Packed Lunches for a Whole Week, from 1943.

I have some simple, useful advice for you today, to help with one of the tedious chores of the week – what to put in the packed lunches for the family. The suggestions may appear a little un-exciting at first glance, but they are from a very challenging time, food-wise, and are testament to human ingenuity, I think. From the British Wartime Ministry of Food’s Food Facts leaflet number 160, produced in July 1943, may I share the following ideas with you?

Packed Lunches for a Whole Week.

Six suggestions for a packed meal that are tasty, nourishing, and full of variety.

Are you stumped to know what to put in the packed lunches your family take off to work? It is a problem.

You don’t want to give them the same old thing every day – and it’s not good for them, either. People do best on variety, and they need a balance of body-building and energy-giving good, including plenty of protective food, especially greenstuff.

Follow these suggestions. They’ll take a load off your mind for a whole week, and they’ll make sure the lunches you put up contain proper nourishment.

MONDAY.

Sandwiches filled with a mixture of cold mashed potato, grated cheese, chutney, and chopped fresh parsley.

Lettuce

Jam turnover.

TUESDAY

Turnover filled with mixture of chopped cooked beans, melted cheese, and chopped parsley; tomato

Raw cabbage salad in a screw-top jar

Chocolate Pin Wheels.

WEDNESDAY

Potato scones filled with scrambled dried eggs, cooked mixed vegetables, and chopped parsley

Watercress

Prune dumplings

THURSDAY

Rissoles made with cooked meat, cooked beans, and mashed potato

Raw spinach and lettuce

Fruit turnovers

FRIDAY

Soup

Sandwiches filled with scrambled dried eggs, mashed potato, and chopped fried bacon

Radishes or tomatoes

Lettuce

SATURDAY

Turnover filled with sausage meat, cooked dried peas, herbs, chopped parsley, and chopped leek or onion

Raw cabbage salad in a screw-top jar

Oatmeal scones and jam

The leaflet added that “Recipes for any of the above may be had from the Ministry of Food, Portman Square, London, W1.” I have, however, been unable to find a recipe for the Chocolate Pin Wheels given in the Tuesday menu. Instead, I give you the instructions for using dried egg to make an omelette, from a Food Facts leaflet of July 1942 – it might be a good alternative to the scrambled dried egg sandwich filling.

Spanish Omelette

Time: Preparation 15 minutes. Cooking 10 minutes. Ingredients: 2 eggs (2 level tablespoons of dried egg mixed with 4 tablespoonfuls of water), 8 oz. shredded mixed vegetables, 1 ½ oz. margarine or dripping, 2 tablespoonfuls water,  a pinch of salt and pepper, a little chopped spring onion or parsley. Quantity: 2 helpings. Method: Beat the eggs. Heat the fat in a frying pan and fry the vegetables and spring onion until tender. Add the eggs, water, and seasoning, stir until the eggs are set, form into a roll, and serve immediately.