+- Garden And Gossip Forums (https://gardenandgossip.org)
+-- Forum: General (https://gardenandgossip.org/forumdisplay.php?fid=6)
+--- Forum: Nutty as a fruit cake (https://gardenandgossip.org/forumdisplay.php?fid=22)
+--- Thread: Eat only UK Plants/ Rationing (/showthread.php?tid=1650)
RE: Eat only UK Plants/ Rationing - JJB - 24-07-2023
(24-07-2023, 10:55 AM)Veggie Wrote:(24-07-2023, 09:47 AM)JJB Wrote: Firstly I'd cheat and have my 16 points for July even though its only two weeks and stock up on the allotted longlife milk, butter and eggs plus the rest allowed. That would give me an idea of how things were working out so as to plan my next month. If I was on my own it would be good to join you in the experiment.When war broke out, most households would have had some food in their cupboards anyway but they wouldn't have had the luxury of a freezer full of grub, as we do. I've read that people were encouraged to buy a week's worth of food, before rationing started as that meant food was being stored safely, instead of in bulk in warehouses where it could be bombed.
Its a bit like lockdown during Covid, I had enough food in the house that I didn't need to rush to the shops panic buying. I could do the same now if I wanted to - so, instead of "buying" rations from the shop, I'm "buying" it from my storecupboard as a way of using it up!
I'm surprised you haven't said that P lived through rationing once and doesn't want to do it again.
To be fair P was born in 1945 so doesn't remember rationing too much as he was just a child, he remembers going into a shop with nan and her ration book. He's telling me that bread went onto the ration in 1946 and rationing didn't end until 1954. Whilst we've discussed your scheme he doesn't seem to be rushing to join you, can't think why
he's of the opinion (in the best Victor Meldrew impression) that the country could do with a bit of rationing to bring everyone's expectations down a bit.
RE: Eat only UK Plants/ Rationing - Veggie - 24-07-2023
I'm not much younger than P, but don't remember anything about rationing. There was always food on the table and we never went without - even though, these days, we would have been considered poor. What you don't have you don't miss.
Sweets were still on ration until 1953 which made the chocolate in the toe of the Christmas stocking even more precious.
RE: Eat only UK Plants for a year - Veggie - 30-07-2023
(20-07-2023, 05:35 PM)Veggie Wrote: Weekly ration (No meat version) -Its the end of Week 1 and I'm amazed by how much rationed food I have left. Haven't started the butter, used most of the cheese and the marg. Lots of milk/yogurt & sugar left and 1 egg. May have to "buy" some more oats before the end of the month but otherwise, its all good. May treat myself to a biscuit later as a reward.
Butter 2oz
Cheese 4 oz
Marg 4oz
Cooking fat 2oz
Milk 3 pints
Sugar 8 oz
Preserves 1lb every 4 weeks
Tea 2 oz
Egg 2
Sweets 8oz every 4 weeks
On top of that you had 16 Points every 4 weeks which could be used to buy a pound or a tin of the following:-
Baked beans 2 points
Dry biscuits 2 points
Sweet biscuits 4 pts
Herrings 2 pts
Lentils or split peas 2pts
Rice 8 pts
Sardines 2 pts
Sultanas 8pts
Currants 16 pts
Skimmed Milk 5 pts (not sure how much?)
Rolled Oats 2 pts
Salmon 16 pts
I'll be spending some of my Points on Lentils & Split peas, Oats & sardines. Also converting the weekly amounts to 4 weekly as its easier to buy a pack of butter or block of cheese that buying a couple of ounces. I'll make each pack last 4 weeks and if I run out, go without.
A slight bend of the rules - if I pick up any free food it doesn't count - it'll be the undercounter food that the grocer kept for his special customers.
RE: Eat only UK Plants/ Rationing - Veggie - 20-08-2023
Four weeks of rationed food completed, tomorrow I start again, with a bonus of all the food I didn't eat last month. I'm actually amazed at how little fat and sugar I've used. I didn't touch the butter and there's 4oz of marg left, I've used less than 8 oz of sugar from the 2lb I started with. (I'm not counting the sugar that went in the strawberry jam or chutney as there were extra allocations of sugar for preserving). Also have 2 eggs, lots of milk and a tub of yogurt.
I used all the cheese and 16oz of porridge oats. Only used half (8oz) of the lentils and none of the dried peas.
I have 4 Points left of 16 so I might indulge myself next month with something special!
The good news is, I've lost a couple of pounds, probably because I haven't eaten any chocolate or sweet cakes this month. Most of my meals have been based on whatever was in the garden - mainly courgettes, cucumbers and tomatoes. Hoping they'll keep producing for the next 4 weeks or I'll have to find something else to fill up on.
RE: Eat only UK Plants/ Rationing - Vinny - 20-08-2023
(20-08-2023, 09:32 PM)Veggie Wrote: Four weeks of rationed food completed, tomorrow I start again, with a bonus of all the food I didn't eat last month. I'm actually amazed at how little fat and sugar I've used. I didn't touch the butter and there's 4oz of marg left, I've used less than 8 oz of sugar from the 2lb I started with. (I'm not counting the sugar that went in the strawberry jam or chutney as there were extra allocations of sugar for preserving). Also have 2 eggs, lots of milk and a tub of yogurt.From what I can gather there was a thriving 'Black Market' of spivs during the war who could get you just about anything you wanted. My preference would have been for beef, half a cows worth would do & extra butter.
I used all the cheese and 16oz of porridge oats. Only used half (8oz) of the lentils and none of the dried peas.
I have 4 Points left of 16 so I might indulge myself next month with something special!
The good news is, I've lost a couple of pounds, probably because I haven't eaten any chocolate or sweet cakes this month. Most of my meals have been based on whatever was in the garden - mainly courgettes, cucumbers and tomatoes. Hoping they'll keep producing for the next 4 weeks or I'll have to find something else to fill up on.
RE: Eat only UK Plants/ Rationing - JJB - 21-08-2023
(20-08-2023, 09:32 PM)Veggie Wrote: Four weeks of rationed food completed, tomorrow I start again, with a bonus of all the food I didn't eat last month. I'm actually amazed at how little fat and sugar I've used. I didn't touch the butter and there's 4oz of marg left, I've used less than 8 oz of sugar from the 2lb I started with. (I'm not counting the sugar that went in the strawberry jam or chutney as there were extra allocations of sugar for preserving). Also have 2 eggs, lots of milk and a tub of yogurt.
I used all the cheese and 16oz of porridge oats. Only used half (8oz) of the lentils and none of the dried peas.
I have 4 Points left of 16 so I might indulge myself next month with something special!
The good news is, I've lost a couple of pounds, probably because I haven't eaten any chocolate or sweet cakes this month. Most of my meals have been based on whatever was in the garden - mainly courgettes, cucumbers and tomatoes. Hoping they'll keep producing for the next 4 weeks or I'll have to find something else to fill up on.
They do say that the population ate more healthily during ration time. Perhaps you should write to your MP suggesting it for the health of the nation. Greggs and Maccy D's would be out of business. Personally I think it's a rather extreme way to lose weight, unless you're already a Moneyless Chicken.
RE: Eat only UK Plants/ Rationing - Veggie - 21-08-2023
I've never eaten a MaccyD's or KFC or anything of that ilk - so they're not losing any custom here! Basically, I'm eating the same foods as I have done for years apart from the sugary stuff and snacks like crisps.
Portioning out the sugar into 8oz jars, one for each week was an eyeopener because I used so little of it - just a bit in stewed fruit, when needed. The same with the butter & marg.
If I was a good cook who made cakes I might have run out of ingredients but I'm not so it didn't matter.
RE: Eat only UK Plants/ Rationing - JJB - 21-08-2023
Even if you were a cake baker, probably, like me, you wouldn't bother. I love baking but I also love eating them and that wouldn't be a good idea. I'd be like the Michelin Man in a week or two. No, you stick with the rations, I'd love to do it but I'm not sure P would appreciate stewed rhubarb with lot less sugar. He's as thin as rake anyway and can lose those extra few pounds just by thinking of it. He makes me seethe!