England, Health Records Family Nutrition - International Institute

Family Nutrition
In the mid-19th century the staple diet was bread and potatoes; fresh fruit and vegetables would only be available in season, and the protein portion was meagre. A typical list of weekly expenditures was given by Grindrod.

Chart: Typical Weekly Budget for Mid-18th Century Family with Several Children

Since there was no Old Age Pension until 1912, the elderly continued working as long as they could, and when incapable of working they went into the workhouse unless they had family or other support.

During the Second World War the population was probably better nourished than at any previous time because of public diet education and rationing of foods to the essentials. The latter continued for eight years after the end of the war, with more and more items coming off ration as the food supply got back to normal. My last ration book is shown below and indicates that the proteins (meats, eggs, cheese and bacon), fats and sugar were the last items to be rationed as they are on the only page used.

1953-54 British Ration Book

(From the personal collection of Dr. Penelope Christensen) ____________________________________________________________ &lt;br&gt;

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