 20 -24 inches down.As long as you don't want to dig deeper than 20 inches you're good to go. ;-)
128
posted on
10/24/2004 11:34:58 AM PDT
by
SAMWolf
(Vegetables are not food. Vegetables are what food eats)
To: PhilDragoo
I love the look Daffy is giving the doofus.
129
posted on
10/24/2004 3:38:36 PM PDT
by
snippy_about_it
(Fall in --> The FReeper Foxhole. America's History. America's Soul.)
To: Samwise
Hobbit Lass gets all worked up and tells me "That's creepy!"LOL. Next time you do that add a little sinister laugh.
130
posted on
10/24/2004 3:40:40 PM PDT
by
snippy_about_it
(Fall in --> The FReeper Foxhole. America's History. America's Soul.)
To: ex-snook
Thanks for sharing your personal story with us ex-snook.
In 1940, they changed the word Cigarettes to small white letters. Then, due to the demand for green pigment for the war effort, and pressure from consumers that disliked the green pack, changed the color of the pack to white in 1942. Hence the phrase, "Lucky Strike green has gone to war". An ad campaign, which was very successful for the American Tobacco Company.
131
posted on
10/24/2004 3:47:45 PM PDT
by
snippy_about_it
(Fall in --> The FReeper Foxhole. America's History. America's Soul.)
To: SAMWolf; All
welcome!
i had an aunt who was a "Tessie" during WW2.
ALSO, believe it or not, i was a "COPTER" in the 1970s. (those of you who were "Tessies" KNOW what that means.)
free dixie,sw
132
posted on
10/25/2004 8:41:42 AM PDT
by
stand watie
( being a damnyankee is no better than being a racist. it is a LEARNED prejudice against dixie.)
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 61-80, 81-100, 101-120, 121-132 last
Disclaimer:
Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual
posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its
management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the
exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson