I have been watching all of the farm series (check out Wartime Farm here), and can’t help but wonder if we will go back to rationing, or a similar system. For reference I do not live in the UK, but the US, where rationing was implemented during the war as well. In current times, where we live, we saw once-stocked shelves go bare for weeks…in all departments. We also saw in increase in food costs, among others. There was a rumor that rationing would be implemented as the country braced for a food shortage.

In gathering opinions, many people don’t believe that we will ever see food scarcity. That it is a thing of the past, and I hope they’re right. Many of us, myself included, have not lived in a time where we knew what it was like to have to ration. Instead, we order delivery or get what we want as long as it’s available. We are so fortunate and need to remember that. We also need to stay grounded and realistic.

During times when people have had to ration, it was also advised to limit food waste as much as possible. Kearney (2016) wrote an article about wartime rationing, and mentioned that careful meal-planning had to be done well in advance due to the fluctuation in food availability. Today, with things being available in multiple shop types (i.e. online, in-store, etc.), and people being used to their current way of life, it can be hard to think that we may have to go back to more difficult times. Now, if you are one of the people who stockpiled at the beginning of the pandemic, this first bit most likely won’t apply to you. Even if rationing isn’t implemented again, those of us who do not have a surplus may need to stretch what we have. We may need to find other recipes to repurpose last night’s dishes. As with using up the plastic you have until the end of its life is important, so is making sure you get the most out of your food. No matter your situation you should do your best to avoid food waste.

Will things revert back or be as bad as they are in times of war? I sincerely hope not. What could happen, as we are seeing, is high unemployment, food shortages, the stopping of imported goods, and other facets due to this pandemic. Life will go back to whatever the new normal will be, but for many of us, life will never be the same. It has brought out the best in some and the worst in others. Make the best of the situation you’re in. We don’t know when this time is going pass, but it will. You will be able to give your first-hand account to historians after the pandemic is over, if you choose to, so future generations can (hopefully) learn from this.

Peace & Love, always!

References

Kearney, C. (2016). A taste of wartime rationing in 1940s product cookbooks. Retrieved from https://americanhistory.si.edu/blog/taste-wartime-rationing-1940s-product-cookbooks