<human>:  When did the US government begin rationing food in the book ‘Food in World War I’?
<bot>: Rationing of food in the United States began in 1917, when the US entered the war. Before the war, the US had a fairly large food surplus, and the government did not have to impose rationing. However, after the war, the US had a huge food deficit. The government decided to impose rationing on a variety of food items, including meat, sugar, butter, and eggs. The government was concerned that people would go hungry if they couldn’t afford food. The government imposed rationing to ensure that everyone had enough to eat.