Tastes ever so good as leftovers too. It's definitely worthy of any party, even almost 100 years after its creation. baking powder 1/2 tsp. Then we would pour Karo syrup over them in order to h. ave something sweet. These were featured in cookbooks and magazines of the time and promoted the use of cheap foods, often consisting of filling items like soups, noodles, and beans. I learned a lot from both my mama and gram about frugal living and wish they were still around to thank them. 71. and come up with a coupon for an item or % discount. 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 dont know how she came to make them, they had never been served to her. 26. Navy Bean Soup. My sister does something a bit unique. And as mentioned by many, learning to use everything up along with proper storage and preserving methods helps. Just ideas like I feed my family rice and beans to save money. Corned beef luncheon salad was made by combining a can of corned beef, a can of corn, and a can of peas. Here is a recipe from Cheap Cooking. Ida's Depression Goulash - Goulash is one of those foods that you can make a big pot and feed a LOT. I try to save money by throwing in some meatless meals during the week, like potato soup or minestrone. 34 Recipes That Got Us Through the Great Depression. A hand full of mixed veggies from the freezer and some seasoning along with some onion and a small part of the meat is good, or you can add noodles or barley. 40. Hormel). When I buy meat, I buy it only on sale, and I buy enough for several meals and then freeze either portions or leftovers. Bread making and canning were normal activities. 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. Im really hoping to teach the world to stop going to drive-throughs and fast food places and cook from scratch. Then, slowly whisk in 1 cups of milk until the mixture begins to thicken and boil. Etc. So many ways to make ends meet without being deprived of a good filling meal. 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. Okay, lets see I do peel some veggies, but I use those peels to make my broth taste better (ie broth is made of carcass and onion skins and potato skins and carrot skins, etc, giving it a HUGE nutritional punch). I buy a sack of potatoes and stretch it to make meals, etc. In 1937, when the United States was in the throes of the Great Depression, Kraft Foods launched the iconic Mac and Cheese. I still fix this today as a special treat. Because I needed to! A small potato or other starch and a generous veggie portion. I have bought a half gallon of OJ there for 50 cents and a FLAT of strawberries with nothing wrong with them for 2$ (0.25 a quart). Which THEN gets turned into Chicken Pot Pie w/ homemade pie crust! Im diabetic, so I cant fill up my meals with lots of rice or pasta. Even so, we eat a lot of beans and rice, goulash, and stuff that dont require a lot of meat. Then I dont go back to the store and get caught in oh this is a good deal. 16. We had a large family of 10 people, so each meal had to be extremely cheap, and go a long way. Hi! Another favorite is a piece of toast, fried egg on top and hot milk poured on top. Back then they could get it free or for .10. I try to save money by throwing in some meatless meals during the week, like potato soup or minestrone. Top ramen omelet. This year, I canned (in mason jars) 61-pint size jars of deer meat, about 40 jars of pork (wild hogs) and a few jars of chicken broth. 76. Mixing them then cooking means it all tastes like hamburger. We bought a commercial quality food sealer and use it daily to seal up leftovers, both for freezing and just for in the fridge, to cut down on waste (and its REALLY worked well). Taco meat over rice. So before she goes grocery shopping, she spends about 20 minutes online and writes down advertised sale prices on items she needs. Also, buy meat on sale, we bought 4 turkey s at Thanksgiving. Also, I do one month worth of grocery shopping at a time. We buy meat in bulk, so most of my purchases are for perishables only. Its normally $3.57 per loaf. Ok. THEN, leftover chicken gets turned into a chicken and rice soup! Hi Diana, isnt it wonderful how we remember what our parents did to save money? Put them on a baking sheet and add unpeeled garlic cloves. Loved reading how others save money on food. The noon meal was usually a sandwich with salad or some soup. So even if times are tough, these foods are usually not expensive and good for us. I pay $25 in feed a month, which gives us on average 250 eggs a month. Down in Louisiana, there is a Creole version of the dish. 15. Ham Hocks & Beans - Not just a great Southern recipe but one that you can make on the cheap. Potato soup - water base, not milk - yes - dehydrated potato flakes and vegetables of any sort. 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. A typical hot cocoa beverage from the depression era looked like this: 2 tbsp of cocoa. Corn tortillas fried for corn chips. We have one thing grandma never had thought, a slow cooker. Also eat a lot of beans, rice, eggs, and pasta. Meatballs (ground meat, bread crumbs, egg, ground up veggies, leftover cheerios or other low sugar cereal I use 1 part meat, 1 part bread type stuff, 1 part vegetables. She finds amazing deals at some of these different stores. You can add oatmeal to hamburger meat, then cook it. Freeze for later use fry up when needed. Beet greens. Popcorn, Corn tortillas fried for corn chips. Trust us, this easy chicken casserole recipe is so easy to make - just cook, layer, bake, and you're done! Baked Onions and Peanut Butter. 6. I buy whole chickens and turkeys and cut them up myself, then freeze or can them. They are so darn cute at that age! Use lentils or split peas when making hamburger dishes like spaghetti. As each item rings up shell tell the checker the adjusted price, the checker keys it in, no big deal, takes hardly any extra time in line. Its quite a bit cheaper. It helps me to repurpose my leftovers into other meals. I make chicken soup, tacos, and rice with it. 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. Find people that have Sunday newspapers that dont use their coupons. 10. 45. We ate our share of lettuce sandwiches with miracle whip. A side salad and some saltines. Walmart sells a package of 5 for $4 and they are really good! This included all my paper goods, so it doesnt represent food only. 27. The only thing you need are apples, sugar, cinnamon, and some butter. I know a chest freezer is harder to organize and dig through, but if youre really trying to save money, the stand-up freezer is a major money waster. They usually added whatever they had on hand: olive oil, hard-boiled eggs, cooked white beans, bacon bits, bacon grease, lemon juice, vinegar, salt, and pepper. Cheap Ground Beef Ideas. I would advise anyone to buy an upright freezer and shop in bulk or even better contact a local farmer. Also had rabbits to eat. Linda. Its all about saving money, right? red wine vinegar. Heres the deal, most of us are struggling to feed our families. Grandma created a great meal with these beet tops. We stretch stretch stretch!! Her mother hated mayonnaise & it grossed her out! Make EVERY meal count. EatingWell - Danielle DeAngelis 8h. Food Storage Moms, LLC is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Dandelion salad - served in high end eateries today. , This is great if youre not buying from Zaycon Foods. I still make a lot of beans because they are high in fiber and protein and depending on how you make them, low in fat. When I find a good one I buy a case or two of that item. A recipe for Baking Powder Biscuits, as noted in Rita Van Amber's Stories and Recipes of the Great Depression of the 1930s, Vol. Our grandmothers knew how to stretch their food budget while feeding the family well. White Bean and Ham Soup was a staple in many households during the Great Depression because it allowed meat to be stretched far and leftovers to be used up. I love eating at home. Porridge for breakfast oats go a long way! Not only saves me money, but also gas money for my car. Get the Recipe! My wife and I continue to enjoy this dish today . Times were tough in the 1930s and people had to be creative with the few ingredients they could find and afford. shape, BOIL. 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. Another Depression-era meal was "creamed chip beef," according to . I learned how to cook from scratch with what I had. At that time, cooks measured ingredients in pinches, dashes and dibs. This meal costs less than $3 for four servings. I am too. First of all, I am going to share some meals my husband and I grew up on and some we still eat today. Lets share ideas with each other. I buy the dry beans and cook 2 lbs at a time in the slow cooker. Place on an ungreased baking sheet. Processing meat is really not that hard to do. May 5, 2022. There was only one "R" out of "reduce, reuse, and recycle" during the Depression, when anything you had in your possession could be pressed into duty for a completely different purpose at any time. Linda, Wow! Fried egg sandwich. Some of the things people ate during the Great Depression are things we shun now. I felt my health was the very best when I ate only vegetables. Serve with a side of cornbread. I take advantage of the Meijerbuy 10 get the 11th one free offers PASTA!!! Canned meat wasn't available for many people living in rural areas. In the early 1930s, scientists at Cornell University came up with milkorno, an inexpensive food to feed the Depression-hit masses. 31. Now, this is a roast chicken you make from scratch, not the store-bought pre-cooked ones (which tend to be small). Add cheese, apple, hard boiled egg for a more filling salad. We also CAN our own garden that we grow! Free meals. Great comment! Here in the south, we have to deal with hurricanes which will result in a loss of electricity which means loss of all refrigerated and freezer foods. Now lets save some money! We always served this with warm corn bread. Linda. 13. Tomato sandwiches (I never knew this was a depression meal), Biscuits and gravy (sometimes we had sausage in it), Pancakes rolled with butter and sugar inside, Norwegian lefse-my recipe is at the bottom. Then I freeze several containers for later meals. Linda, Hi Tiffany, thank you! I work in Wyoming once in a while where there arent many and I can find them for $3 /lb. 5. That saves a lot, and it never hurts to ask! These Depression-era recipes are proof that food from the 1930s is worth revisiting. She shops at Walmart and they price match any advertised price. Hi Geni, oh my gosh, I love your comment! I never pay full price, I dont care if I stand there for 10 minutes with the line piling up, I am determined to find a coupon that works. Linda. Depression-Era Hot Milk Cake. https://chefmarkanthony.com/menu-category/burgers/ has many meatless recipes that are healthy and good tasting. Hot dogs and baked beans - staple at scout camp. Still pricey but so much better. Meatballs (ground meat, bread crumbs, egg, ground up veggies, leftover cheerios or other low sugar cereal I use 1 part meat, 1 part bread type stuff, 1 part vegetables. Pour the tomato sauce over to give the rice enough moisture to cook. Pinch of salt. If you brown the butter, it changes the taste of the white sauce. Mini pies (masa/corn flour mixed with water or broth, pushed into muffin tins, filled with whatever leftovers and some cheese work well). I never pay full price, I dont care if I stand there for 10 minutes with the line piling up, I am determined to find a coupon that works. Sunday's special cookies and a cup of coffee for the adults were among the most popular weekend breakfasts. Life is good, stay well my friend! Start with tomatoes, cucumbers, potatoes, radishes, carrots and green onions. 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. You can make a white sauce with water (to save on milk), once you have a white sauce you can add any seasonings to add flavor and then add something lik. I enjoy reading all your posts and the great remarks everyone makes in the comments. The one thing I will tell people who want to start growing their own garden is to start small and grow what your family likes to eat. The best ones went for dehydrating and the rest for apple sauce. Slowly sprinkle in cornmeal, constantly stirring so it does not get lumpy. 14. I roasted a turkey breast. Even squirrels and rabbits were consumed .The people of the Depression Era were struggling to buy food, so foraging was a good way to help put food into their family's mouths. I was really skimpy on the meat, but Ive always liked that ratio better. Good memories. can be a challenge. Toast with mayo, sliced onion, pepper, and fried egg over medium. Coarsely chopped cauliflower and sweet onions add a chunkiness to this sauce that feels nearly reminiscent of a bolognese. You can control the salt and other ingredients when you make your own. Back in the Great Depression, you would often find this pie made with a crushed cracker crust. We eat what we want most of the time because we shop strategically. We have a 50 by 50-foot garden and plant what we can and then can it, the beginning costs may be high but you reuse most of it for years. h ground meat in it, I substitute half the meat with TVP (online ). This meal was a popular menu item at soup kitchens in the US and was named after President Hoover, the 31st American President who sat in office during the early years of the Depression. Photo courtesy of A Modern Homestead. lemon juice 5 Tbsps. She could get hot dogs and slice them up and add garlic, tomato sauce,and water and make the most awesome casserole ever. I ALWAYS go first to the managers specials at the grocery store. eccentricculinary.substack.com. 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. 7. I also make sure to add beans to taco meat to stretch it. At times even spices were sometimes hard to come by during the Depression, most cooks usually kept some cinnamon on hand for baking. Now, cover everything with a layer of sliced potatoes. Instead of ordering out for pizza I make my own pizza dough (making 2 doughs and freezing the 2nd for later), make my own pizza sauce and taco sauce. Too many are used to fast and easy. Thanks for being prepared for the unexpected. What do you think? Home made soups, pot pies, casseroules, fresh oven breads and pasteries, fermented foods like yogurt and kraut, pickles and relishes, canning. Talk about a stretch! Great Depression Meals-How To Eat For Less Money. Today I went to Sams with a friend & picked up some good deals on meat. A fun and cheap meal are diced potatoes topped with onions, garlic, bacon bits, and cheese! Its quite a bit cheaper. Chicken leg quarters are a good way to have meat at a reasonable price. This included all the steaks and roasts. Then serve a small salad about a cups worth. So if you live in an area that that is possible & have a few like-minded families, sit down & work out the details. Salivating. 16. 85. My sweeties standby recipe he calls goulash just elbow macaroni, seasoned hamburger, onion, and tomatoes. Well see how this all works out. I was really skimpy o. n the meat, but Ive always liked that ratio better. 93 year old cook and great grandmother, Clara, recounts her childhood during the Great Depression as she prepares meals from the era. 70. 39. 08 of 12. Companies give away free things like deodorant. 2 tbsp of cold water. This means that I have gluten-free flours and supplies on hand to make bread, pancakes and other cheap basics to eat. Saving for us has more to do with how we shop than how we cook. Baked bean sandwich. Frankly, I never was able to eat those- the spam and bologna and homemade bread sure but the rest have never appealed to me. Old, injured or male birds are dinner. Also cook oatmeal, cream of wheat and if I get chicken I shred it to make it last. If youre really splurging, fried potatoes and onions. 66. Hi JMarsh, you had a rough life growing up as I did. Such a reminder of my childhood, and my present conditions as well. Reuse, Reuse, Reuse. Served at Franklin Delano Roosevelt's White House, this dessert is not overly sweet. We buy food at a scratch and dent store. I am afraid that for most people this will be hard to adjust to. She saves a fortune this way! Robyn: Red beans and rice. Serving fresh bread and pickles with meals used to be very common. 32. 1 lbs of dry pinto beans. I know, and prices just keep going up. Because I needed to! Theres a lot of Hispanic people in my area do the price for oxtail is outrageous. We just started doing fruit smoothies for afternoon snacksazurestandard.com. Add in mash potatoes. Add your frozen mixed veggies and some bean for protein and you have a big pot of soup for $3-4. However!!! A side salad and some saltines. Another favorite is a piece of toast, fried egg on top and hot milk poured on top. Fish patties (salmon or tuna, bread crumbs, lemon juice, mustard, onion, egg. 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