Overnight the economy shifted to war production with everyday goods taking a backseat to the necessary military items. Hence, nationwide rationing began. Prices were frozen on basic goods, such as sugar and coffee. War ration books were distributed to each American family with a specific amount of stamps per book for things to be purchased. These items included, but were not limited to, sugar, milk, gasoline, silk, nylons, and meat. The Sears Roebuck catalog from 1943 also contained a list of all rationed farm equipment, the reasons and the benefits of the rationing, and who would be eligible to make purchases. There was also a wartime cookbook with revised recipes to help American families deal with the food shortages.
There were different types of rationing that took existed at the time, including: Uniform coupon rationing, which provided equal shares of a single item to all, such as sugar. Point rationing which provided equal shares of an item by coupons issued for points that could be used for any combination of items in the group, such as processed foods, cheeses, meat or fats. Differential coupons which provided single shares of a product according to varying needs, such as gasoline, fuel and oil. There was also Certificate rationing which required a completed application proving your need for such products as stoves, typewriters, tires and cars.
Ration coins allowed retailers to give back change that was due the consumer for purchases made with ration stamps.
Original Ration Items I Own..
Newspaper Ad of Rationing Information- Retrieved from:
Newspaper Ad with Ration Calendar- Retrieved from:
Works Cited:
"Rationing on the US Homefront during WW II." Ames Historical Society Website. Web. .
"War Ration Clippings | Rationing Information." Genealogy Today: Family Tree History, Ancestry, Free Lookups. Web. .