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The World War II Diet

Get a healthier lifestyle by eating British Second World War rations
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Research has shown that the British population was much healthier during World War II, when food was restricted by the government. For example, each person could only have 4oz of butter per week, and only two eggs. Bread and meat were also in short supply. However, you could eat as much as you liked of what you could grow yourself. During that time lots of cook books were issued by the Brit Govt telling people how to make the most of the meager amount of food they were allowed. My idea is for this healthy lifestyle to be replicated in an 'Atkins-type' lifestyle book. Watcha think?
NeilR, Dec 17 2003

How to Cook a Wolf http://www.amazon.c...29-2899168?v=glance
Here's how to do it [English Bob, Oct 04 2004]

(?) The true horror of Woolton Pie http://www.nutritio...ationing/recipe.htm
It's sort of ok up until the "serve with brown gravy" bit. [Gordon Comstock, Oct 04 2004]

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       Well, that's really just "Eat more vegetables and less meat and fat" which has been pretty well done to death since the 70's.   

       Did you know that during the 1st world war, many British army conscripts from poorer backgrounds began to grow again, even those over 21, as the army rations were so superior to the food that they had previously eaten.
squeak, Dec 17 2003
  

       Did you know that there was also a massive reduction in the consumption of roast beef among the rich elite - despite the fact that they had ready access to the stuff? Subsequent research puts this down to the lack of mustard, most of which was being used to create mustard-gas. (That was a lie). Perhaps you could launch a WWII burger, containing beetroot leaves, thistles and carrot-tops?
dobtabulous, Dec 17 2003
  

       I thought the Marathon was a chocolate-covered race, unique to the British Isles, which died out to be replaced by the Snickers culture.
squeak, Dec 17 2003
  

       Don't forget the supplimenting of many game meats into the diet. Rabbits, rooks and the like were all unrestrictive protein sources, and very, very low in fat.   

       Not to mention huge initiatives in finding and harvesting other hedgerow foods such as rose-hips and edible flowers, all of which are full of natural vitamins. (yes, po, and sloes, too)
yamahito, Dec 17 2003
  

       I also think that fighting wars (or tidying up after them) might have resulted in people undertaking more exercise than they do now.
neilp, Dec 17 2003
  

       + for linking a cruel war to a diet, of any sort.
sweet, Apr 15 2004
  

       In WW2 they smoked food to preserve it. It probably won't taste as good as Burger king Whoppers, which do the same thing.
croissantz, Jul 19 2004
  

       I would welcome a return to dripping on toast, rickets, marrow rum, Woodbines, Capstan Full Strength and Navy Cut. And nuthatch kebabs.
AlanS, Aug 29 2004
  

       From talking to my mum, who was a young woman in London during the war, the thing that strikes us now about the diet was how bloody boring it was. People forget today that much of what we now take for granted simply wasn't available - war or no war. I think the pre-war diet was pretty dull but during the war almost nothing 'exotic' was imported such as bananas, oranges and lemons. It was all root vegetables and bread.   

       Woolton pie any one?
Gordon Comstock, Aug 30 2004
  

       I would think smoking food would be hard on the lungs...
grip, Aug 31 2004
  

       People ate rose-hips? When I was at school we used to collect those and use the seeds as itching powder. That stuff was evil.
spacemoggy, Aug 31 2004
  

       The German version (All Quiet on The Western Front gives a vivid depiction) would be interesting (and possibly life-threatening).
Spacecoyote, Feb 09 2009
  
      
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