The Mysteries of History (April 27 Edition)
Sugar Rationing
1942 — Sugar Is Rationed During World War 2
public domain image on left from wikimedia commons; image on right generated using Bing Image Creator
The first item to be rationed in the U.S. during World War 2 was sugar. It wasn’t a severe cutback for the average person or household, though: each American, kids included, was allowed to purchase up to 26 pounds of sugar per year (one half pound for each person each day).
Ration books were issued with tear-out coupons that could be used (along with payment) to prove you hadn’t overdone it.
Among other things that ended up being rationed were meat, fish, coffee, butter, margarine, lard, and tires. Most of the rationing ended in 1945, the year the war ended, but sugar rationing continued until 1947.
Questions: How much sugar do you use per day? Could people trade or sell their ration slips? Was there a “black market” in sugar? Why did sugar remain rationed longer than other items?
Read about “The Secret Lives of Kids” here.
