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American History

How Food Stamps Really Started

The Great Depression - Dairy
Customers were buying groceries in 1939. Russell Lee/inyourstate.
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23. The Colors On The Food Stamps Had Meaning

Orange and blue food stamps from 1939. History.

All food stamps had a price, such as “25 cent” written on them to show the cashier how much each stamp was worth. Each food stamp also had a color, either orange or blue, in 1939, that described the stamp’s purpose. 

Stamps that are blue in color were good for surplus food only, such as eggs, fruits, vegetables, and dairy products. These foods were usually found in stores. People didn’t need to worry about stores running out of surplus food. The orange color meant the purchaser could get any grocery item they wanted, except for liquor and items consumed at the location.

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