Bread omelette and fish made of rice: The ingenious (and unappetising) recipes that kept the Home Front fed in World War Two (2024)

FAQs

What was the bread in World War 2? ›

It mandated the enrichment of all white flour. Millers knew what to do, and the soldiers were grateful. Healthy white bread was now cheap and plentiful for the Allied soldiers. And white bread, that old underdog, helped win the Second World War.

Meat (March 1940) was first, followed by fat and eggs, cheese, tinned tomatoes, rice, peas, canned fruit and breakfast cereals. Remember this was a world where even in the pre-war days of plenty, olive oil was sold as a medical aid and dried pasta was confined to a few Italian shops.

Additionally, some of the most popular foods we still eat today were introduced during World War II in response to the shortages and changing food needs of the United States. Cheerios, M&M's, corn dogs, SPAM and Rice Krispie Treats were all introduced during America's war years.

From The Economical War-Time Cook Book, this recipe was designed to save white flour during World War I, substituting rye, wheat, and cornmeal instead.

The National Loaf was a bread made from wholemeal flour with added calcium and vitamins, introduced in Britain during the Second World War by the Federation of Bakers (FOB). Introduced in 1942, the loaf (similar to today's brown bread) was made from wholemeal flour to combat wartime shortages of white flour and sugar.

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.

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.

The resources required to produce sliced bread were considered so vital to military efforts during World War II that the product was banned — yes, really. Commodities including meats, sugar, milk, and coffee, as well as products like canned fish, culinary fats, and cheese were restricted.

Sweet rationing began during the dark days of World War Two on 26 July 1942 when people had a weekly ration of just 2 ounces of sweets or chocolate. A month later the ration was doubled for eight weeks and then cut back to 3 ounces a week.

How many calories did WWII soldiers eat? ›

The US military had a system of rations for feeding troops in the field. This system was designed to “maintain the health and effectiveness” of the troops. [2] K-Rations and C-Rations were both issued to troops in combat. They provided between 3,000 and 3,600 calories per day.

Rationing began on 8th January 1940 when bacon, butter and sugar were rationed. By 1942 many other foodstuffs, including meat, milk, cheese, eggs and cooking fat were also 'on the ration'.

They ate mutton or beef, alongside potatoes and bread to keep them full. Plum puddings or chocolate were also common, especially in emergency rations, eaten by individuals trapped behind enemy lines. Instant coffee became the staple drink for G.I.'s to such an extent that the nickname of G.I.

A typical day, writes Murlin, might include breakfast of oatmeal, pork sausages, fried potatoes, bread and butter and coffee; lunch of roast beef, baked potatoes, bread and butter, cornstarch pudding and coffee; and dinner of beef stew, corn bread, Karo syrup, prunes, and tea.

By the First World War (1914-18), Army food was basic, but filling. Each soldier could expect around 4,000 calories a day, with tinned rations and hard biscuits staples once again. But their diet also included vegetables, bread and jam, and boiled plum puddings. This was all washed down by copious amounts of tea.

Hardtack is inexpensive and long-lasting, with anywhere from a 25 year shelf life to sometimes lasting 50 years. It is used for sustenance in the absence of perishable foods, commonly during long sea voyages, land migrations, and military campaigns.

"This is a nice bread from Bernard Clayton's Complete Book of Breads. He describes this as "a farmhouse loaf in New England kitchens for more than 150 years. When white flour was scarce, often in wartime, this blend of rolled oats, cornmeal and whole wheat was added to the flour to make it go farther.

Rather than fresh bread, sailors instead consumed hardtack (also known as ship's biscuit). Made of only three ingredients (flour, salt, and water), the cracker-like food was baked numerous times to draw out any remaining moisture.

The rate that flour was extracted from wheat was continuously increased, measuring at 100% on some occasions during the war. High extraction flours produced a loaf of a dark, grey-brown colour and the use of the term 'black bread' was common in Irish vernacular.