This varied from country to country.
In general, everyone at home grew crops and some of their own food (if able to do so). For many city dwellers, especially those living in appartments, this was not practical. In the slums of London and other big cities in Britain this was impractical. (It wasn't possible for everyone to rent a small plot of land).
Some farmers slaughtered animals for food, while others grew herbs, corn, beans, spices, potatoes, peppers that were traded at posts. Farmers made much money but only enough to keep the land and grow the crops.
In the U.K. rabbit, hare, liver and kidney were not rationed, but often weren't available. Coffee was not rationed, and became very expensive. In other words, it was rationed by market forces instead of by coupon.
Secondhand good were not rationed. (In Britain, there was a brief attempt to control the secondhand clothing (!) market, but it failed).
In Britain photographic film was often very hard to find, as the entire production of the two biggest companies and about 40% of that of smaller companies went to the war effort, mainly for aerial reconnaissance.
There were differences in rationing between the various countries in the war, and variations over time. In addition to rationing by coupon, some products were simply not available for civilian use (for example nylon), and others were often hard to find (for example, photographic film and good quality paper). Many things were rationed. Foodstuffs like bananas were scarce and many things including sugar, meat, butter, cheese, eggs, milk, tea, chocolate, clothes, fuel oil, rubber, typewriters, cooking oil and many other things were rationed. This happened because the Nazis were sinking ships importing these foods and materials. Nearly all food products were rationed. Cloth, wood and metal, as well as rubber and leather, were all rationed so that the armed forces would have enough for their needs.
Gasoline, oil and grease, as well as kerosene and industrial alcohol, and ink. Paper, carbon paper, pencils, pens and typewriter ribbons, as well as erasors and paperclips and envelopes.
Automobile tires, parts and belts were all unavailable during the war, as the factories were sending all their production to the military's needs. Nylon and silk were used for parachutes, not women's stockings. Rationed items: gasoline, tires (or just impossible to get?), sugar, coffee, shoes, meats hard or impossible to get: chocolate, nylons, butter, some spices, cheese, cigarettes, candy bars, things containing rubber, sheets and pillow cases, linens (used flour sacks in place of dish towels). Tires and fuel for sure. However many things were just not made as U.S companies were told what to make. For example, Studebaker made trucks, Ford made jeeps and liberty ships and so on. So rationing was twofold with entire types of manufacturing shifted to war production. It varied from country to country and from year to year and even from month to month - and sometimes even from week to week. Most countries continued rationing for a time after the end of WWII. In Britain, for example, even bread (!) was rationed for a while in 1946-47.
Things in short supply throughout WWII in most countries included foodstuffs (especially animal products, ranging from milk to meat) and also oil. In Great Britain, the weekly ration per person got smaller and smaller as the war dragged on in to its second and third years. Almost every type of food was rationed; some things were simply not available, like oranges and bananas. Eggs were scarce and sugar was limited to one ounce a week, per person. Powdered milk and eggs were the usual things for breakfast.
Clothing was rationed, so were paper, ink and soap. Gasoline was limited to those who had a job that was essential to the war effort. Most people parked their car for the duration of the war. Coal and oil was severely rationed in Great Britain, as was all most everythinh else.
WHY?
Because so many things had to be brought to the UK by a ship, and the German U-boats were sinking many of them as they crossed the Atlantic Ocean from North America. In order to send much-needed supplies to Great Britain, people in Canada and the USA had to give up SOME of what they were used to, but the rationing here was no where as bad as it was in Great Britain.
An entire generation of British kids grew up undersized and sickly due to a lack of vitamins during their first few years of life during the war years. Actually, great efforts were made in Britain to ensure as far as possible that the next generation did not grow up 'undersized and sickly'. In my schooldays we were given milk and A and D vitamins every day at school. We also ate a higher proportion of vegetables than was usual before or after rationing.
Take a look at Britons born between about 1935 and 1947 and see if they show any obvious signs of being stunted. :)
In Britain rationing continued till 1954, though clothing was taking off rationing in 1949 and bread was rationed for only about 12 months in 1946-47.
Many things that they thought was least important
Food and aluminum for air plains
Almost all foodstuffs were rationed, such as sugar, meat, butter, cheese, eggs, milk, tea, and chocolate.
Cloth, wood and metal, as well as rubber and leather, were all rationed so that the armed forces would have enough for their needs.
Gasoline, oil and grease, as well as kerosene and industrial alcohol, and ink.
Paper, carbon paper, pencils, pens and typewriter ribbons, as well as erasors and paperclips and envelopes.
Automobile tires, parts and belts were all unavailable during the war, as the factories were sending all their production to the military's needs.
Everything from food, to gas was rationed in World War Two. Big families had to get by on so little. They grew there own food in gardens to save a couple of dollars, and reused clothes, or made clothes out of drapes, curtains, table cloths, you name it.
Foods: Surgar, beans, carrots, any fruit, vegetables, flour
Gas: Carpooled instead
Clothes: Made clothes themselves with what they could find or afford
Meat, sugar, gasoline, leather goods - shoes, mens suits, tires,
Its true that not everything was rationed, but it also did not mean that those items were available or affordable. No rationing existed for milk, eggs, bread, fresh fruit and vegetables, spaghetti, noodles, macaroni, chicken, fish (unless it was canned), dried fruits like raisins and Prunes, jams and jellies and cottage cheese.
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It varied from country to country and from year to year. Milk and eggs were, in fact rationed in Britain for most of the World War 2. In Italy, pasta (spaghetti, noodles, macaroni) was rationed from 1941-45.
In Britain tea was rationed, but coffee was not rationed ...
people rationed many things so that the military forces could get supplies. Not everything was rationed though. things like pens and paper were not rationed. people tried to eat less meat so that it could go to the military.
bread and fruit
sausage hotdogs and burgers
vegetables,wheat , fruit.
carrots, swede, potatoes, tomatoes, etc
sweets
fish and chips
Like during any war, food and materials are rationed in order to give the food to the troops and soldiers. Foods, like fruits, meats, veggies, and foods with a long shelf life will be given to the "war effort".
Yes it was. Almost everything was rationed!
They didn't have enough.
Rationed.
World War 2 caused a TOTAL WAR. This means EVERYTHING produced goes towards the war. This includes foods and clothes mainly. Things like toys were no longer being distributed until the war's end.
Like during any war, food and materials are rationed in order to give the food to the troops and soldiers. Foods, like fruits, meats, veggies, and foods with a long shelf life will be given to the "war effort".
Yes all the time, many tinned, dry and jared foods were rationed this included bread stale or not
sweets werent rationed but sugar was rationed in the USA from May 05 1942 until 1946. In UK 1940 until 1953
potatoes
Yes it was. Almost everything was rationed!
anything they had!!! <><><> Many foods were rationed, as were shoes, tires, gasoline, flashlights and batteries, and clothing.
list five items that were rationed during WWII and why they were rationed.
Gasoline was never rationed during the 1950s. During World War II. Gasoline was rationed. Gasoline rationing stopped in the fall of 1945.
I just read a news article that said fish and chips were not rationed during the war
yes during the world war 2. Sugar, butter and coffee was also rationed
gas
During World War II many products were rationed, including butter and sugar,Caught in a snowstorm when the car broke down, the family rationed the little food they had with them.