8 Strange Food Substitutes People Ate During World War II
During the years when ration books ruled the pantry, home cooks had to become masters of improvisation. Staples like meat, butter, sugar, and imported fruits were often scarce, and governments encouraged households to stretch what they had with thrifty substitutions, nutritional advice, and a touch of culinary ingenuity. Out of this scarcity came “mock” recipes that mimicked favorites, powdered ingredients that replaced the fresh versions, and foraged hedgerow harvests that filled in the gaps. These eight unusual substitutes, all rooted in the wartime years, reveal how creativity and necessity shaped the family dinner table.
1. Mock Banana from Parsnips and Essence
Bananas disappeared from Britain early in the war, so the Ministry of Food devised a clever replacement. Families boiled and mashed parsnips, mixed them with sugar, and added a few drops of banana essence to mimic the tropical fruit. The mixture was spread on bread or used in puddings, giving children a rare sweet treat when imports were impossible. Though the taste fooled few, it became a minor legend of wartime rationing and is remembered today as one of the most creative Ministry recipes.
2. Carrot Fudge and Sweet Carrot Treats
Carrots were promoted as a sweetener and vitamin-rich substitute when sugar was scarce. Wartime leaflets featured puddings, cakes, and candies that stretched limited rations, offering a sweet treat to those who could afford it. One of the most famous was carrot fudge, made by simmering grated carrot with margarine and sugar until thick, then setting it in trays to cut into squares. Families also baked carrot cakes or stirred carrots into steamed puddings. These carrot-based sweets satisfied cravings while reinforcing the Ministry of Food’s campaign to highlight nutrition and resourcefulness under rationing.
3. Dried Egg Powder Instead of Fresh Eggs
Eggs were strictly rationed, often limited to one per person per week. To make up the difference, households received tins of dried egg powder imported from the United States. One tin equaled a dozen eggs when mixed with water, and it kept well for months. Cooking demonstrations taught people to use it in omelettes, cakes, and scrambled dishes. Though the flavor was not identical to fresh eggs, dried eggs made wartime baking possible and became an essential pantry item until rationing ended in the 1950s.
4. National Dried Milk as a Milk Substitute
Fresh milk supplies were prioritized for children and expectant mothers, leaving little for the rest of the population. To bridge the gap, the Ministry of Food distributed National Dried Milk, a full-cream powder fortified with vitamin D, and Household Milk, a skimmed version for adults. Families could exchange a ration coupon for a tin each month, which replaced several pints of fresh milk. These products kept porridge creamy, tea milky, and babies nourished when dairy farms struggled to keep pace with wartime demands.
5. Rose Hip Syrup Instead of Oranges
With citrus fruits unavailable, the government encouraged families to gather wild rose hips as a natural source of vitamin C. Women’s Institute groups organized national collections, producing tons of rose hip syrup that could be bottled and distributed. Sweet and tangy, the syrup was spooned over porridge, mixed into drinks, or given to children to prevent deficiency. This campaign not only replaced lost imports but also mobilized communities to forage from hedgerows, turning a wild plant into an essential wartime health food.
6. Chicory and Grain “Coffee”
Real coffee became difficult to import due to submarine warfare, so substitutes filled the gap. Roasted chicory root, acorns, and barley were brewed into a dark, bitter liquid that resembled coffee. Sometimes the substitutes were blended with small amounts of real beans to stretch supplies further. Many found the flavor unappealing, but for those used to a morning cup, ersatz coffee provided comfort in hard times. It remained common across Europe, where shipping shortages and rationing made genuine coffee a rare luxury.
7. Woolton Pie
Meat was one of the most rationed foods, so cooks turned to Woolton pie, named after Lord Woolton, the Minister of Food. First published in The Times in 1941, the pie was filled with potatoes, carrots, parsnips, swedes, and oatmeal, all baked under a crust. It was designed to be hearty, nutritious, and flexible with whatever vegetables were available. Though opinions were divided, it became an emblem of wartime thrift and resourcefulness. For many, Woolton pie symbolized Britain’s determination to make do and carry on.
8. Canned Snoek
To provide affordable protein, the Ministry of Food imported huge amounts of canned snoek, a fish from South Africa. It was promoted in Ministry recipes and sold without ration coupons to encourage uptake. Recipes suggested it for fish cakes, stews, and sandwiches, but many Britons disliked its strong, oily taste. Despite the government’s efforts, snoek became a byword for unpopular wartime food. While some families adapted, others avoided it entirely, making snoek one of the most infamous substitutes of the rationing years.
