Some of the wartime food rations: Australians could have 226 grams of butter, one kilo of meat and half a kilogram of sugar each per week. People were encouraged to be as self-sufficient as possible: to keep hens for eggs, and to grow their own vegetables at home.
So what did they eat? Bully beef (tinned corned beef), rice, jam, cocoa, tea, some bread and above all hard tack fed the Australian soldiers at Gallipoli. Hard tack, also known as "ANZAC Wafer", or "ANZAC Tile", has a very long shelf life, unlike bread.
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. Rice was mainly for puddings.
During the war, governments (including the British and American government) introduced the rationing of food supplies. This was done to ensure that everyone at least got some of the little food that was available. Foods that were rationed included meat, fats, milk, sugar, eggs, and coffee.
Food was rationed progressively from June 1942. Butter was the first item to be rationed, as Australia struggled to meet its commitments to Britain and the troops in the Pacific.
The 1940s: The Mixed Grill.
As the war ended and the Depression started getting better in the late 1940s, a mixed grill was a popular family dinner. This usually involved sausages, kidneys, lamb chops, grilled tomatoes and/or bacon - a real meat-fest!
World War II put a heavy burden on US supplies of basic materials like food, shoes, metal, paper, and rubber. The Army and Navy were growing, as was the nation's effort to aid its allies overseas. Civilians still needed these materials for consumer goods as well.
Even though thousands of items became scarce during the war, only those most critical to the war effort were rationed. Key goods such as sugar, tires, gasoline, meat, coffee, butter, canned goods and shoes came under rationing regulations. Some important items escaped rationing, including fresh fruit and vegetables.
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.
Light beer was included in the rations of British and American soldiers during the Second World War. In Great Britain, pubs did not close even during the heaviest bombings, and in the United States, the war actually saved the beer industry. Alcohol in moderate doses helped relieve stress and support morale.
There is all sorts of fun below including vinegar cake, carrots in cookies, marmite filling, pink blancmange party cake and not forgetting parsnip sandwiches (OK mock banana), beetroot pudding and mock brains.
A typical meal was a thin broth of rice and vegetables. The prisoners were paid a small wage with which they supplemented this diet. Camps near villages could trade with the local Thai population for items such as duck eggs and fruit.
One hundred years ago, with nearly a tenth of Australia's population at war, two drinks enlivened our servicemen more than any other: beer and rum. One other drink rectified them when conditions were often far worse – and life-threatening: brandy.
Food found in the bags of dead Australian soldiers was a special treat for the starving men, and some of them went even further, resorting to acts of cannibalism. The number of men who died of starvation was increasing. They were not only fighting the enemy, but also fighting for personal survival.
Not all foods were rationed. Fruit and vegetables were never rationed but were often in short supply, especially tomatoes, onions and fruit shipped from overseas. The government encouraged people to grow vegetables in their own gardens and allotments. Many public parks were also used for this purpose.
By the 1940s chewing gum became unexpectedly linked to patriotism and civic duty. During World War II, gum featured in every soldier's meal rations. Chiclets, spearmint and orbit provided a small relief to men and women overseas, with an estimated 630 sticks of gum consumed by every serviceman or woman.
Throughout the ages and until the end of the 19th century, animal's milk was the most common source of artificial feeding. As mentioned earlier, pap and panada were used only as supplements to animal's milk when the infant failed to thrive.
The daily ration consisted in a bowl of a bitter beverage similar to coffee for breakfast, a dish of thin soup made from rotten vegetables or meat at midday and a crust of bread and a little portion of margarine before going to bed.
Breakfast Unit: canned veal (early version), canned chopped ham and eggs (all subsequent versions), biscuits, dextrose or malted milk tablets (early version), dried fruit bar, pre-mixed oatmeal cereal (late version), halazone water purification tablets, a four-pack of cigarettes, Dentyne or Wrigley chewing gum, instant ...
It's estimated that less than one third of the food available in Britain before WW2 was produced at home, the other two thirds being imported by sea in ships which immediately became a target for the enemy once war broke out. Hence the need for rationing.
Although increases in infant mortality rates, the prevalence of stunting, and deaths from tuberculosis—all clear markers of malnutrition—were widespread, of the warring powers only the Soviet Union suffered mass starvation. More died of famine in occupied Soviet regions than anywhere else.
Deaths directly caused by the war (including military and civilian fatalities) are estimated at 50–56 million, with an additional estimated 19–28 million deaths from war-related disease and famine. Civilian deaths totaled 50–55 million.
Second World War
However, soldiers at the front still relied on preserved foods. These largely consisted of tinned items, but also dehydrated meats and oatmeal that were designed to be mixed with water. Morale-boosting items, such as chocolate and sweets, were also provided. And powdered milk was issued for use in tea.