Meat rationing is for everyone

A meat rationing scheme already in force in London and the Home Counties was extended to the whole of Britain 100 years ago this week.

Under the new rules, people were restricted to about 20 ounces of meat a week, half of that for children under 10.

It was hoped later to allow extra rations for those working in heavy industry. However, such a move could only be made at that time by lowering the general ration, officials argued.

In the case of “invalids”, local Food Offices were authorised to issue cards for additional allowances on production of a doctor’s certificate but only in the case of specified diseases such as tuberculosis and diabetes.

Householders could only buy from a butcher with whom they were registered.

Up until the introduction of the national scheme, the Government had appealed to householders to voluntarily cut their consumption of certain foods such as bread, meat, etc.

Essential foodstuffs were in short supply because of U-Boat attacks on Allied merchant shipping and the numbers of agricultural workers called up for Army service

Later, rationing of meat was introduced in some areas but not others. An example was a town split by the border of Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire where one side of the main street had rationing while the other did not.

Stirling area had already experienced problems of meat shortages caused by the war, with the Co-op and other private traders struggling to get their usual supplies.

In January, 1918, Stirling food control committee received a deputation from the town’s Co-operative Society urging the introduction of rationing.

However, the committee rejected the plea in favour of waiting for the introduction of a national scheme.

Meanwhile, because of the wartime shortage of some fats, the Ministry of Food was encouraging the use of cocoa butter, the Observer reported.

However, the public had shown little enthusiasm for the substance probably, the Observer said, because of the difficulty of getting rid of its strong cocoa flavour.

Government officials had suggested the best way of converting cocoa butter to a commodity fit for table use was to add olive oil.

“One would think the Ministry of Food ought to know, but is apparently unaware, that olive oil is all but unobtainable or, at any rate, procurable only at prohibitive prices,” said the paper with some irritation.

Ministry officials were said to be on surer ground when advising people to eat carrots which were “cheap and plentiful”.

Householders were, however, warned that the food value of such vegetables were lost by peeling and boiling.

Experts advised that such veg should be cleaned then either baked or casseroled.