Best Diet 1939-45?

[Zardnaar]

As the title says. In the war years with rationing what nation had the best diet?

I suspect USA but I'll see what others post.

NZs diet.

https://www.cooksinfo.com/new-zealand-wartime-food/

Cheese and milk were not rationed. Food rationing from 1942.

Suger, butter were per person. Oil wasn't used for cooking so lard (fat) got used for frying.

Rationing was generous by UK standards it seems, probably luxurious in continental Europe.

Unlike most countries the rationing was to increase surpluses vs dealing with shortages.

Movie from the time. We grew our own tobacco as well so you can have your 50 cigarettes a day!! More food for Britain.

Rationing lasted to 1950 as the Allies also had to feed western Europe in the aftermath of the war.

Due to a shortage of shipping early war years no real rationing of most things food related. Gas and thing like silk became hard to get.

Extra Suger was allowed for harvest time for preserves. Gardening then and now was popular.

Wartime diet in 2012.

http://i.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/kapiti/7938375/Family-favours-wartime-rations
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[Kyriakos]

Ever heard of Andrei Chikatilo, aka the Butcher of Rostov?
He probably was influenced by people eating other people during the war and famine.

 

[Valka D'Ur]

There's a Canadian TV show called "Back in Time". The idea is for a normal, modern family to spend time immersing themselves in how life was in past decades. A team of decorators redoes their house in the decor of each decade, including everything from paint/wallpaper to appliances to what food is available in the fridge. Everyone gets clothes from that period, and a schedule of daily chores and recreational activities.

The moms and daughters have the most to complain about, naturally, as they're expected to do the cooking, cleaning, laundry, etc. Some of the food they have to prepare and eat (without modern appliances) is either weird, disgusting, or both.

I seem to remember watching something about the war years, and of course the food in the house reflected rationing.

 

[Zardnaar]

Ever heard of Andrei Chikatilo, aka the Butcher of Rostov?
He probably was influenced by people eating other people during the war and famine.

Yes he made the news here in the 90's.

 

[Zardnaar]

There's a Canadian TV show called "Back in Time". The idea is for a normal, modern family to spend time immersing themselves in how life was in past decades. A team of decorators redoes their house in the decor of each decade, including everything from paint/wallpaper to appliances to what food is available in the fridge. Everyone gets clothes from that period, and a schedule of daily chores and recreational activities.

The moms and daughters have the most to complain about, naturally, as they're expected to do the cooking, cleaning, laundry, etc. Some of the food they have to prepare and eat (without modern appliances) is either weird, disgusting, or both.

I seem to remember watching something about the war years, and of course the food in the house reflected rationing.

Seen something similar with USA and wild west.

 

[Gori the Grey]

Worms

 

[Cutlass]

Some things in the US were rationed. But no one went hungry.

 

[gangleri2001]

Worldwide I think it is pretty hard to beat Argentina's food abundance and quality for the 1939-1945 period. Maybe some tropical country could come close to it thanks to being able to access to tropical crops that cannot be planted in Argentina's climate but when you look at the overall amount and quality of Argentina's output it soon becomes clear that Argentina was the indisputable powerhouse back then.

However if we restrict the scope to the war contenders only and we leave the neutral countries aside then I think that the average US citizen was in the best position of them all. None of the Axis Powers had access to an agriculturally rich area big enough and under control for time enough to really benefit from such a strategic advantage. The USSR's breadbasket also saw most of the fighting and was for a good period of time under the control of the enemy. The British Empire had a logistic nightmare due to having its agricultural output spread all around the globe and France was split between occupied France, Vichy France and Free France so it had pretty much the same problem as the British Empire but raised to the third power. And what about China? Yep, we better don't get to deep into their pathetic agricultural output and their internal division because we may end up with an headache.

The US on the other hand had one gargantuan area of mass food production right at home and away from the front lines for the entirety of the war and the whole logistic apparatus in charge of deploying the food to the front lines not only was centralized and well coordinated and lacked the internal divisions of their French and Chinese counterparts, but it also had a far easier and far more straightforward job than its British counterpart thanks to its geography, which at the end of the day not only benefited the food availability for the average soldier but also for the average civilian in the rearguard.

 

[Lexicus]

The USSR's breadbasket also saw most of the fighting and was for a good period of time under the control of the enemy.

and the Germans completely failed to exploit these agriculturally rich areas because of Nazism and corruption (but perhaps I repeat myself?)

 

[Zardnaar]

and the Germans completely failed to exploit these agriculturally rich areas because of Nazism and corruption (but perhaps I repeat myself?)

Logistics and lack of oil.

Germany had France which alone should be able to feed the Reich but.......

France petroleum use plummeted 90% in occupation. Agriculture needs tractors.

Next best option horses. Well the Germans took 500k of them as well.

And then the Germans had to feed Norway as well. So no matter how well the Germans ran things they were still screwed.

USA probably had the best, NZ had lots of butter and dairy available relative to everyone else. Fats became in short supply in most countries.

Australia would be interesting idk what thereir rationing was like and Canada would be the other obvious one.

Countries not in war had food issues due to lack of shipping and prices rising. Eg in Persia the locals got priced out as the troops there could pay more and they got more exporting.

Soviets probably had it the rough in 42/43 and famine in 45.

Germany would have starved in 45 as well even if not conquered. Lack of oil and nitrates going into the war effort. They used up there last reserves in that production blip in 44 (+extra slaves).

 

[Zardnaar]

Germans ate reasonably well to most of Europe, west are better than the east who ate better than the Soviets (except maybe Poland).

UK ate well relative to Germany. USA and NZ ate well relative to UK.

Black markets and grow your own was harder to estimate.