A DIET of ox cheek stew, nettle champ and baked beetroots may not sound appetising - but that's exactly what 1940s Britain had to live on during the rationing of the Second World War.

For younger Worcester News readers, a restricted diet is probably incomprehensible, with a wealth of food from all over the world readily available at our fingertips.

But the emergence and soaring popularity of fast foods has led to expanding waistlines and a growing obesity epidemic headache for health chiefs.

We may have won the war, but how do we battle the bulge? It's simple really, says one new recipe book on the market - go back to the days of rationing.

The Ration Diet Book is full to the brim with dishes that have a 21st Century twist on those created using the bare basics available in the Second World War.

"The wartime diet, combined with an active lifestyle, meant the British population enjoyed a dramatic improvement in their level of health and fitness, which was higher at the end of the war than at any time before or since," said a spokeswoman for the book.

"Using this as a model, more than 60 delicious recipes are collected in the book to enable families to enjoy the same health benefits as the wartime generation."

Some are taken from great cooks of the 1940s, such as Elizabeth Craig, but others have been created from scratch and include corned beef and chilli rosti, venison hot pot and lamb, aubergine and olive stir-fry.

"This book celebrates a great British achievement and shows how wartime ingenuity can transform your diet and lifestyle," concluded the spokeswoman.

Dirty dealings for extra meat

IT may have been 60 years ago, but Gladys and Stan Blackler can strongly recall the days of dried eggs, evaporated milk and Spam.

The couple, of Checketts Court, Barbourne, Worcester, became used to 'muddling through' to put a decent spread on the table.

"When you see rationing in programmes like Dad's Army, it was just like that," smiled 85-year-old Stan.

"Being restricted definitely made us healthier, but we certainly didn't go entirely without. There were ways of getting around some rationing.

"It was a great help if you knew a farmer or someone with a smallholding.

"They were allowed to keep a certain amount of meat for themselves but the Ministry of Food would keep a very close eye on them.

"They weren't supposed to keep more than one pig perhaps, but, of course, they did and if you had something you could exchange that for some bacon."

The couple married in June 1942, but buying a dress was impossible, says 81-year-old Gladys, who worked as a chemist dispenser and an assistant in a doctor's surgery.

"My sisters and I clubbed our coupons together to get the material and my mother made the dress," she said.

Just three months later, Stan, who was a policeman, was called up to serve and became a Royal Marine. He was posted on one of the first ships involved in D-Day.

"Being in the Royal Marines had its advantages," said Stan. "When you served onboard ship you'd get duty free tobacco that was almost given to us for nothing.

"Back home, tobacco was in short supply because it was imported, so I used to take it to the butcher to get more meat, from under the counter of course.

"We knew a chap who had a stack of tonic wine. He got the bottles and would soak the labels off and stick some others on and sell it as Harvey's Bristol Cream. No one seemed to catch on!"

When war finally came to an end, it was the start of a new era, says Gladys.

"When bananas first came in after the war it was wonderful," she said. "Children aged five or six had never seen one before and were fascinated by them."

l A magazine, published by the Worcester News and featuring a host of Second World War memories, is to go on sale at selected shops across the county in July to mark the 60th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day and Victory in Japan Day.

l For more of the latest recipes and reviews of Worcestershire's restaurants, take a look at the Unwind section in tomorrow's Worcester News.

RECIPE FROM THE RATION COOK BOOK:

Mustard and Tuna Tomatoes:

Serves Four:

Break up 210g (7oz) drained tuna in sunflower oil with a fork, add four tbsp fresh brown breadcrumbs, one tbsp each chopped basil and parsley and one tbsp olive oil. Spread a little Dijon mustard on to eight tomato halves and sprinkle with the breadcrumb mix, top with one tbsp grated Parmesan. Bake at 200C for seven to eight minutes. Serve with a mixed summer salad and a jacket potato.

Nutritional Value:

235 cals

19g protein

10g fat

2g saturated fat

18g carbohydrate

6g total sugars

2.5g fibre