Green’s Dictionary of Slang

(UK Und.) bread; thus food in general.

1835		Worcester Herald 26 Dec. 4/3: Rhotee, bread.
1885		L. Emanuel Jottings [...] of a Bengal ‘qui hye’ 188: The Baker is a Rootee-wallà.
1894		Daily News 8 Sept. 6/3: He does not trouble you to pass the bread or butter, but [...] to ‘chuck up the rooty,’ or ‘fat’ .
1900		Regiment 27 Jan. 288/1: Many of the terms used [in the Bitish Army] are derived from India [...] A loaf of bread is called ‘rooty’ and tea is known as ‘chuh’ .
1910		Derbys. Advertiser 2 Dec. 25/4: The Workhouse itself he calls the ‘lump,’ while the food he receives [is] ‘scran,’ ‘tommy,’ or ‘rooty’.
1918		L.N. Smith Lingo of No Man’s Land 69: ROOTE OR ROOTI [...] Every British Tommy uses the term ‘Roote’ for bread.