06 April 2010

ministry of food

This weekend, G and I visited The Ministry of Food exhibition at the Imperial War Museum London, organized to mark the 70th anniversary of the introduction of food rationing in Britain:

While smaller than I was expecting, the exhibition was wonderfully presented, with a garden greenhouse (that I'd give nearly anything to have on our plot), a 1940s grocery (stocked with many brands still recognizable today), and a wartime kitchen (in which G immediately spotted his grandmother's old gas cooker).

It was interesting to see how many of the issues being addressed by the Ministry of Food then are still talking points today: growing our own produce, eating seasonally and locally, recycling and reducing waste, and maintaining healthy nutrition.

Hans Schleger ('Zero'), Eat Greens for Health--Feed Right to Feel Right, poster, 1939-45, Imperial War Museum Cat. No. IWM PST 3454

The old newsreel footage was fabulous, on its own worth the price of admission. And we're still giggling over this photo of children eating carrots on sticks:

But seeing as the alternative was ice cream made from wholemeal flour, I think I'd stick with carrots, too!

14 comments:

  1. What a fabulous exhibition! I'm very tempted to go myself. I'm really giggling over the carrots picture too - poor things!

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  2. Hahaha, those carrots wouldn't be quite so funny if it didn't look as if the poor things didn't look so delighted and engrossed in the carrots - don't they realise they've been duped?!

    I read in The Week that they're serving rations-style food at the cafe there during the exhibition, it sounded quite intriguing. Must check out the exhibition soon.

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  3. Rations-style food was on offer, but the sight of mushy peas and the smell of cabbage did not appeal to everyone!

    The films featured in exhibiton were a source laughter, particularly the information films from the Ministry of Food such as "Bottled or Canned, they are very much the same!".

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  4. And those are some BIG whonkin' carrots!

    Love the posters...

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  5. Was that poster for sale at the museum? I really like it!

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  6. I'm taking my eldest son to this and the Horrible Histories 'Trenches' exhibition on the 17th. Really looking forward to it - it should be a source of some interesting conversations on the way home!

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  7. What a neat exhibit. I have Jamie's Food Revolution book and there is that same carrot picture. Now if only our kids thought carrots were that much of a treat.
    theprairiegirl.com

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  8. Extreme envy over here! I'd so love to be able to just pop into the IWM for their exhibits. Love the carrots on a stick, I called R over to have a look.

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  9. Ooh I've heard about these carrots- weren't they a bit like toffee apples? This exhibition sounds fabulous - it's funny how so many current attitudes or at least ideals are mimicking wartime ones at the moment. I suppose it has been in response to both global warming and the recession, oh and Hugh FW.

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  10. I'm always so impressed with the things you and G get out and about to see. Wish I was a little nearer to see The Ministry of Food, looks so interesting.

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  11. I've been reading a lot about rationing and utility lately and am very eager to visit this exhibition.

    The carrots are funny!

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  12. Love the carrot picture too. Never seen anything like it before. Will try and see this exhibition next week.

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  13. "While smaller than I was expecting..."

    I think this is what many people thought about their rations!

    What on earth was done to those carrots to turn them into treats-on-a-stick? Paging Mr. Google...!

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  14. Hope you checked out our jam!

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