World War II on the Home Front

“Rationing, Recycling, and Conserving Activity”

Part 1: Rationing Activity

Directions: The year is 1943. The United States has been involved in World War II for going on two years

now. You are living in Ohio and doing your part to help the war effort at home. Your job is to

plan your meals for today (3 meals) for your family (family of 4). You are allowed to spend

$2.00 and use 48 ration points. Use the chart below to develop a grocery list for 3 meals.

Meal 1  Breakfast

Food / Cost / Ration Points

Meal 2  Lunch

Food / Cost / Ration Points

Meal 3Dinner

Food / Cost / Ration Points

Grocery Food and Ration Key

Food / Cost / Ration Points
Apples / 33 cents for 2 lbs / 20 pts
Applesauce / 20 cents per jar / 8 pts
Bacon / 35 cents a lb / 10 pts
Bisquick (Pancake Mix) / 37 cents a box / 18 pts
Bread / 10 cents a loaf / 0 pts
Butter / 22 cents a lb / 20 pts
Cake Mix / 18 cents a box / 18 pts
Cereal (all kinds) / 14 cents a box / 7 pts
Cheese / 35 cents a lb / 12 pts
Coffee / 24 cents a lb / 42 pts
Coke (Soda) / 5 cents a bottle / 10 pts
Cookies / 22 cents a box / 22 pts
Corn / 13 cents a can / 18 pts
Crackers / 19 cents a box / 5 pts
Eggs / 35 cents per dozen / 0 pts
Flour / 66 cents for 10 lbs / 18 pts
Green Beans / 13 cents a can / 18 pts
Ground Beef / 27 cents a lb / 0 pts
Jelly / 24 cents a jar / 40 pts
Lettuce / 25 cents per bundle / 15 pts
Lunch Meat / 33 cents a lb / 0 pts
Margarine / 17 cents a jar / 2 pts
Mayonnaise / 20 cents a jar / 0 pts
Milk / 20 cents a gallon / 8 pts
Noodles / 5 cents a box / 18 pts
Orange Juice / 19 cents a can / 0 pts
Pasta Sauce / 20 cents a jar / 20 pts
Peanut Butter / 25 cents a jar / 9 pts
Pork Chops / 30 cents a lb / 8 pts
Potatoes / 39 cents for 10 lbs / 0 pts
Rice / 10 cents a lb / 3 pts
Sausage / 35 cents a lb / 0 pts
Shrimp / 53 cents a lb / 12 pts
Soup / 9 cents a can / 10 pts
Spinach / 15 cents a can / 18 pts
Steak / 40 cents a lb / 13 pts
Strawberries / 28 cents a lb / 0 pts
Sugar / 31 cents for 5 lbs / 80 pts
Syrup / 23 cents a jar / 80 pts
Tomato Juice / 10 cents a can / 20 pts
Tuna / 24 cents a can / 6 pts

Part 2: Reflection

Directions: Answer the following questions as a follow-up to the Rationing Activity above.

  1. How did families plan meals with a limited budget and the limitations of rationing?
  1. Could you have survived at home in America during World War II on rationing? Why or Why not?
  1. What items would be the most difficult to give up as a result of the limitations of rationing?
  1. What are some creative, yet legal, ways you could have more food and make it last longer?
  1. What foods had 0 ration points? Why was this?
  1. What foods had high ration points? Why was this?

Part 3: Scenario Activity

Background: American citizens living on the home front during World War II had to make many sacrifices

to aid the war effort. Everyday items were rationed. Many popular consumer goods were no

longer available because the materials (metals, aluminum, steel, etc.) were needed for the war

effort overseas. People were asked to recycle (aluminum cans, items made of metal, etc.) to

do their part. These recycled pieces could be reused to help the war effort overseas.

Directions: Imagine you are living in the United States during World War II (1942-1945). Read each of the

following scenarios and:

  • Explain why you are facing each situation
  • Explain what you would do about each one.

Scenarios:

Scenario # 1: You are 12 years old and it’s your birthday. You have asked you parents for a

bicycle so you can join your friends who already have bicycles in biking around your

neighborhood. When you open your gifts to your surprise, you do not get a bicycle.

-Why are you facing this situation?

-What would you do in this situation?

Scenario # 2: You get ration coupons for two pounds per month of canned fruits and fresh

vegetables. You have a family of seven (dad, mom, and five children).

-Why are you facing this situation?

-What would you do in this situation?

Scenario # 3: You live in a local suburb and work downtown. You and your family only get a

ration of three gallons of gasoline a week. Normally it takes twelve gallons of

gasoline per week to get to work and back.

-Why are you facing this situation?

-What would you do in this situation?

*EXTRA CREDIT OPTION: Locate and print a World War II propaganda poster to support your solution

to the scenarios above.