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
Cost
Ration Points
Cost
Ration Points
Meal 2  Lunch
Food
Meal 3  Dinner
Food
Grocery Food and Ration Key
Food
Apples
Applesauce
Bacon
Bisquick (Pancake Mix)
Bread
Butter
Cake Mix
Cereal (all kinds)
Cheese
Coffee
Coke (Soda)
Cookies
Corn
Crackers
Eggs
Flour
Green Beans
Ground Beef
Jelly
Lettuce
Lunch Meat
Margarine
Mayonnaise
Milk
Noodles
Orange Juice
Pasta Sauce
Peanut Butter
Pork Chops
Potatoes
Rice
Sausage
Shrimp
Soup
Spinach
Steak
Strawberries
Sugar
Syrup
Tomato Juice
Tuna
Cost
33 cents for 2 lbs
20 cents per jar
35 cents a lb
37 cents a box
10 cents a loaf
22 cents a lb
18 cents a box
14 cents a box
35 cents a lb
24 cents a lb
5 cents a bottle
22 cents a box
13 cents a can
19 cents a box
35 cents per dozen
66 cents for 10 lbs
13 cents a can
27 cents a lb
24 cents a jar
25 cents per bundle
33 cents a lb
17 cents a jar
20 cents a jar
20 cents a gallon
5 cents a box
19 cents a can
20 cents a jar
25 cents a jar
30 cents a lb
39 cents for 10 lbs
10 cents a lb
35 cents a lb
53 cents a lb
9 cents a can
15 cents a can
40 cents a lb
28 cents a lb
31 cents for 5 lbs
23 cents a jar
10 cents a can
24 cents a can
Ration Points
20 pts
8 pts
10 pts
18 pts
0 pts
20 pts
18 pts
7 pts
12 pts
42 pts
10 pts
22 pts
18 pts
5 pts
0 pts
18 pts
18 pts
0 pts
40 pts
15 pts
0 pts
2 pts
0 pts
8 pts
18 pts
0 pts
20 pts
9 pts
8 pts
0 pts
3 pts
0 pts
12 pts
10 pts
18 pts
13 pts
0 pts
80 pts
80 pts
20 pts
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?
2. Could you have survived at home in America during World War II on rationing?
Why or Why not?
3. What items would be the most difficult to give up as a result of the limitations of
rationing?
4. What are some creative, yet legal, ways you could have more food and make it
last longer?
5. What foods had 0 ration points? Why was this?
6. 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.