You made me cry. You really did. You are beautiful. Thank you. Taking time from your day to offer support on my blog post this morning truly touched me. Your support always does but for some reason that really hit me this afternoon when I needed it. Your positive comments mean the world.
I’ve had a busy day. I visited my parents and then cleaned the house downstairs including yesterday’s washing up STILL in the sink! I also cleaned the gas hob, did the laundry, cleaned the bathroom, and then chatted with a visitor. I also gave JoJo (our remaining Guinea Pig) some love and attention before sitting down with my journal to write down this week,s menu.
Of course, during wartime Britain, after I had written my menu I would have set off early on Monday morning, with my ration book and basket, joining a queue at my local shop to pick up my rations and hope that I’d be able to get the dried or canned goods on points that I needed for my weeks planned menu. Time travel again forward to 2024, and, after writing my menu, I can simply pick up my mobile phone and place my ASDA shopping order and almost be guaranteed to get what I want and delivered, without queueing, the very next day. Quite honestly the modern way of shopping is a Godsend when you work full-time so as much as I like the thought of popping out for a stroll with my shopping basket and a gossip with Mrs. Bridges at number 24, Asda online saves me so much time.
What am I eating this week and what did I buy on points?
I have plenty of staples in my cupboard such as porridge oats and bread. I also still have lots of pulses but nevertheless used some of my points to order 1 lbs of yellow split peas (2 points), 1 lb of haricot beans (2 points) plus two cans of baked beans (4 points). We are currently on 16 points per month at the moment so I’m going to set aside my other 8 points to use at a later date. I tend to buy a lot of dried pulses as they are great for protein and fibre and are low in points.
Here is my menu for the week…
What is the current state of my food cupboard?
Would you believe it I am still on my 8 oz of sugar from week 1 of rationing! I have bought sugar each and every week though as I am stockpiling it to make preserves (see below). I am planning to make some jam and applesauce! Currently I have a good supply of dried foods such as beans and pulses and dried fruit which should last me months. It helped that I already had quite a bit in my larder before rationing began. The things I find a challenge are milk, tea and cheese. I don’t take my egg ration as I don’t eat them but if I did I am sure that would be a challenge too!
Free download coming this week
I have this wonderful pamphlet with lots of pages and information about preserving and canning published in the 1940s by the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries. This one is the Growmore Bulletin No. 3 and I really hope you enjoy it so please check back as I will post it later this week! For now I thought you might like to see the first few pages!
Much love and thank you once again, C xxxxx
Love this .and all your blogs . X
I am so please to hear you have perked up a bit. We don’t like to hear you so down and know that you can achieve your weight loss as well as feel healthier on the ration. You are an inspiration and to be honest, have saved me money! My doctor said that the ration diet is the best way of eating as it is basic, natural foods and with no preservatives or massive amounts of fat! Plus I feel part of a 1940s community!
I cant wait for a download of the preserve leaflet. I have been saving my jars (firstly to use for your wartime picalili but also jam).I am hoping I could use sweetner in the jam instead..or at least half and half. I’m struggling with eggs..they are my favorite thing!
Keep smiling, keep positive and remember we are all here!! 🥰
💜💜💜
Excellent! So happy to see your smiling.keeping busy with a sense of accomplishment also helps pull you out of the dulldrums. Great job on the house cleaning-that’s tomorrow for me. Canada has a holiday!
I’ve just finished prepping the ingredients for your parsnip pie 2nd time around loved it so much!
Homemade apple sauce for desert!
Chin up keep calm and carry on!
What a lot you have done today! Your menu looks almost ridiculously healthy – hahaha! We’re so hot this summer, we haven’t used much in the way of rations as we are too hot to eat anything other than salads and cold potatoes or rice. Luckily, we have our hens so we have boiled eggs as well. We only eat two meals a day as well as no one is hungry until lunchtime. I find if I eat in the morning, it gets my metabolism going and then I can’t stop eating all day. If I wait, I eat less and feel less stuffed. I’m surprised a dietician has not suggested breaking your overnight fast later in the day.
Just a thought… if you remove pith from lemons and use the rind boiled down it produces pectin type substance which is great for a soft jam x keep strong Caroline xx
Your menu sounds delicious Carolyn and you are definitely nice and organised ! I will be having porridge for breakfast Monday to Friday at work and an ‘Oslo’ style meal for my lunches. Dinner tomorrow night is bubble and squeak…I need to figure out the rest of the weeks evening meals yet. You will have a great week Carolyn I’m sure of it ! X
Absolutely loved the carrot pie!! I have two pounds of green split peas in the larder. Other than soup what shall I do? Again a donation from the city food distribution.
are you going to put this book on line
According to the info Carolyn posted above, yes, a .pdf scan will be made available later in the week.
Just a quick thought first thing in the morning as I’m staggering around scratching and looking for the coffee…
Seeing those rows of jars, reminds me that as the weather warms up, home grown tomatoes are starting to ripen, and what better way to use the surplus than to preserve them for the winter months.
A pinch of that excess sugar could be used for home-made sauces that will brighten up any ration-based recipe when there’s frost on the ground in six months time.
A home-made tomato sauce (or ketchup as they call it in the US) tweaked to your own taste buds is a glorious thing, trust me! 🙂
Enjoy seeing your meal plans
Thanks, sometimes I change things around depending on how hungry I am! C xxx
Reading this belatedly, I actually have one of the easiwork pressure cookers in the leaflet shown although I haven’t been brave enough to try it yet! I also have the easiwork cabinet, complete and have a copy of the recipe book that goes with it