Great comment! My sister does something a bit unique. 2. Our local fruit and vegetable store has bagged produce for $1. Ingredients: 1 1/4 cups sifted cake flour 1 1/4 tsps. Heres the deal, most of us are struggling to feed our families. I dont have to purchase that product again until it goes on sale. It is appreciated. Roll out and cut into similarly-sized shapes. it tastes awesome with some spices (especially turmeric) and a little salt (sea salt, pink salt) and maybe a few veggies and chicken meat scraps, noodles or rice. Just what it sounds like. We are trying to use our leftovers before they have to be thrown out. They foraged. Give these recipes from . My dad was born in 1918 and my mom in 1927, when I was a kid they ate tomato sandwiches, homemade bread, bread torn and put in a glass then added milk. 55. I thought all those simple meals and sandwiches with just onions or tomatoes was something my family did just because. Mashups were a common way to use up whatever you had on hand during the Depression, and the Garbage Plate is another example. Hi Diana, isnt it wonderful how we remember what our parents did to save money? 7. Serving fresh bread and pickles with meals used to be very common. Check out some of the seventh day Adventist meals. During the Great Depression, people used everything they had to make a cheap and filling meal, such as the Hoover Stew. Prepared mashed potatoes are served with an egg-filled ham cup on top and drizzled with a Hollandaise sauce for extra richness. So I would include lots of fresh veggies and salads. We use turkey burger from Aldis instead of hamburger not much of a taste difference in our minds. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for any and all ideas. and Walmart accepts it. Pasta is always our cheap go-to meal. Nice sized ones. Bean soups were a staple of Depression Era recipes, as beans are a cheaper protein than meat, and you can toss whatever leftovers you have on hand into the pot. There is only 2 of us but we do buy flour bulk due to baking. What do you think? Canned fish is pretty cheap. Hi Linda, I totally agree. 54. can be a challenge. My wife and I continue to enjoy this dish today . 73. The other is learning what ingredients can be frozen so you can minimize waste (my niece learned tons just looking through our freezer). Also, I do one month worth of grocery shopping at a time. 5. I decided that as I get my Social Security check once a month, Id shop only once a month (excluding fresh veggies and fruit). 34 Recipes That Got Us Through the Great Depression. I work for a big feed and grain company and get screening free so I raise a couple or 3 hogs a year for nothing. Lentil patties (lentils cooked until tender, mash up with seasoning and onion, shape and fry or bake. From being enjoyed as a glass on its own, to making soups, biscuits, and pancakes, buttermilk has remained a staple in American cuisine for its merit and versatility. 24. I take advantage of the Meijer, buy 10 get the 11th one free offers PASTA!!! 1 large yellow onion, chopped. However!!! Make EVERY meal count. The the great depression food facts is a question that I am able to answer. My Grandmothers died when I was 15 and the other at 16 so I never got to ask them about the depression. 63. Coarsely chopped cauliflower and sweet onions add a chunkiness to this sauce that feels nearly reminiscent of a bolognese. She shops at Walmart and they price match any advertised price. He has several books (Seitan and Beyond is my favorite) but a good sampling of his recipes are available free on his site. Its filling, cheap and kids love it. We ate our share of lettuce sandwiches with miracle whip. Serving fresh bread and pickles with meals used to be very common. One thing I recommend, if it is affordable, is to buy a small freezer. A nice piece of cornbread on the side. Linda, Wow! Another favorite is a piece of toast, fried egg on top and hot milk poured on top. 1 cup water. Hot dogs and baked beans - staple at scout camp. 85. Now the key to getting the most for your money is to look for deals at auction or someone selling of whole flocks or cull from herds of smaller livestock. I did a little the other day. Brown hamburger, onion, and oats together, then drain, add tomatoes with the juice, BBQ sauce, tomato paste, rice, enough water for the rice to cook and cook until the rice is done. And honestly, I use turkey bacon because its cheaper! We had 3 very large gardens last year so I canned & froze everything I could. Great comment, Linda. 15. I was raised very poor with parents born in the 1920s. It saves a lot of money when Im not buying prepackaged food. Enjoyed your article. Slowly add the cornmeal mixture to the boiling water, stirring to avoid lumps. 3 tbsp of corn starch. I have printed it off and Im highlighting those that I know my family will like. We make it once a month in a huge stock pot. 45. Many of your meat recipes I have turned into meatless versions and we enjoy them! It is a complete meal and easy cleanup. We rarely ever had kids come spend the night with us because they all knew that we were very poor. We lived off of home grown fruits and vegs with some meats from farming family. Saving for us has more to do with how we shop than how we cook. For instance, I have to eat a particular brand of bread for a health problem I have. Hamburger, mixed with oats, onion, tomatoes, rice, small can tomatoes paste, an equal amount of BBQ sauce. , This is great if youre not buying from Zaycon Foods. It made sandwiches for my husbands lunch all week, then I made broth and turned that into noodle soup. When we lost our food budget for two months, I turned to boil a whole chicken and shred the meat to use in many meals. Just ideas like I feed my family rice and beans to save money. Some are wild others we raise ourselves or purchase from local farms or auctions. I love it! It helps me to repurpose my leftovers into other meals. I add wheat berries (homemade) to my spaghetti sauce and then cut the meat in 1/2 and no one notices. Great Depression Casserole Recipe; 7. Butter. Hope this helps! Next week Ill bake cookies. 19. I keep a well-stocked pantry of dry and canned goods. Cooking with potatoes, pasta, grains,and beans. Down in Louisiana, there is a Creole version of the dish. I grew up eating a lot of these same Depression Era meals & I feel like they are comfort food. When the bag is full, veggies soup! I make my own spaghetti sauce with canned tomato sauce and crushed tomatoes and seasonings. To understand how citizens survived The Great Depression, you need to understand their resources. Today I went to Sams with a friend & picked up some good deals on meat. 3 hours ago. Fast and easy meals are expensive and sometimes not as healthy. I usually only buy pot roast when its marked down and vacuum seal it and freeze it for later. 13. You can stock and it will take a little time. We also shop Aldis, just be careful and know your prices at other stores. Im also learning something, thanks. Also, I do one month worth of grocery shopping at a time. Food Storage Matters-We Must Be Self-Reliant. I learned a lot from both my mama and gram about frugal living and wish they were still around to thank them. Linda, cold,snowy day ,minus 1. Shape and fry up). Then serve a small salad about a cups worth. From budget-friendly meat dishes to vegetable soups and stews, these dishes are comfort food that your family will enjoy. I make sure no one goes to bed hungry! Cornbread/Johnny Cakes. Head cheese was another nutritious food made with . Processing meat is really not that hard to do. We actually ate a lot of beans when I was a kid because they were cheap. Put them on a baking sheet and add unpeeled garlic cloves. What varied between households and over time was the quantity and quality of each of those courses, especially . Lasts a long time and feeds many. We ate most of 1 tonight, the leftovers & the some of the other Steak will be made into beef stroganoff tomorrow, the rest will be frozen (in broth) for later use. During the Great Depression, people got creative with crafting meals out of inexpensive and available ingredients. Said it tasted like eggs so they ate it. This included all the steaks and roasts. Canned meat wasn't available for many people living in rural areas. If I buy the name brand its a dollar more than the store brand and even less at WalMart. 1930's Potato Soup and Biscuits from Everyday Foodie. I know, and prices just keep going up. Drinking. Or frozen tubes of ground turkey/beef. Waste nothing. EatingWell - Danielle DeAngelis 8h. We are all trying to feed our families on a shoestring. Made stew over rice. One . T. You can add a glaze on top, but this cake is divine on its own. They do meatless recipes. I buy large cuts of pork from Cash N Carry for less than $1.50 a pound, take it home and grind it myself. 39. Linda, I laughed when I read your list of things you ate growing up. "Anything" Loaves. So before she goes grocery shopping, she spends about 20 minutes online and writes down advertised sale prices on items she needs. 1.7 Great Depression Foods - Dandelion Salad. When you cook meats you often find fat at the bottom of the ban. Echoing events of 2020, the Depression caused widespread unemployment and food shortages of meat, milk, and other pantry staples.Cooks during the unprecedented economic downturn learned eating simple meals without waste could stretch their dollar. Its normally $3.57 per loaf. My friend made it yesterday, Im making it for dinner tonight! Split pea soup and lentil soups are all super cheap. https://chefmarkanthony.com/menu-category/burgers/ has many meatless recipes that are healthy and good tasting. Oxtail: Its the bone of the tail and very tender meat. Its really good, especially with a little shredded cheese thrown in! Grace Mannon Updated: Feb. 21, 2023. Ox-tail soup during the Depression was a simple fare with basic components you simply chop up the tail of an ox or cow, leaving the bone attached. Image and recipe from Taste of Home. I think the best way to save is to make more to spend less. 76. Ive even made sausage by mixing ground rabbit and pork trimmings which I get from a local butcher for little to nothing price. I remember my mom making salmon cakes. I try to make from scratch all our snack foods like crackers, granola bars, granola, fruit leather(when I find a great deal on fruit), bagels, bread, yogurt, etc. . Stretches the noodles and the eggs. We dont eat a lot of meat we eat 3 eggs a day, we have our own chickens. I was just talking to my cousin about this today. When we have leftover veggies of any kind, if it is not enough for another meal, I freeze them, then add to a bag of other frozen veggies. 08 of 12. I have got to go check out that website on meatless recipes! Not only saves me money, but also gas money for my car. Great ideas! The best ones went for dehydrating and the rest for apple sauce. Serve with a side of cornbread. I would like to see someone (who has the time) to create recipes that are seasonal so that I am not constantly going to the store to find ingredients to make X, right now we should be eating squash, potatoes, dried beans, etc. If you save in all the other ways, then if you have to purchase meat or whatever at the store, you have the money to do it. Shoppers may want to study the price matching policy or even print it out before shopping. Shutterstock. Then we would pour Karo syrup over them in order to h. ave something sweet. Ive got a family of 5 ranging from a 17 down to 6 and two working adults. 6. Now lets save some money! 74-year-old Army veteran told me that when he was growing up in the Carolinas they were dirt poor, so his mother in the morning would mix flour into the eggs to make enough to go around. 65. We also add beans or lentils to taco meat, eat lentil soup (lately with brown rice thrown in to make a complete protein), and rely on popcorn and bananas for snacks also lots of carrots! She made them before she was 2!! 32. Weeding and bug picking were my first jobs. Soup can always make a little meat go a long way. I didnt realize others did the same thing and they came from the depression. Also, if I dont see any marked down meat, I go to the meat counter and ask if they have any marked-down meat or yesterdays grind hamburger. 57. We raised hogs for meat. You throw away a lot of food in peels! Fish patties (salmon or tuna, bread crumbs, lemon juice, mustard, onion, egg. Dont you just love memories, this one? Add rest of milk and water and cook for 5 more minutes. I buy a sack of potatoes and stretch it to make meals, etc. However!!! From Scratch Noodles from Delishably. And today was spent gathering groceries and supplies for my waterline expansion. 2 cups of boiling milk. I agree, no waste, just freeze it! Add salt, pepper, and sugar to taste. Carb heavy foods need to be balanced with proteins or greens and for some of us, they should be consumed less than the other foods. In 1937, when the United States was in the throes of the Great Depression, Kraft Foods launched the iconic Mac and Cheese. This recipe combines macaroni salad, home fries, baked beans, and sausage or ground beef and is topped with chili, onions, mustard, and hot sauce or ketchup. You can have a cup of soup, or soup for a group quickly. Eat a lot of casseroles because it doesnt require as much meat. Can top with cheese. With just about every meal being made from scratch many cooks still relied on and used herbs to season their food. Venison stew with garden frozen veggies. I enjoy reading all your posts and the great remarks everyone makes in the comments. My mom told me her mother-in-law showed her how to make this dish, which became popular during the Depression, on their "get acquainted" visit in 1927. 13. However, they had still had access to meats most of us would now consider offal. My sisters and I would let the flour tortillas sit out and get hard. Our goal at Food Storage Moms is to help one family at a time.. Learn to love what you grow. Old-World Puff Pancake. I learned how to cook from scratch with what I had. "This is because they're rich in omega-3s . 33. I did more casseroles and found a cream of chicken substitute I had all the ingredients for. 62. I can almost see her saying she loves her ham-maise sandwich! Because I needed to! This collection of 20 depression-era recipes is a tasty idea that you can still use today. We have a garden and I now dry and powder a lot of greens to add to smoothies made with my frozen discounted yogurt. If you have the time and want to really make your family feel special you could make a little jello and top it off with a small teaspoon of cool whip. Save this grease for cooking later. Ive got a family of 5 ranging from a 17 down to 6 and two working adults. I try to make from scratch all our snack foods like crackers, granola bars, granola, fruit leather(when I find a great deal on fruit), bagels, bread, yogurt, etc. Anytime were making something with ground meat in it, I substitute half the meat with TVP (online ). Menu Plan: Great Depression Recipes. So many ways to make ends meet without being deprived of a good filling meal. If you chose to use beans in this recipe, then you can add a can of beans on top of the carrots. Served at Franklin Delano Roosevelt's White House, this dessert is not overly sweet. I make chicken soup, tacos, and rice with it. We are hunters. I am working on a post to get 4 meals from a roasted chicken: dinner with potatoes, then make broth for soup, sandwiches or wraps for school lunches, and I usually have some leftover to do tacos, enchiladas, or chicken pasta. Pinterest is AWESOME for helping with recipes! Also, lots of peels or ends of veggies can be frozen until you have enough to make a veggie stock with them. Bread making and canning were normal activities. One of my great-grandmothers absolutely loved pickled tongue. I cook some chicken. 43. Yummy soups are always good because they are so filling, homemade tomato with saltines. Thanks for being prepared for the unexpected. Cheap Ground Beef Ideas. Hot Cocoa. The idea is how to fill everyone up and save money on the most expensive part meat which we all need more veggies and less meat anyway. I work in Wyoming once in a while where there arent many and I can find them for $3 /lb. We also had a milk cow for milk, buttermilk, and fresh butter that we churned for hours, but was the best tasting butter I have ever eaten. Its amazing how much can be saved by shopping the sales and freezing items. My mom took this in her school lunch every day and liked it then her classmates started juggling for the option to trade their sandwich for hers each lunch. 8. If you have a garden going salad is basically free- lettuce, spinach, cucumbers, peppers, tomatoes. Once its smooth and thoroughly mixed, add the milk and keep on whisking, until smooth. Isnt it awesome that we can make recipes our grandparents used to make? So tonight I made 2 round steaks for dinner. Hi! Ive learned how to cook. It stays good for months. Mom was awesome is all I can say. Simple baked potatoes with butter and salt and pepper are filling and cheap. Jane Ziegelman and Andy Coe, authors of A Square Meal, discuss food trends of the time. Heres the unique thing she Googled for names of ALL the grocery stores in her area, even very tiny or ethnic ones. I know, and prices just keep going up. 1 16 oz jar sauerkraut ( do not drain), 2 large shredded potatoes,1 shredded onion then she made a brown gravy to use in it it is thick good the first day better the second as the flavors blend you may have to add beef or pork broth to keep it from scorching or sticking to your pan or crock-pot ( I use 2 packets of brown gravy mix as I cannot make a decent gravy to save my soul just mix it as per instructions and pour into the pot) I always add the extra broth to mine. Chile over baked potatoes is a favorite and the meat isnt missed. Carrots are the same. Worn fabric was woven into a rug or turned into cleaning rags, tires became garden . (Privacy Policy) *. 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With it, tires became garden greens to add to smoothies made with my frozen discounted yogurt got with. Add to smoothies made with my frozen discounted yogurt, this dessert is not overly sweet goes on sale cheap... A well-stocked pantry of dry and powder a lot of beans on top I never to! Prices on items she needs 1937, when the United States was cheap meals from the great depression the comments mixture.