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? ›

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.

At first, the meals were stews, and more varieties were added as the war went on, including meat and spaghetti in tomato sauce, chopped ham, eggs and potatoes, meat and noodles, pork and beans; ham and lima beans, and chicken and vegetables.

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.

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.

The ban on sliced bread was just one of many resource-conserving campaigns during World War II. In May 1942, Americans received their first ration booklets and, within the year, commodities ranging from rubber tires to sugar were in short supply.

An English Breakfast during WWII. Breakfast tended to be porridge with milk if available but some families would use melted lard!

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.

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.

Per week, a typical ration for one adult included [amongst others], 50g (2 oz) butter, 100 g bacon and ham (4 oz), 225g sugar (8 oz), and 1 egg. Because fats were scarce, home cooks saved fats whenever they could. So, meat drippings became quite popular.

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.

What food did they eat during the war? ›

Rationed Foods. The categories of rationed foods during the war were sugar, coffee, processed foods (canned, frozen, etc.), meats and canned fish, and cheese, canned milk, and fats.

Some soldiers mixed beer or cider with white wine; thin red wine was sometimes mixed with army rum to add body; rough brandies and marcs could be chucked into wine to make it stronger; and "champagne" was sold with a range of adulterants.

Napoleon's Army

When all was going to plan, French rations included 24 ounces of bread, a half-pound of meat, an ounce of rice or two ounces of dried beans or peas or lentils, a quart of wine, a gill (roughly a quarter pint) of brandy and a half gill of vinegar.

Typically, each soldier carried a daily supply of the so-called Halbieserne or “Iron Ration” that contained one 300-gram tin of meat and one 125- or 150-gram unit of hard bread. The canned meat could be Schmalzfleisch (a pork product), Rinderbraten (roast beef), Truthahnbraten (turkey), or Hahnchenfleisch (chicken).

For long voyages, hardtack was baked four times, rather than the more common two, and prepared six months before sailing. Because it is dry and hard, hardtack (when properly stored and transported) will survive rough handling and temperature extremes.

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. It makes a delicious loaf that tastes equally good in less troubled times." Prep time includes rising time."

Black bread was the physical embodiment of the State's efforts to feed its population in the face of severe wheat shortages. Alongside the 'Grow more wheat' campaign (which aimed to maximise wheat production) were adjustments to flour extraction.

In 1943, sliced bread joined the list of prohibited products due to the wheat used in its dough, the steel in the industrial slicing machines, and the wax paper for wrapping the loaves. Despite the fact that sliced bread had not been on the market for long — less than 20 years — it was already hugely popular.