One Year Ration Challenge: Frugal Living on a Low Income
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- čas přidán 10. 09. 2024
- Hi Friends, welcome to the introduction of my year of rationing! Navigating the constant pressures of todays cost-of-living crisis only seems to be getting tougher so this year, I'm looking back through time to an age where absolutely NOTHING went to waste! 1940's Britain. In an effort to eat well, reduce waste and remain healthy while living on less, I will be spending the entirety of 2024 living on rations and cooking my way through traditional British WW2 Recipes. I would love to share this journey with you! #frugalliving #ww2 #history
As mentioned in the video, here are some resources:
If you are currently experiencing food insecurity in Australia, search your postcode for the closest available food bank near you -
Foodbank Australia: www.foodbank.o...
If you are an international student in the Melbourne region and need food assistance, check out these food aid provider times & locations: www.studymelbo...
1940's Experiment website: the1940sexperi...
Carolyn's CZcams: / @1940sexperiment
Rationbook Rebecca's CZcams: / @rationbookrebecca
Local Elevator by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. creativecommon...
Source: incompetech.com...
Artist: incompetech.com/
I wish I'd seen the start of this series, rather than watching out of order.
My parents were children during the War and I learnt a lot about it from them. They lived in a small market town in Devon and had access to things few city or big town dwellers would - the ability to forage for food in the hedgerows and fields. They had wild garlic, mushrooms, chestnuts, hazelnuts, blackberries, rosehips, crab apples, bilberries, sloes - and no rationing for foraged food, which meant they were a currency to barter with. They could also hunt for small game and add to the larder that way (keeping a ferret was common, as there was no need to use a gun when rabbit hunting). It also gave young boys a sense of purpose. Dad kept a milking goat and had to walk her to land where she could graze all day - until he discovered that someone else was milking her, stealing this precious liquid (my Dad had really bad psoriasis all his life and the goats milk was not only to drink, but used to make a salve). They then had to ask neighbours for left over things that would normally go to make compost, to eke out what they could gather and bring to her themselves from nearby fields. Only when Dad got permission to tether her in a field occupied by a rather large (frightening to look at, but totally docile when he knew you) bull, did that burden ease.
Editing to answer a question: Chicken. It was an expensive meat and rarely made it to the table in the sort of 'condition' we see nowadays. Most people who kept chickens would butcher roosters for the table (they fight and injure valuable laying hens, so generally only one is kept though many are hatched) and varieties just grown for meat were rare. The hens who've stopped laying or who are known to be egg-eaters, would often be very stringy, so only good for boiling and making stew or soup. Producing hens merely as meat wasn't cost effective. Egg layers were far more valuable. Duck, goose and turkey were also added to flocks to meet the need for Christmas dinners, but not everyone could sustain one of the larger birds. As with pigs, it might be that one person kept several to be claimed by the neighbours who'd contributed to their fattening months.
I have a few other snippitz of info that I might share, as I work my way through your videos. And from what I have seen so far, you have done a brilliant job. What will you focus on once this year is up? I can't wait to find out. I just know it's going to be fun!
I'm late to the party, but honestly what you call your 'kickstarter pantry' - upon imposition of rationing, EVERYBODY would have had their own stock of whatever already in the house, so that's absolutely valid (the Ministry of Food did not EMPTY ANYONE'S LARDER the day Rationing went into effect).
I cannot recommend enough watching the Wartime Farm - it is seriously mindboggling what happened on british farms during the war. I live in NZ, so your experiences will be especially interesting, being neighbours and all :) For the powdered milk, place it in the freezer - either the whole pack, or in portions. Peanut butter came in with the Yanks.
Oh I love that series! I love them all, Tudor Farm, Victorian Farm, Edwardian Farm etc. I’m kind of obsessed with Ruth Goodman haha, love her. Wartime Farm is intense to say the least! Thanks for the tip re the milk powder, that’s a really good idea (freezing in batches). I ran out of milk on my 1st week but I have it under control after my 2nd week, having drastically reduced the amount I have in a cup of tea. A woman in one of the Facebook groups I’m part of told me she used to work with an ex WW2 soldier who told her you should be able yo get 40 cups of tea out of one pint of milk!!
I've watched them all so many times...love them. They are a priceless window into a world and situation that must never be forgotten. History repeats itself often enough for us not to loose sight of the skills learned by so many others who endured and overcame.
@@maurarenouf3616 Well said, I couldn’t agree more
Yes!
Oh yes, I try to watch all the others every 2-3 years, but re-watch the Wartime Farm, every year!!
Something to remember is people were moving out of the Great Depression and into War rations. People were already struggling with food and portions. Some had money during the depression but many more didn’t. My dad a child of the depression missed many meals even living on a family farm.
As a child in the 50s we didn't have coconut milk my mother soaked desiccated coconut in boiling water then beat it and drained it in muslin and squeezed out the residue, used it in curries, much better flavour than the tinned of today, and used the residue in coconut biscuits.[n Australia..
Thank you! I’ve still been wondering about the coconut milk! I’m quite impressed with your mothers method, I’m definitely going to try that on the channel at some stage, thank you so much for sharing! 💜
I am in the US and according to my research, peanut butter was commercially available here in the 1920s. My mom was born in the 1930s and tells me about what it was like. She is still alive. I was very close to my grandmother who was born in 1901. She talked about it alot. My aunt was a rationing clerk in their small town and she had great stories about rationing. Most of my family lived where they could have big gardens and chickens and my uncle used to hung rabbits to add to their food.
That’s incredible! Thanks so much for sharing. I love hearing all about the personal first-hand experiences people had. There are a few shop-keeper diaries from the time I’d love to get my hands on too. I heard that the US sent peanut butter to the UK during the war, it previously wasn’t that common there supposedly. Thanks again for sharing! X
i am excited to follow this. i talked to my gramma about the war and the depression here in the u.s. and how they lived. it made me more grateful and less wasteful. wild game, fish they caught themselves, and a HUGE garden saved them and half the kids in their little town. her dad said his greatest achievement in life was buying a lot of groceries. he grew up hungry and didnt want other kids to know what that was like.
Thank you so much for sharing, what an incredible story! Bless them and their garden. 💚It’s hard to believe how different life was for our grandparents compared to ours today. If we have a roof over our heads, access to clean hot/cold water, fresh healthy ingredients to cook with and the lights come on when we choose - this is the definition of a blessed life in my mind! Thanks for coming along this journey with me x
Good on you Jake, have you watched 'The wartime kitchen and garden 'on CZcams? The main people on it actually lived through the war. Very Informative. My parents married early 1940 in London and my 19 year old mother was thrown not only into the kitchen but wartime frugality. My Father had an important Job (secret at the time) and was not in the military. He had two Allotments on which he grew food, and he also helped the women in their street set up their home veg gardens. Mum made her own reusable tea bags and reused the tea, luckily dad loved cold tea and took it in his thermos when he went to work on his allotments. I was born in 1951(third child) my eldest sister was one of the few babies born in London during the Blitz (mum wasn't very well) Our favourite post war meals were stuffed Marrow and spotted dick (steamed long pudding with some kind of dried fruit). I've got a lot of books (and recipes ) on the War in Britain. If you need any specific recipes don't hesitate to ask👍
Thank you! I certainly have seen Wartime Kitchen & Garden, love that series. The first wartime recipe cookbook I bought was because I saw the cook in that show, Ruth Mott, using it - Food Facts for the Kitchen Front. It’s fantastic. There are no words to describe how terrifying it must have been during the blitz, especially with a new born! That ‘siren’ gives me chills every time I hear it when I’m watching something on the topic. I’m so intrigued as to how your mother made reusable tea bags! Very thrifty ❤️ It would have been so hard for so many to be thrust into that situation, where they not only had to learn to grow their own but also learn how to cook as well. I read there were frequently traveling demonstrations set up to teach people how to cook etc on top of all the pamphlets the Ministry of Food published which would have been very helpful - I’m learning a lot myself reading those pamphlets! I am so keen to try making some steamed puddings! I’ve never had one. It’s currently Summer here in Australia but once it cools down, will definitely give it a go. Thanks so much for sharing! x x
I have muslin reusable tea bags. They’re sold in kitchen supply stores or a person can certainly sew their own
@@cynthia57169 Such a great idea
@@thekitchenscrap one of the demonstrators for the Ministry of Food was Marguerite Patten who was a well known cook post war and produced many cook books.
Olive oil came in tiny bottles from the chemist and was only ever used warmed up to treat earache. Also my dad who was a child during the war told me there was no chocolate or sweets in the shops despite the rations. The veg you got was very much what was in season so tomatoes would only be in the summer. Spuds were available all year round and not rationed so made up a large part of the diet, in fact pastry could be made by mixing mash with flour as the fat ration was low and there wasn't always enough for the week.
Interesting! I never knew that about olive oil. I’ve definitely been reading more and more how the rations were never guaranteed, unfortunately, and there were frequently times when even basic fresh produce was unavailable. Such a difficult time in history
Before rations people had food in their kitchen cupboards so they would use that till it ran out too.
Love your first video Jake- it has all the things: entertainment, intellect, facts, humour, great back ground music, graphics, your voice is lovely to listen to… all the things. Can’t wait to see the recipes and see how you go! You’ve inspired me and I WILL join you intermittently along the way (you are a better person than I, to commit to a year!!). ✨
Hi Belinda! Oh wow, thank you so much for all your kind words! ❤️ I really appreciate it. And thank you for coming along for the ride! I think this year is going to be a blast and I can’t wait to get stuck into all these wartime recipes. I can’t promise they will all be good haha (I’ve already had a few fails in the kitchen) but let me know which ones you end up trying x
Very well done, Jake! If you intend to save money, I suggest you look into making some of your vegan meats from scratch. I have done a few and they are quite equal in flavor to what you can buy, but far cheaper in price! Jam was part of "ordinary rations," golden syrup and treacle were on "points" at 4 points per pound (you will find them listed in the points section of the document you showed), and honey was not rationed at all, but the demand perhaps was higher for honey during wartime, so it may have been that sometimes you had to hunt for it or pay a bit more than during peace time. We are all paying more for things now, aren't we? Ayayay! Vegetable shortages (onions, tomatoes) occurred in the first eighteen months or so of the war, because Britain had been importing these particular crops from Europe and not growing their own commercially. The good news is that Britain received large seed shipments from North America and started growing their own in their Victory gardens very early, and onions and tomatoes became plentiful again by the summer of 1941. I have seen a MoF leaflet about tomatoes, which later joined the famous three vegetables: potatoes, carrots, and cabbages, and was promoted as an important vegetable to grow and can in the UK. As for garlic, it just hadn't been very popular in English cooking but being from the allium family it can be grown in Britain easily and would have been available for anyone who wanted it, there is even wild garlic in the UK to forage. Coffee could also be found for those who wanted it. Coffee was not rationed in the UK, but it didn't particularly fly off the shelves because it just was not yet popular. Coffee became a little more common later in the war when the Americans came over and sometimes shared time with British hosts. The points system... 16 points or whatever, was applied to every four week period, so there were about 13 periods of points in a year... that will give you just a bit more flexibility in your shopping. Baking powder, bicarb, Worcestershire, OXO, Bisto, stock cubes, Marmite (Vegemite), essences, spices, and many other items were not rationed, and even encouraged to help stretch the foods that were rationed. Check your document again for the points items. If it is not listed there in the points section, it was ration-free. In general, the points rationing was applied to cereals, biscuits, pulses, items in cans or bottles... but that is a generalization as I know with certainty that some bottled items were not on the points system and ration free (such as Worcestershire, and probably prepared mustard and certainly Coleman's dry mustard). Coconut and peanut butter were available and not on ration or points in the US, and I think coconut would have been available in Australia, but not in the UK (though perhaps you could find coconut essence)... you will need to make an executive decision about some foods produced in Australia that were not in Britain during the war. Peanut butter was not yet popular outside of the US, but it became more popular as the US Army traveled with peanut butter and jelly. I find in navigating rationing I am often asking myself, "Where is this made, how is this made?" There is no perfect. If rationing were today would have to be a little different. I think about what can be grown or produced nearby to me today, and use that to temper the history into something that is workable long term. An example of an item I find important in a modern rationing kitchen is nutritional yeast. Brewer's yeast was available during the war and not rationed, and nutritional yeast is a non-active version of this yeast family. Nutritional yeast will allow you to make tasty and healthy "mock" meats at home. Commercially made vegetarian meats are expensive and just my opinion, can have some dodgy ingredients (soy fillers, preservatives, hydrogenated fats). If you make your own, you know what goes in it, and you can save quite a bit of money, too... quite a bit! So, just my thought, but I hope you will experiment with making your own meats. Thank you so very much for your video and I look forward to more! Sorry for the long reply, but I thought you might want some of the rationing/availability info. Well done, you!
Thank you for the brilliant reply! This is such a treasure trove of information, you’ve answered so many of my questions, I’m elated! I will definitely message you on FB for some recipes for vegan meats if that’s ok? I typically don’t buy them for that reason - they’re so expensive (and processed) but would love to try making more of my own. Thank you so much for watching and for taking the time to fill in the gaps! X
don't for get the Extra rations for christmass. and fall canning.
Guess I am far closer to being eighty than you, but I have always been frugal, as taught by my parents who survived and thrived through two World Wars. I eat a whole food plant-based diet, and yes until recently, I still had my mother's Ration Books, which were sadly stolen. I well remember going shopping with my mother as a child. In addition to taking along her shopping bags, we could walk to the store. She always took her housekeeping purse, and a hand made leather wallet containing her Ration Books. She shopped far more frequently than I do now. National Dried Milk, came in tall cans with blue printing on the side. I was born after the war, but my family had an small but highly productive garden with fruit bushes and trees, as well as veggies, and a chicken run at the bottom, for eggs. It produced enough food to share with neighbours and friends. We also had a greenhouse. Our daily salads took less than five minutes to go from garden to table, and there was a herb garden outside the kitchen window.
Even when I was a kid in the late 60s, early 70s in New Zealand, chicken wasn't commonly eaten. Roast chicken was for a special Saturday night dinner. Lamb chops, mince, rissoles, sausages, roast mutton, shepherd's pie from the trimmings, freshly caught fish etc were the meats that made it to the weekly family table. The only coconut milk we saw was the thin, watery stuff from inside an aged coconut (we didn't know the green ones existed), which we collected by banging nails into the top of the coconut and then draining it.
My mum told me the same thing regarding chicken (she grew up in the 50’s & 60’s) - it really was a special treat. I grew up eating a lot of rissoles & sausages! Traditional meat and 3 x veg dinners.
❤
Came over from Loving Life on Less, watching from NZ where our food prices are horrific too. This was hugely entertaining, and I'm looking forward to your journey this year. Cheers, Angela
Thank you so much Angela and welcome! It’s lovely to have you here ❤️ Food prices are still horrific here too, - definitely feel your pain! Our 2 major supermarkets are currently facing a government grilling over price gouging but so far, doesn’t seem like things are changing. At least not yet. Here’s to a (hopefully) cheaper 2024! 🥂
New subscriber I was sent over from Loving life on less! 😊
Me, too
Thank you so much! X
@@cynthia57169 Thank you & welcome! X
Excellent video. Really enjoyed it. In answer to a couple of your questions beef stock was available as they often promoted making a 'soup' from them to drink before bed. I do not believe they were on the points system and pretty widely available. I would have to look at some of my research to find out. Bisto and Oxo were the big ones. As for the purist in the mix, that is impossible to do. This is not the 1940's and although there are wars going on we are not in a world war. Back then people would have used/eaten whatever was available. So if they could get their hands on garlic they would have used it. I have studied the rationing system for over 30 years and worked at a military museum so if I can be of any help let me know.
Thank you so much for the compliment and the tips! I’m relieved to hear that Oxo / Bisto stock wasn’t on the point system, although I will be making my own out of vegie scraps etc where possible. It’s quite a compelling rabbit hole, such an incredibly complicated system but sophisticated nonetheless. I’ve only been researching it for the last 6 months so any tidbits of information I can pick up along the way will be most welcome. Thank you so much for watching and taking the time to comment!
Tvp is lovely. I add my bouillon powder and herbs to hot water and use that to rehydrate TVP. Don’t add it dry to your recipes. If you are eating tofu, drain it and press it and think of it as a flavour sponge. I like soaking it in hot sauce or teriyaki sauce before sauté ing it. Powdered milk works great for cooking. Store it in a jar with a tight fitting lid in a cool dark spot and it will last. Mine is several months old and is just fine. Remember BEST before, not POISONOUS after. You can also add it dry to hot tea. Expect a few months of “ my food tastes different” to “ yeah, this is good”. Imported onions and garlic meant that people used leeks, which grew locally in the allotment. By removing all of the processed rubbish, you are going to feel great by this time next year. Single people had it the hardest. Being able to take the entire family points was key to nicer meals.
I’m looking forward to seeing your progress.
Thanks so much for the tips! That’s great news about putting milk power straight into your tea, I’ll give it a go. I’ve already noticed after two weeks how quickly our tastebuds can adapt! I cooked the tvp in some ‘beef’ stock. It was a little bland but definitely not unpleasant. Will try again in other recipes. The fake bacon was actually delicious, was surprised at how much like the real thing it smelt/tasted - just so expensive
Ps you forgot your potatoes ! They formed a large part of uk diets , a lot of recipes included them and indeed were the basis of many vegetarian dishes. Not on ration , easily available and here in the UK still a regular item on our weekly shop.
@@thekitchenscrap there’s a lady called- It doesn’t taste like chicken- or something like that, she’s very vegan and made bacon from banana skins, but with the cost of bananas it’s probably cheaper to buy bacon.
@@joysleeman3311 that’s a new one! I’ve not heard of making bacon out of banana skins before, sounds right up my alley - will need to investigate this one once the challenge is over as unfortunately, bananas were not available during the war/rationing period 😢
I'm glad to see you raise the issue of food waste because it reaches absurd and ridiculous levels here in Oz. Just recently I was in Coles and I grabbed a bag of gourmet potatoes which were reduced to clear and their 'environmentally friendly' bag split as I put it in my trolley. The Coles worker nearby then said I could no longer buy them! No one else had touched them, all the contents were exactly the same but because the bag was split they were 'unsaleable'! I grabbed a second bag, which also split, and hightailed it to the checkouts while his back was turned LOL. I saved them from landfill, saved some money, and had a delicious meal from them too! And BTW, you look bloody good for your age! Cheers from Sydney!
If you registered as a vegetarian they upped your cheese ration from 4 Oz to 8 tonpossibly 11 ounces depending on what year during rationing. I just found some plant based 'spam' that I can't wait to try. With a baked potato and braised cabbage of course.
Let me know how the plant based spam goes!
Ooooo, just found your channel and I love you already. I'm quite frugal and love a good swear too! Im going to love your channel. Regards from WA. Xx
Thanks so much! 💜 Welcome aboard! Haha there’s definitely something therapeutic about a good swear 😉 Thanks so much for the tuning in xx
Late to finding you and your wonderful series and challenge. I'd recommend wartime kitchen and garden. The stars are Ruth Mott and Harry Dodson who actually lived through the war
Were there 80s style massive freezers? No! But there were certainly ice boxes. I loved your rant about people being too 'purist'. The aim is to recreate a modern version of wartime food and have fun. I really enjoyed this video, and your style!
Found you from living on rations, 1940’s experiment group, also living in Melbourne. I’m not hardcore, trying rationing more as a way to reduce waste ( and reduce waist!) but also just because I can! It’s a nice interest now I have the time, but must have been really hard when you had to do it.
Hello and welcome! A fellow Melbournian! 💜 Haha I love that (reduce waste/waist). It’s true though, this diet really does help reduce both, I’m two months in and I’ve already lost weight which wasn’t my initial goal but definitely beneficial nonetheless. I can’t imagine how hard it would have been back then, there are so many instances where even the supposed guaranteed rationed items were frequently scarce and people had to go without, to say nothing of dealing with the stress of actual war at the same time. Bless them all x
Oh this is brilliant, you’ve just gained another subscriber!. Looking forward to watching your journey, well done you! 😊 ps. I’m with you on the music 😊
Thank you so much, I really appreciate it! 💜 I’ve definitely immersed myself in 40’s music this past year. Do you have any favourites?
@@thekitchenscrap it’s got to be Glen Miller for me, followed by the Andrews Sisters, yourself? 😊
@@Julie-ix7wv Nice, love them both! Atm, I am utterly obsessed with a song called Yes Indeed by Tommy Dorsey and his Orchestra - that is some foot-stomping greatness right there!
@@thekitchenscrap lovely, I will look that up for sure, thankyou and good luck on your challenge 😊
I loved the fire rant! Still chuckling
Just found you, following you now from Brisbane. I live on the solo disability pension and am always looking for ways to stretch my grocery dollars.
Watching with interest 🙂
Thank you so much and welcome! 💜 So lovely to have you here! I hope the Summer hasn’t been too cruel for you lovely people in Brisbane? It was thankfully quite mild here in Melbourne - until February when someone must have accidentally flicked the heat switch to ‘extreme’! Bring on the Autumn 🍁 I am constantly looking for ways to stretch the grocery budget too. Having spent two months living on rations so far, I can confirm I’ve already saved hundreds!! Thank you so much for joining me on this journey x
Yes it has been very hot here and I told a friend yesterday that I am officially over it! Melbourne certainly did cop some of it last month too.
I am looking forward to watching your other videos and cheering you on. I won’t try to live on WW2 rations but I am certainly being more mindful about what I buy cook and eat. And will be growing a bit this year too.
That’s wonderful to read you have saved heaps too 😀
Remember that gardens were a thing and foraging hedgerows was encouraged. Tisanes like mint and rosehip could replace part of your tea.
I wish I had a garden and could forage (I live in the heart of the city and only have a tiny balcony). One day though, when I move back out to the country!
Your "foraging" may have to be at rhe store for practicality with the apartment thing but then you don't have access to the feeding centers.
Mediterranean food in Britain didn't become popular until the 70s thanks to cheap air travel. It was American food that became popular in the 50s and 60s.
Hi i have just subscribed just wondered if you will be doing a food book ie 365 ww2 days of meals i would be interested lol great challenge by the way very fitting in these frugal times.
Hello & welcome! Thank you so much for subscribing 💜 That is a great idea and definitely worth exploring - you’ve given me food for thought, thank you 😊
Fantastic video Jake, very well researched and really sets the basis for the year. I am sure other followers will continue to help out with their knowledge in the comments section. So interesting to hear what it was like for our grandparents.... so many memories and ao much to learn from tjos memories.
My grandfather told me long time ago, that garlic was used as medicine. It was expensive. When you had a cold, they used warm milk with garlic😅 and sometimes onion.
Wise words indeed! I always use garlic as a preventative and dose up on it if I ever feel a cold coming on. Never tried it with milk though 🤔
I just discovered this channel today. What great content! You are also very charming and funny. This is much needed info for people like me that are looking to cut back on groceries (again!). These are indeed crazy times we are living. Thanks for making them better 😊
Liz from Living Life on Less recommended (this morning) you and your channel, so I'm a new subscriber here. Great video & I'm looking forward to watching all your videos.
Thank you so much! Welcome, it’s lovely to have you here x
You can refrigerate or freeze the milk powder , taste fine
Thank you!! Great to know, I didn’t want to waste it considering how long it would take to get through
I've used powder milk well beyond 28 days 😮 buy I do put it in an airtight jar 🫙
@@sarahbrown1929 hello there! 👋 That’s good to know because this powdered milk has been a life saver and I’ll definitely get more
@@thekitchenscrap I just opened a powdered milk with a BBD of 2022, bought during Covid probably, it’s fine, I generally use in cooking instead of fresh milk, or when I bag up cake mixes like bran loaf to save time later.
I came across this video by chance and was overjoyed to find such a gem and I thought great I can binge watch this channel only to discover that it’s relatively new and only a few videos out. Nevertheless, I wholeheartedly support your mild obsession with Dame Maggie Smith and look forward to your WW2 rations cooking to come. Keep up the stellar work you are truly fabulous.
Thank you so much!! That’s so kind of you, I really appreciate it! CZcams newbie here, just starting to rev the engine 😉 Haha yes, it’s safe to say I am totally obsessed with all things Dame Maggie Smith - and Downton Abbey. Thank you for your lovely comment, you’ve put a step in my day 😊
I came over from Liz’s channel. Interesting. Look forward to more videos
Thank you so much and welcome! 💜
Hey Jake
Have started watching your videos this week and l find them absolutely fascinating! Good on you for giving this a crack! Bread and dripping was on the menu when l was a kid, also a lot of scones pea soup. There wasn't much money, food was pretty basic.
Thank you so much! 💜 I remember my grandma loving bread and dripping. I haven’t tried it yet but can drain it see the appeal and would imagine it actually tastes quite good
I just found your channel and will definitely be coming along for the journey into your one year ration challenge. Very funny and informative video.
Thank you so much! And welcome! I’m so glad you’ll be coming along for the ride! X
I grew up in Cornwall, UK, during the 1970s, and I can confirm, no-one used garlic. My cousin had never had garlic bread until the late 1980s. I'll never forget one of my grandfather's gardening books on garlic; it recommended just rubbing a cut clove around your salad bowl if you weren't used to it 🤣 Loving your channel, you have another new subscriber, I'm fascinated to see how your year goes! Love from a fellow Ruth Goodman fan ;)
That’s so much! 💜 Oh wow, that’s so interesting about the garlic!! Rubbing a cut close around a salad bowl 😂 I essentially triple the amount of garlic required whenever I’m cooking (pre rationing). It’s so good for you and really helps to develop a lovely depth of flavour. So glad to hear you’re a fan of Ruth Goodman too! 💕
Only enough for a year? Keep on prepping! Water, food and everything else one needs for day to day life.
Also late to the party - I just stumbled into your channel recently and have been loving it! I'm with the others here saying that before rations were imposed, everyone had 'whatever they had' in their pantries. I think it's fine to go with the kickstarter pantry as you called it. Also - this is YOUR personal project and challenge. I think you can leave yourself room to get sick and need food outside the challenge, or the occasional business meeting or family event, etc., or even one cheat day a month if you like. I think it's a pretty significant project as it is!
From the several I've seen so far, you seem to be striving to adhere as close as you can to the rations as they were set. I'm glad you are doing some analysis of cost, and even weight (are you feeling improved overall?). Definitely a fun and inspiring channel! I hope you continue after the year is up! (the channel, not necessarily this particular project)
Thanks so much for your lovely, thoughtful comment Karen! 💜 Tbh, before rationing - I eat fairly healthy food so I haven’t noticed much difference in that regard but have definitely noticed a difference in my bank balance!! Weight fluctuates depending on what I’m eating but have definitely lost some, which is great! Thanks so much for tuning in 💜
When you spoke about people who might be purists about this, they need to realize that the world is so intensely different from 80 years ago that allowances must be made. Even before you spoke about your family connection, it came through that you’re genuinely wanting to do this to the best of your ability based on available information while not being wasteful by ignoring your modern products that you can’t find definitive information on availability. If anyone alive in the 1940s heard about people wasting any resources they already had available at the start of rationing, they’d probably be furious, so it seems to me it’s far more respectful to just use those items and then not replace as a more authentic way to do this.
Thank you so much for your wonderful, thoughtful comment, I really appreciate it and I echo every syllable 💜 They would have used (and reused) what ever ingredients, time saving, cost cutting, fuel efficient methods & appliances they had access to back then so to discard what’s available today for the sake of being 100% authentic would negate the purpose entirely! The amount of waste in almost every aspect of our modern lives is astonishing and even though I’ve always tried to be mindful of this, this little social experiment has opened my eyes even more so. There is so much more I (and society in general) could & should be doing to combat this and with any luck, I hope my little corner of CZcams may help with that in some small way. Thank you so much again for your comment x x
@@thekitchenscrap I’m from the US and my grandmother was born the year the Great Depression began, so I was raised with a lot of money saving and food stretching that I still use. I love watching videos like these because people get so creative in ways I wouldn’t necessarily have considered using the same ingredients, and all things factored in with the current goings on, we need more of that! I’m looking forward to following your journey with this.
For every 1 tablespoon of baking soda, mix with 2 tablespoons of cornstarch. That's how you make baking powder.
I love this. It gives a perspective of how we can eat. I don't buy butter for frugality and use a raspberry salad dressing which is very light.
What a wonderful channel with so many good videos and such a personable, charming presenter! thank you!
@@theresevh Thank you so much Therese! 💜 That’s so kind of you, thank you - I really appreciate it and I’m so glad you’re enjoying the videos! X
I think this is the best "frugal " site I've watched😊
I keep my powdered milk in a plastic container for about 3 months.
I believe that 28 day usage, it was a standard caution.
I make "cabbage steak " delicious, cheap, easy to make
Thank you so much! That’s so kind 💜 Yeah the powdered milk is going great in the fridge, I’ll definitely always have some on hand beyond my year of rationing. I love cabbage steaks! X
Spam is a mixture of pork and ham. Usually cut in slices or cubes. Slices can be fried as is or covered in batter and fried.
Remember no freezers and mostly no fridges so canned meat was a way of preserving. My parents got their first fridge in the 1950s.
Camp coffee is great for cakes and bring back childhood memories. I remember us having National Dried Milk in a big tin. It was in a big white tin with blue writing.
The milk ration would do for me too! I drink tons! Re the powdered milk, make it up, then let it sit in the fridge overnight. Tastes far better if it sits and feels. You can keep dried milk, opened, for well over a month as long as it’s sealed well in between use
Thanks Annie! The milk powder has saved me countless times already 😅
Found after watching War Time Farm. LOVE this video!!!
Thank you so much!! 💜 I love Wartime farm! I watch each season once a year, love Ruth Goodman
What a fabulous, well edited, entertaining & interesting first channel video. Very enjoyable indeed. We look forward to watching your channel and cheering on your journey.
Subbed obvs. 😊
🥰 xx
Thank you so much!! That’s so kind of you, I really appreciate it 😊 Thank you also for subscribing! 🫶 I look forward to checking out your videos once I finish work this evening! x
I’m sad to hear that Australia are suffering, just like the UK and France
Garlic and onions - in traditional Italian cooking, you cook with one or the other. Never both. Maybe that’s why garlic is hardly mentioned as onions were preferred 🤷🏻♀️
I'm all about this content. Glad I found your channel
So glad I found your channel. I love your challenge and so enjoy your videos, style and personality.
Aw, thank you so much! That’s so kind. I’m so glad you’re enjoying them! 💜
Check out last years videos on Weight Loss on WW2 Rations. She is vegan and British. She had some very nice recipes on her video's. I learned a lot from watching her.
Oh I’m definitely a subscriber! Thats what inspired me to try this for a whole year 😊
Drink your tea black! I stopped milk 5 years ago. I love it now (took a week to really get used to it) Its tastes much nicer now. :) Lovely video, you've got the right personality and wit. Could you share your Mums Swede pickle recipe? Thanks for this. Love from Canada. Carolyn and Rebecca are great, my favourites.
Thanks so much for your kind words Ellen! I’ve definitely reduced the amount of milk I have in my tea now and I seem to managing to make my milk ration last the week which is great! Apologies, I think I mumbled a little in that part of video where I mentioned the pickles, they’re sweet* mustard pickles. I think she made them using cauliflower but I can definitely get the recipe for you 😊
If its the same as you'd use for beans and pickles, I may have it, if its different, then yes please. She'll know.@@thekitchenscrap
I had to come back to the start to see how you began. Another great video keeping me interested all the way. I'm almost encouraged to join in !! I'm interested to se what sort of recipes you'll be posting too.
Thanks Marion! 💜 I encourage everyone to give it a try, even if only for a week. It really does help to lower the grocery budget and the brilliant thing about trying this in the present day is that you can tailor it to suit your own needs / likes
you need to save your sugar up to make jam/preserves from fruit /veg you grow or collect from the wild & to bake your own cakes, scones & biscuits. My parents were both became teenagers during the war dad in the country & mum in the city - very different experiences!
I can only imagine how different their experiences would have been! Would have been incredibly difficult from every aspect for a multitude of reasons. They say people in the country had it easier food wise as they were able to forage, had more space to grow their own and barter with neighbours but I’ve also read many other accounts that state otherwise. So many unique experiences and untold stories. Bless them all 💜
Roast chicken was the most expensive Sunday dinner meat you could buy back in the day. But boiling fowl was more readily available. It is a chicken over 3 years old no longer considered to be laying enough eggs so it is slaughtered for meat. Being older and tougher it has to be slow cooked. Egg layers today are abut 18 months old when slaughtered but I had ex- farm chickens from a charity that saves them from slaughter when I did a month on WW2 rations for charity back in 2015. So I had 6 good egg layers in my own back garden and didn't have to worry about the egg ration. This was about the average number of hens people kept in their own back gardens in the war time era so I was still ok and authentic to war time eating by using my own eggs during that month. The only difference was my hens lived out their natural lives as pets and the war time hens would have been killed and eaten and replaced because that extra off ration meat would have been something you wanted to have from your back garden chickens.
Doesn’t it strike anybody else? Strange that all of a sudden since the pandemic there’s a housing shortage, but the birth rate has been going down for years.
If you don't have an air tight container you can stick the bag in to a ziplock freezer bag and stick in the freezer just take out what you need . I you and air tight container had no problems with it in cool dry place.
Awesome, thanks John 😊
I use it to bake or in cream sauce when cooking @@thekitchenscrap
@@jonncatron7381 I’d never used it before until I started rationing, it’s a god send! Very helpful when baking
I only use it to bake , cookand in coffee. I don't drink milk. good luck and welcome to the group. @@thekitchenscrap
Fantastic Jake..we’ll done..can’t wait to see next one.
Thanks so much! X
You've made a great start Jake 👍🏻 Honey wasn't rationed but it's price was controlled and it could be hard to get your hands on depending where you lived, Country livers were much more likely to find it than townies, city folk rarely saw it! Garlic was barely ever eaten, even in curry's it was just 'curry powder' which was nothing like the mix of tasty curry spices we know today, pretty vile stuff to be honest and most Brits complained if someone did eat garlic. I think the nearest thing that would have been used was wild garlic or garlic chives and the chives were not strong at all.
There was a vegetarian diet and I understand that they got extra cheese, but you would have to research that, but I see no harm in utilising modern items, I know that they would have been used if they had been around.
Good luck, I thick you might fund the first 2/3 months you may, like a dieter get some really bad rumbly tums, but I'm sure that happened too, oh and as for Oranges, my Mum never saw 1 from the start of the war in '39 to leaving the UK in '48, but occasionally she knew pregnant women did get bottled orange syrup with vit C added... Sorry lol!
Oh yes, Homemade jam... when James was made people were allowed a little extra sugar... I'm not sure how much, check, but you could also buy homemade jams, if you saw them, I imagine it was rare'ish as you'd keep most of it for yourself, but I don't think 1 pot for the year would harm. Chicory coffee is vile, yes you can still buy Camp Coffee now, but people actually learned to love it abd so there are still some old people that still buy the stuff now and maybe their offspring now as well¿
Thanks Jeanette! Oh wow, that’s a long time to go without seeing an orange!! That’s pretty much on par with most things I’ve been reading though. I’ve only seen one wartime recipe that calls for an orange so far so, like garlic etc, I simply won’t be using them this year 😩 I do miss my honey though!!
@thekitchenscrap there were children that had never had a banana until after the war. I imagine it was similar with the oranges
Amazing, that's an awesome challenge to undertake. You're so right about the concerning cost of living and levels of waste globally, its the same here in Scotland. Wishing you all the best with your challenge
Thank you so much! Yeah I think at this stage, it’s safe to say the ‘system’ is utterly broken world wide. Here’s hoping things improve quickly in the near future somehow!
Looking forward to seeing what you create through this and ideas.
Thanks Margaret! 💜 It’s been an interesting (and challenging) journey so far. Lots more to come!
Another recommendation from Liz at Loving life on less. I also love watching Carolyn as well. Really enjoyed this video and will continue to watch your journey with great interest 🙂
Thank you so much! Carolyn is awesome 😎 So glad you’ll be coming along on this journey! X
Great video jake, thanks!! Gaz Oakley on youtube makes some great vegan meat however probably not ration friendly!! I nade his turkey and stuffing one year, actually very tasty!! There's even one for 'bacon' . Tastes good, takes some while and again probably not ration friendly... but maybe worth a look for inspiration. I wish hou sll the best with this journey, I'm trying it myself but struggling as I've a house full, and I mean full of food!! And no will power not to stop and get a take away en route home from work!! I will continue to try though.. I've got to get healthier this year, and lose a bit of weight...
Thanks Ellie! I will definitely check him out. Oooo you’re living on rations too! Yeah the cross over was tricky because I still had so much left in my fridge / pantry that simply wouldn’t have been around back then but, it’s a good exercise in making do with what we have, eking out our favourite items and trying to stick to the basics while shopping. Easier said than done! 😉 2 weeks in, I’m actually surprised at how much I have left over in terms of tea/sugar/fats - was not expecting to have any!!
As to storage of that whole milk powder. The secret it keeping it away from oxygen. Keep it in an opaque container with a air tight lid and toss in an oxygen absorber. I got my oxygen absorbers here in the US from Amazon. The whole milk tastes so much better than the non fat milk version I was forced to drink as a child.
In briton they had a beef stock in a jar. Chicken meat was rare because it was for eggs. Unless you raised your own.
Hi Jake, I haven’t been through your full catalogue yet so apologies if this has already been asked and answered. I was wondering whether you and your Mum would be interested in doing an episode - or mini series even - on making preserves?
It was available only in AMERICA.
Not available in Europe, it was also in asia.
We had our own coconut trees.
Hawaii, flordia, southern states California ect. You could get it in the north very expensive. Not rationed. Grand told me. Living in indiana.
Love your views and attitudes!
Thanks so much Margaret! 💜
Great video, best of luck with the challenge. A quick mention about the rationing, it was a SHOULD get not always a COULD get. What you are doing is spot on, what have I got? What can I get? And what can I do with it?
Thank you! You’re absolutely right, I’ve since read that often was the case that basic rationed items were never guaranteed and unfortunately, people had to go without for extended periods of time. Not to mention the price of everything was heavily inflated. Almost two months in now and I can see how people could stockpile leftover tea/sugar & fat rations etc to trade.
Now this is fascinating! I am thrilled to follow along….🎉❤
Thank you so much! Welcome! I’m so happy you will be coming along for the ride 💜
Forgot to say, rationing carried on for a while after the war, mum had kept my baby ration card, we found it when emptying their house last year. Buy pulses/ dried beans by the way you can make really healthy meals using them.
Very interesting. I'm in USA Louisiana
Thank you! Hello from Melbourne 👋💜
Hi from the UK. New subscriber! Interested to see how you get on with this. Would be interesting to know about any weight loss or gain too during your journey of rationing.
Thank you so much! And welcome! So I weighed myself just after Christmas (probably the worst time 😂) just a few days before I started rationing. My plan is to weigh myself again every 3 months and create a quarterly summary video detailing savings / struggles / weight fluctuations etc.
In the meantime, I’ve definitely lost some weight after 2 months of rationing and while this was never my goal - it’s a bonus!
@@thekitchenscrap lol you do t look like you needed to. I'm just Interested in how the rations affect the body physically and I guess mentally too. I am enjoying your humour and the effects you've added.
@@kat_ie_9984 Thank you! I’m so glad you’re enjoying it 😊 There are definitely some struggles here and there - mostly when I’m busy / tired and haven’t prepared anything in advance so the desire to break free and order 10 pizzas and burgers with chips is hard to overcome! So it’s been interesting in the that regard, mapping the psychological triggers*
@@thekitchenscrap yeah it is a lot mentally adjusting to new ways. Well it is for me anyway. I am trying to eat healthy at the moment, I feel your pain wanting to order pizza lol
@@kat_ie_9984 Pizza is life! I resorted to making my own once I found a great dough recipe and found I could make 3 times as much for the same price as getting one delivered (which is fantastic but dangerous!)
Looking forward to watching your experiment from Georgia, USA.
Thank you so much! And welcome! Lovely to have you here 💜
Try adding a pinch or two of baking powder (bi-carb powder) in your boiling water to make your tea leaves make a stronger brew which can allow you to use less tea.
Interesting! I’ve not heard of this before, thanks for the tip!
VERY interesting and informative, I'm looking forward to your next video!
Thank you! The next video should be out in a couple of days 😊
Looking forward to following your journey.
Thank you so much! It’s lovely to have you here 💜
I love your little edits..
Thank you! X
This is absolutely fascinating. With the corn meal/flour, I wonder if it was not on the point system, because they could grow their own veggies. Corn can be dried then milled into flour.
Powdered milk can go into the refrigerator, more so since you are single. A family of four would go through it quicker.
New subscriber. Looking forward to learning about the Australian journey back in history
Thank you so much for joining me on this adventure! 💜 I think you’re probably onto something there with the corn flour. I still have a substantial amount of milk powder left nearly two months in! Refrigerating it has worked a charm and I must say, it’s saved my bacon many times throughout when cooking / baking. I’m converted though, I think I will always have some on hand beyond this year of rationing. Thanks again for subscribing! X
@@thekitchenscrap The more we learn and share, the more enhanced our lives become. Enjoy!!
So excited to see you what recipes you try!
Thanks Loisy! I am too haha
Great vid Jake, gunna be good to follow your journey.
KEEP BAG IN A SEALED CONTAINER LIKE TUPPERWARE. KEEP IN FREEZER. IT WILL LAST A YEAR. ( i divide mine when i open the bag.into quart measured amounts)
I just found your channel and subscribed 5 mins in 😂 So looking forward to watching you through the upcoming year,!
Thank you so much!! That’s awesome, so happy you’ve jumped aboard The Kitchen Scrap express! Thank you for the support! 💜🚂
Thank you algorithm for bringing me to your channel!
Aww thank you! And welcome! So lovely to share this journey with you 💜
Came here from Loving life on less😊 Looking forward to watching your videos. Greetings from DK👋🏻😊
Thanks so much! And welcome, it’s lovely to have you here! 😊
Store the powdered milk in the freezer in an airtight container and just remove a weeks worth at a time which I would store in the fridge.
I love the background music 💖💖
I can't wait to see how you do! Bit of advice, I found I severely underestimated my caloric needs at first; I had to eat way more spuds than I thought just to keep my weight steady, especially if your rationbook is for a singleton.
In the words of my dearly departed Grandparents, 'you can't pry my freezer, ice box, and A/C away with a crowbar!' If they had it, they would have used it so to the naysayers I say 😝.
Have fun!
Thanks Brittany! Wise words of wisdom from your grandparents, which I echo. Ah yes - potatoes. I don’t think I’ve eaten this many potatoes in my life and it’s only been 2 weeks haha. I’ve never been a ‘breakfast’ guy but I make sure to have a decent lunch then for dinner - a soup starter, large main and pudding or some kind. Really enjoying it so far although I will admit there have been some cravings for some modern convenience foods/snacks that I used to enjoy. We will soldier on though 💪
Have you ever read any of the comics from that era I believe you can read them online. I can recommend Fawcett comics and blazing comics . And the fighting yank and black terror comics and a series from dynamite comics called project super powers
G'day mate! Great challenge! All the best!
G’day! Thanks so much 💜 I look forward to checking out your channel when I finish work 😊
You could easily make cheese with your milk allotment. It’s a delicious soft white cheese and quite easy to do.
I’ve always wanted to try that! 2 months in now and I’ve actually found I’m ok with the cheese ration, I frequently go weeks without and kind of save it for dishes I really want to use it for (mainly baked beans and cheese on toast once a month haha). I’m not really using my eggs or ‘meat ration’ either. Milk is surprisingly the one thing I am still struggling with as I typically drink a lot of it
Great video Jake and very entertaining as well as interesting 👍 😊
Thank you so much! 💜
not only was this super interesting & informative but i laughed a lot & i also love pickles *insert pickle emoji*
Hahaha thank you! Pickles = life
Hello from Canada! You and Carolyn are both fantastic, and given again the state of the world and the economy, never mind my income, I'm eyeing up the possibility of giving this a go myself, adapted a bit to Canadian local and seasonal vegan products. I don't eat honey or refined sugar, though, so.... maple syrup it is!
You're a delight to watch and listen to.
Thank you so much for your lovely comment! 💜 Definitely let me know if you decide to give rationing a go. The brilliance of it is that you can adapt it according to your own tastes and dietary requirements and hopefully save a lot of money in the process 😊 I’ve certainly saved a lot myself these past few months
@@thekitchenscrap I tried your red cabbage and apple casserole last night with a bit of crumbled vegan sausage. Only difference I made was to add a squeeze of orange juice from an orange I had on the go, and a tbsp of fennel seed that had been sitting forlornly in my cupboard for weeks. I made a single arepa from some PAN harina I had as well, and together, it was all absolutely fantastic!
@@Dom-B-71 adding the orange juice and fennel is a great idea, I might try that one day myself!