News from the Ministry of Food.............. December 1946 Making the most of the FAT RATION

An occasional look at the advice issued by the Ministry of Food in the years directly after the last world war.

Britain continued to ration food and so it made sense for the Government to offer a free advice service on how to plan, prepare and cook meals. 

Here are over the next few days are a selection of the advice issued by the Food Free Advice Service of the Ministry of Food. It is dated December 1946 and gave advice on how best to use rationed food in the run up to Christmas.

Here were suggestions for Butter Extenders which involved adding a tablespoon of flour, some salt and ½ a pint of milk to either 6oz of margarine of butter and mixing to a paste which was then heated in a saucepan with 2oz of melted butter till it was smooth and thick and then left to cool.

It also advised that "roasting potatoes round the joint uses more fat than if the potatoes are cooked separately." 

One method was to slice the potatoes and place them in a greased tin "and they will brown without added fat" 

Or cook thinly sliced potatoes in a "roasting tin with water and salt. There should be enough room for them to lie comfortably without touching and there should be enough water to half fill the roasting tin. Put the tin into a hot oven and bake for one and ½ hours. The water evaporates and leaves shiny golden balls with floury insides."

Picture; from a leaflet issued by the Ministry of Food, December 1946 in the collection of Vince Piggott