Bread in World War 2 Britain

[CDSherwood]

I hope this is the right place for this, my very first post got moved, and I was so embarrassed. So if it isn't, I'm sorry!

I've been pondering lately how hard it must have difficult it must have been to stick to rationing both during and after the war in Britain. I've gotten stuck on bread because my kids love it so much, it's cheap,and we all take it for granted these days that we'll be able to go get it when we want,in any variety to boot.
I'd like to do an activity with my kids tied to this. Does anyone have any good recipes for the bread they served there at that time? Was it yeast risen, or soda bread? I made wholemeal soda farls in a pan yesterday and those seemed like they'd be a good emergency bread recipe. It's what we had for bread when we lost power after Hurricane Ike a couple of years ago, cooked in a pan over the heat from a charcoal grill.

Any info is much appreciated.

 

[Tomasso]

I can't really speak to wartime rationing of ingredients for baking bread (though others may jump in) but here's a thread on bread in general.

BTW,welcome to the Lounge.

 

[Cobden]

Afraid I don't have a recipe, however I do know that bread was one of the few things that, in and of itself, was not rationed

 

[Kitty_Sheridan]

Hi there,

as long as you could purchase the flour (rationed) you could make your own, however, there was also the 'National Loaf' which although edible was apparently unappetising as the four was roughly milled and made bread look grey.
Can reccomend any of Marguerite Pattens books for wartime cooking, there's a good Soda Bread recipe in one.

Kate

 

[MirandaFern]

This is the best approximation I could find, from the 1940s Experiment page-http://1940sexperiment.wordpress.com/

Nothing Fancy Wartime Loaf

* 600 ml (1 pint) of warm water
* 5 teaspoons of quick rise yeast
* couple pinches of sugar
* 2 lb of wholewheat (wholemeal) flour
* 1.5 teaspoons salt
* 1 tablespoon rolled oats (for top)
* drizzle of vegetable oil

Method

Place flour in large bowl
Mix in all dry ingredients except the rolled oats
Drizzle in vegetable oil
Pour in warm water
Mix thoroughly
When dough comes together knead for 10 minutes until dough is silky
Place back in bowl and cover
Let dough rise somewhere warm until doubled in size
Knead dough briefly again
Place dough into 4 x 1/2 lb tins (or 2 x 1 lb tins) that have been floured
Brush top with a little water and sprinkle on some rolled oats
Leave to rise for around 20 minutes
PLace in oven at 180 0C for around 30-40 mins (depending on the size of the loaf)
Remove from oven
Cool for at least 15 minutes before cutting

I've been cheating and using my bread maker. Fiance complains that it's dry and dense, so I must be doing something right ;-).

 

[Land-O-LakesGal]

I have been thinking lately it would be interesting to use the ww2 rationing as a diet to lose weight I think you could eat all the vegetables wanted but meat and dairy and sugar were strictly rationed. It would be a very high carb diet with lots of vegs and very little fruit and almost not sugar from what I have been able to find out.

 

[Zig]

Here's a recipe for the German Back Bread that was given to the P.O.W.'s during the War. Most guys say that it was only eatable if you were close to starving, and it was not good at all.


" BLACK BREAD BROAT RECIPE
This recipe comes from the Official Record from the Food Providing Ministry Published (Top Secret) Berlin 24.XI 1941 and the Director in Ministry Herr Mansfield and Herr Moritz. It was agreed that the best mixture to bake Black Bread was:

50% Bruised Rye Grain
20% Sliced sugar Beats
20% Tree Flour (Saw Dust)
10% Minced Leaves and Straw

From our own experiences with the Black Bread, we also saw bits of glass and sand. Someone was cheating on the recipe!

Joseph P. O'Donnell "

 

[The Lonely Navigator]

I have some wartime recipes I gathered and some were found through links that folks here posted - here is one I have for bread:


WORLD WAR II HEALTH BREAD
1 tbsp. salt
1 tbsp. shortening
1 c. oatmeal
1 1/2 c. boiling water
1 lg. can evaporated milk
1 pkg. dry yeast mixed with 1/4 c. water
1/4 c. honey
3 c. whole wheat flour
3 c. white flour
Put shortening, salt and oatmeal in large mixing bowl, pour 1 1/2 cup boiling water over and mix well. Add evaporated milk and mix. Add yeast mix. Add honey and whole wheat flour. Beat until smooth and then work in white flour. Put in greased bowl, cover and let rise. Punch down and put in pans and let rise again. Makes 3 loaves. Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes.

 

[MirandaFern]

I have been thinking lately it would be interesting to use the ww2 rationing as a diet to lose weight I think you could eat all the vegetables wanted but meat and dairy and sugar were strictly rationed. It would be a very high carb diet with lots of vegs and very little fruit and almost not sugar from what I have been able to find out.

Yes, it is widely accepted that the generation of Britains coming out of World War II were the healthiest group before or since. Alot of research was done prior to the war in the realm of nutrition to discern exactly what the body needs to survive.

You could eat what vegetables you could get or grow. Even rationed items were subject to season and availability.

Weekly Ration Levels (monthly where indicated) in 1945 were:

Bacon and Ham 4 oz (113 g)
Sugar 8 oz (227 g)
Loose Tea 2 oz (57 g)
Meat 1s. 2d.
Eggs 1Egg
Milk 3 Pints
Cheese 2 oz (57 g)
Preserves 1 lb (0.45 kg) per month
Butter 2 oz (57 g)
Margarine 4 oz (113 g)
Lard 2 oz (57 g)
Sweets 12 oz (340 g) per month

Some items, like breakfast cereals and SPAM, were controlled by using a points system (16 to 20 points per person per month.) By controlling the amount of points needed to purchase an item, the government could control availability and give the illusion of a greater supply in the shop. Also points prevented the wealthy from buying everything on the shelves.

Here are two examples of modern families living on the Rations of their respective countries:

Britain
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-465769/Can-modern-family-survive-wartime-rations.html

United States
http://rationalliving.blogspot.com/

I'm sorry to be so long winded. This is a pet-subject of mine. I tried to live on the ration for a few weeks last month, with moderate success and then relapsed. Hopefully I have all the kinks worked out. I plan to make a new and improved attempt at "Rational Living" starting September 1.

 

[Warden]

Your right bread not rationed during the war, but was afterwards, when Britain had to repay its war debts.

Harry

 

[MirandaFern]

Your right bread not rationed during the war, but was afterwards, when Britain had to repay its war debts.

Harry

Yep, rationing actually got more stringent after the war ended. Marguerite Patten's cookbook "Eat for Victory" has a more comprehensive breakdown of post war rationing.

 

[Land-O-LakesGal]

Mirandafern are you going to blog your progress? I would be interested in hearing how it goes!

 

[H.Johnson]

I was born in the final year of the war, and I can state from memory that the diet of many working-class (blue collar) children in the late forties and early fifties was inadequate. I remember that four children in my class (of thirty-odd) had quite severe rickets (bowed legs etc).

 

[MirandaFern]

Mirandafern are you going to blog your progress? I would be interested in hearing how it goes!

Considering that it will keep me honest...yes, I plan to do just that.

I figure this will be a good way to curtail my spending, I realized I am spending about $150 to $175 a week on groceries and eating out. Also, I am trying to get back down to a healthier weight and size.

We'll see what happens.

 

[MirandaFern]

I was born in the final year of the war, and I can state from memory that the diet of many working-class (blue collar) children in the late forties and early fifties was inadequate. I remember that four children in my class (of thirty-odd) had quite severe rickets (bowed legs etc).

I think every generation has its set of issues, based on diet. The current issue is childhood obesity and the health problems it causes. From what I remember from epidemiology, rickets were a huge problem throughout most of the early part of the 20th century, and led to the addition of Vitamin D to milk.

Apparently rickets are on the rise again because kids aren't getting enough sun.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2010/jan/22/sharp-rise-vitamin-a-deficiency

 

[YesterdayGirl]

The Imperial War Museum is currently serving sandwiches with bread made to the National Loaf recipe in their cafe, while their Ministry of Food exhibition is on. There is some interesting info about National Loaf here

This is actually a WW1 poster, but of course the message was the same in WW2, when people were encouraged to eat potatoes as a substitute for bread. Also, slightly off topic, where I work many of us suffer from vitamin D deficiency as we work underground, but it's tragically sad that children are suffering from this when they should be spending their time playing outside. What is the world coming to?!

 

[Ugarte]

From our own experiences with the Black Bread, we also saw bits of glass and sand. Someone was cheating on the recipe!

Joseph P. O'Donnell "

Well, it's entirely possible that sweeping up the sawdust would amend some unintentional ingredients to the mix.

I'm just sayin'....

Mark
.

 

[Land-O-LakesGal]

Rickets

I don't think the lack of vitamin D is just from not going outside but also from the need for excess sunscreen I don't believe it lets as much vitamin D through as well.
But I would recommend Mirrandafan take multivitamin as well as an additional calcium (with vitamin D) supplement.

I think the best part of this diet would be getting all that fresh veggie in most people (myself included but I am working on improvement) do not eat enough veg. Its the last thing you think to grab from your fridge of cuppard when hungry

 

[MirandaFern]

But I would recommend Mirrandafan take multivitamin as well as an additional calcium (with vitamin D) supplement.

I've already started taking a very un-vintage gummy multi vitamin for grownups.

I'm hoping my victory garden will hang on for the next month of heat, and start producing in October.

 

[Land-O-LakesGal]

Mirandafern what different growing seasons we have from Texas to Minnesota. My season will definitely be done by October.