A WWII Christmas: Food Rationing and Recipes in World War II {Part One} (2024)

FAQs

Is a war ration book worth anything? ›

A: Millions of ration books were issued during World War II. They were intended to prevent the hoarding of such goods as coffee, sugar, meat and other items in short supply due to the war. Ration books generally sell in the $5 to $25 range, but unlike savings bonds, you can't cash them in as you wish.

Rationing. “One and a half pounds of sugar, eight penny worth of meat, Walton's fresh meat, Walton's corned meat, half a pound of sweets for children and the over seventies. Yes, these are the extra Christmas rations.

Every man, woman and child was given a ration book with coupons. These were required before rationed goods could be purchased. Basic foodstuffs such as sugar, meat, fats, bacon and cheese were directly rationed by an allowance of coupons. Housewives had to register with particular retailers.

Christmas luxuries were especially hard to come by at a time when even basic foods were scarce. People were forced to find substitutes for key festive ingredients. Gifts were often homemade and practical, and children's toys were often made from recycled materials. Cards were smaller and printed on flimsy paper.

The overall condition of the booklet as well as the stamps have the biggest impact on the resale value, with a large number of these available on the market. With 100+ stamps and in very good condition your 1940's era War Ration Book would have a fair market or resale value of between 25-50 dollars.

Many individuals never used their last books. In addition, it was considered patriotic not to use all of one's ration stamps. This freed even more goods for use by the armed forces. Complete ration books sell for between $4 and $8, partial books between $2 and $4.

Turkey was not on the menu in the war years; if you were lucky you might have goose, lamb or pork. A rabbit or maybe a home-raised chicken was also a popular alternative for the main meal, accompanied by plenty of home-grown vegetables.

During World War II the bulk of Hershey's chocolate was exclusively produced for the U.S. military and distributed to troops around the world. Hershey's created the Tropical Bar in 1943 to be distributed to troops in the Pacific Theater.

This sketch, entitled 'Tommy's Christmas dinner', depicts a disgruntled soldier stuck in a trench with only bully (corned) beef and army biscuit for his Christmas meal. Other tinned goods consumed on Christmas Day included 'Maconochie's beef and vegetable stew', a concoction that had more fat and gristle than meat.

Children's rations were slightly different to adults. Children were entitled to extra food that was considered essential for healthy growth, such as milk and orange juice. The National Milk Scheme provided one pint of milk for every child under 5. Fruit and vegetables were not rationed but were in short supply.

What fruit was available during WWII? ›

You could only buy fresh fruit grown in Britain, such as apples or pears. Fruits that had to come in ships, like bananas, vanished from the shops.

An English Breakfast during WWII. Breakfast tended to be porridge with milk if available but some families would use melted lard! OMG. A special treat was toast or bread and jam (we always had jam apparently – my grandmother would make it, but so little sugar, she relied on the fruit.

80 Years Ago—December 24, 1939: On Christmas Eve, Pope Pius XII appeals for peace. 75 Years Ago—Dec. 24, 1944: In the largest mission of the war, 2034 heavy bombers of the US Eighth Air Force bomb German targets in the Ardennes.

WAS THERE A CHRISTMAS TRUCE IN WW2? In short, no. We don't have any records of a Christmas truce during the Second World War. There may have been small, localised truces at times, but nothing like the truce of the First World War.

Less than three weeks after the December 7, 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor, Americans celebrated their first Christmas of World War II. On the surface, it didn't look much different than it had in previous years, as the bulk of the men and women who would serve overseas had not yet been deployed.

Military helmets from throughout history have always been among the most popular collectibles. Military uniforms are also consistently sought after, though they can be difficult to care for and display for a beginner. Then there are the military decorations, including medals and buttons.

War ration book no. 3, valid September 1943, included 8 pages of stamps, four for meat rationing, and four for a clothing rationing program never put into effect. Some clothing stamps were eventually validated for shoe rationing.

Two ration books were distributed to "every eligible man, woman, child, and baby in the United States." One contained blue coupons for processed goods while the other contained red coupons for meat, fish and dairy products. Each person started with 48 blue points and 64 red points each month.

War ration books were produced by the United States Office of Price Administration in 1942 when United States officially entered the Second World War. Shortages of essential war materials such as rubber, gasoline, and sugar were initially anticipated, but soon rationing grew to include food as well as fuel and sugar.