The rationing was done to insure vital goods to the military were available, during WW2.My grandparents got married in 1933, had three kids by 1939. They said you could get a 50# sack of hominy grits for a nickel, if you could get the nickel. Shortages started in 1929, and continued until about 1946. Seems to me the rationing started in 1941, but I could be wrong.