From 1941 to 1945, while the U.S. was involved in World War II, Americans experienced shortages of raw materials and consumer goods. To avert a potential economic crisis, the U.S. government instituted a rationing system. The government distributed impressive propaganda materials to garner compliance with the rationing and to bolster patriotism.
Sometimes I grow nostalgic and romanticize the “good old days.” The lifestyle changes necessitated by rationing demonstrate that the good old days weren’t always that great! Every era has opportunities and challenges. Some of these are unique to a given era, but many are surprisingly commonplace. In fact, there are many lessons we can learn from the conservation methods promoted during rationing.
The lessons
- You can decrease how many groceries you need to purchase by growing your own vegetables.
From the United States Office of War Information. Accessed on the UNT Digital Library website: http://digital.library.unt.edu. - By taking some simple actions, you can make your home more energy efficient and save money.
From the United States Office of War Information. Accessed on the UNT Digital Library website: http://digital.library.unt.edu. - Walk instead of driving whenever you can. It’ll reduce your consumption of resources and save you money.
Created by Sarra, Valentino. Accessed on the UNT Digital Library website: http://digital.library.unt.edu. - You can make your clothes last longer by caring for them and learning some simple sewing skills.
From the United States Office of War Information. Accessed on the UNT Digital Library website: http://digital.library.unt.edu. - By avoiding waste, you can make scarce resources go further.
From the United States Office of War Information. Accessed on the UNT Digital Library website: http://digital.library.unt.edu. - Before you go shopping, remind yourself: “If you don’t need it, DON’T BUY IT.”
World War II War Ration Book No. 3. Accessed on the National World War II Museum website: http://www.nationalww2museumimages.org.
These images depict only a handful of the lessons learned by Americans. A few other examples are listed below.
- Recipes can be adapted so they require less sugar.
- Keeping a stock of essentials on hand can help your family be prepared for unexpected emergencies that lead to shortages.
- Casseroles can help small amounts of meat go further.
- Beans and lentils make great substitutes for meats.
Isn’t it amazing that these lessons are still so applicable to us today? What other lessons do you think we can learn from WWII rationing?
Shared on the following link-ups:
Whatever Goes Wednesday, Works for Me Wednesday, Living Proverbs 31, Thriving Thursday, Encourage One Another, Teach Me Tuesday & Titus Tuesday.
It’s been a long, long time since I’ve studied U.S. history, but I do believe there was also more emphasis during rationing on working together and helping your neighbors because everyone had to be on board for it to work. We can learn from this community focus and teamwork.
I did see some posters that encouraged everyone to work together. A little more community focus would be beneficial in many parts of our country!
I am ever amazed at the fact that we are in a “throw away society” . We wear clothes for a season, the quality is not there and somehow the next season they look faded and shabby. We use paper and plastic while we talk about going green. (I am talking about our society) We seem to throw away everything from out plates to our marriages. Thank you for the reminder of our forefathers and the sacrifices made for us in this generation. We do need to see and adhere to the example.
It’s interesting how the “throw away” mentality can apply to both material and non-material things.
I love this post! I’ve been deeply interesting in WWII since I was little – my grandfather used to share some of his war stories with me, and my nana would recount what it was like to be on the homefront in those days. What a generation!!
My eyes tear up at the thought that the whole country was behind a singular goal: victory. I think there are some very profound spiritual applications in that example. If only Christ and His glory were the only goal the church was pursuing with all its energies, resources, & time!
Thank you for sharing this!
I’m visiting from the Growing Home Link-Up 🙂
Hi Lisha,
We, the church, can definitely learn from this. Thanks for pointing it out!
What an education this must be to the younger generation. Most people don’t think this way anymore so I’m glad you are putting it all together . It is very encouraging and I trust the Lord has brought just the ones here to read this that He would like to hear it. Fun way to present it, too! Great job!!
Thanks, Jacqueline! I enjoyed putting the post together. There are so many things for us to learn from these principles .
What a great post! I love all things WWII and can get quite nostalgic about that period. These are great principles that we need to apply to our lives. It is important that we teach our children to do without and make do. It is such a counter-cultural thought process.
I found this book at our library and thought you might be interested in it as well. It is very interesting to see how they had to survive back then in the era of rationing.
http://www.amazon.com/Grandmas-Wartime-Kitchen-World-Cooked/dp/0312253230/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1375306498&sr=1-1&keywords=grandma%27s+wartime+kitchen
Thanks for sharing the book, Lora. It sounds like a great resource!
Love this post! Since we try to be good stewards of what we’ve been given, we already do a lot of these things. Check out the fire pit we just finished made out of repurposed materials at http://www.lisalewiskoster.com/2013/07/d-i-y-fire-pit.html
It’s lovely! Thanks for sharing.
I try to do all of this just to be mindful of the world we live in. but the best was the last one…if you don’t need it – don’t buy it. true.
Hi Pam,
The last one is one of my favorites, too!
I love this post… my grandmother was a Rosie the Riveter during WWII and she taught me so much. We moved from Arizona to Idaho a few years back and it has flip flopped what I am used to doing for gardening, so it has been quite a challenge to get ANYTHING out of my garden this year. I know I will figure it out, but it’s a little frustrating.
Luckily we live in a really small rural community, so we really do walk everywhere (except work, I have to drive to work, it’s over 60 miles away through the mountains!)
It sounds like you’re carrying on your grandmother’s industrious spirit, Elisabeth!
Nice post! Two other lessons from rationing:
Repair your appliances instead of replacing them. Many things made of metal were rationed during the war. I have a 1944 Sears catalog with a whole page of instructions about how to get permission to buy a typewriter!
Don’t wear sheer stockings all the time. Nylon was a newish material that stopped being available to consumers during the war; silk, the more common stocking fabric at the time, was needed for parachutes! My grandmothers told me about wearing leg makeup instead of stockings in summer and wearing cotton stockings in winter and finding that both were more comfortable.
Recycling is different from rationing, but it also was something people really got behind in World War II but then forgot. Metal and paper were meticulously collected for the war effort.
Great additions! I sure wish I knew more about repairing appliances.