I learned a lot from both my mama and gram about frugal living and wish they were still around to thank them. Butter. 37. Back then they could get it free or for .10. We buy food at a scratch and dent store. Goulash: Jen L. suggested a pound of pasta, 1 pound of ground beef ( or ground meat of any kind), and a can of tomatoes or sauce. The total cost, for four servings, is $2.36. We also shop Aldis, just be careful and know your prices at other stores. 3 tbsp of corn starch. This is a tip I got from someone else-at Halloween. This is the question I posted on Facebook to my readers:I need some help here if you are willing to share some ideas. Kool-Aid was cheap, simple to make, and easy to store. The the great depression food facts is a question that I am able to answer. Beef and rice: From Laurie C. - Ground hamburger, mix in beef Rice a Roni, and add a can of corn. 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 like chipped beef, chopped leftover bacon from breakfast, canned chicken, leftover roast or just the sauce over rice. I think the best way to save is to make more to spend less. We had 3 very large gardens last year so I canned & froze everything I could. How can families feed themselves? 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. My mom had to be inventive to feed all five of us. My sisters and I would let the flour tortillas sit out and get hard. The Great Depression caused many hardships, but the cuisine that came from it proves how resilient people can truly be. Serving fresh bread and pickles with meals used to be very common. Its all about saving money. families on a shoestring. Mix to form a batter. Try this soup on a rainy day for some comfort food. When I find a good one I buy a case or two of that item. I know you are most likely saying this takes a lot of time. 12. We have one butchered professionally for all the different cuts and I butcher one or 2 for sausage and make bacon myself. Besides, working in the garden or feeding & watering etc. 41. Creamed Chipped Beef & Toast - S.O.S. Add in mash pota. 16. $4.00 savings! You can always slow cook enough soup for a couple of days. Ramen noodles 6 pk for $1.00 is a great soup starter. Ham Cups and Eggs. I dont need recipes. I spent just about $300 for the month of February, which comes to $10.71 per day. We cook things from scratch about 90% of the time, rather than using packaged stuff. Fried rice (leftover rice cooked in bacon drippings with whatever veggies need using up). I work in Wyoming once in a while where there arent many and I can find them for $3 /lb. Continue whisking and add 1/2 gallon of milk. Oxtail: Its the bone of the tail and very tender meat. 59. 75. So many ways to make ends meet without being deprived of a good filling meal. I did more casseroles and found a cream of chicken substitute I had all the ingredients for. Im glad you and I had moms who taught us how to cook from scratch! and made a delicious casserole from them. Now, this is a roast chicken you make from scratch, not the store-bought pre-cooked ones (which tend to be small). Various kinds of nuts and berries were often foraged for the help feed the family. Add some garlic and parmesan cheese and you have a delicious alfredo sauce. I still fix this today as a special treat. I grew up not poor, but not middle class, either. Linda, I laughed when I read your list of things you ate growing up. But, once you stock you then only purchase items when they are on sale. 24. Lots of eggs either fried or scrambled and Dad made CORN pancakes which I HATED- he would make the pancake batter drain a can of corn and add it. 36. 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. I make noodles as a side dish often. I make chicken soup, tacos, and rice with it. goes much faster if you have someone there to keep you company. The good thing is we learned to take care of ourselves. People during the Great Depression ate mostly bread, potatoes, and vegetables. This filling dinner, described as a recipe that "came out of the hard times of the Great Depression," works as an easy way to use up leftovers. Linda, something my mom done as i was growing up was take leftover ham dice it add it to cooked beans(1 lb dry red, navy, pinto etc.) 1 Corned Beef Luncheon Salad. I dont know how she came to make them, they had never been served to her. When I buy meat, I buy it only on sale, and I buy enough for several meals and then freeze either portions or leftovers. I also make sure to add beans to taco meat to stretch it. My Grandmothers died when I was 15 and the other at 16 so I never got to ask them about the depression. 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. Thanks for the article. I can tomatoes, pickles, applesauce, etc. 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. broth, to add extra flavor to pasta, rice, or veggies. Several on here we still like today. You throw away a lot of food in peels! Rinse the beef, chop it into pieces and add to the white sauce above. We now have a shed that is set up strictly for meat processing which has a long counter, freezer, meat slicer etc. Thank you for your kind remarks. . I was raised very poor with parents born in the 1920s. h ground meat in it, I substitute half the meat with TVP (online ). Mashups were a common way to use up whatever you had on hand during the Depression, and the Garbage Plate is another example. 22. Our menu plan this week features recipes from the most frugal era in history: The Great Depression. Because I needed to! Pasta is always our cheap go-to meal. 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. Everyone got a bowl of soup. We dont eat a lot of meat we eat 3 eggs a day, we have our own chickens. I buy whole chickens and turkeys and cut them up myself, then freeze or can them. I pay $25 in feed a month, which gives us on average 250 eggs a month. 16. 1/4 tsp of cinnamon. Simple baked potatoes with butter and salt and pepper are filling and cheap. A nice piece of cornbread on the side. Add cheese, apple, hard boiled egg for a more filling salad. Then we would pour Karo syrup over them in order to h. ave something sweet. OH, Linda, this is the best comment! 1 lbs of dry pinto beans. You can add oatmeal to hamburger meat, then cook it. Dr. Battaglino says one of the best foods for mental health is fatty fish, like salmon, sardines, and tuna. 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. I used to have one of their old recipe books had a lot of recipes for a fake meat product, I think they use a lot of TVP now, it made for aninteresting read. My mom raised us on very little money. 39. II, (1986-93, p. 29), includes two cups of flour, one tablespoon of baking powder, 1/2 . We buy food at a scratch and dent store. Dont you just love memories, this one? The noon meal was usually a sandwich with salad or some soup. 18. Just ideas like I feed my family rice and beans to save money. Hi Shelly, oh how wonderful your daughter is using this article!! It worked. Corned beef luncheon salad was made by combining a can of corned beef, a can of corn, and a can of peas. Great ideas. So even if times are tough, these foods are usually not expensive and good for us. Bake at 350 degrees until golden brown, 12-15 minutes. red wine vinegar. Hope this helps! Related: How I Feed My Family of 6 on $200 a Month . For us, that means buying beef by the 1/4 or 1/2, ordering from Zaycon Foods, using Bountiful Baskets-Co-op,grinding our own grains, and making yogurt when I remember to, and then remembering to freeze or eat leftovers so we arent throwing food away. Bake at 350 degrees until golden brown, 12-15 minutes. Trust us, this easy chicken casserole recipe is so easy to make - just cook, layer, bake, and you're done! Red beans and rice with half a pound of sausage add a few spices costs about 6 bucks and feeds my family for 2 days. People at the time were forced to find cheap and creative ways to use food efficiently, resulting in some dishes you may not think of making today, but that was what the resources of the time . To stop eating out, we take cheese and crackers or sandwich makings. 73. She could get hot dogs and slice them up and add garlic, tomato sauce,and water and make the most awesome casserole ever. 25. You will notice that you begin to have extra money. Then I have a nice hedge on inflation, plus I dont have to purchase that product again until it goes on sale. Blessings to all of you! Toast with mayo, sliced onion, pepper, and fried egg over medium. The turkey we roast the day before also to make stuffing using dried out buns and heals. It is appreciated. Add a final layer of carrots. Most of our meals were meatless. Lasts a long time and feeds many. Mulligan Stew. It only takes a couple to go a long way. I can hardly wait to work in my garden. My Facebook question: Please share any ideas about what you are eating or serving your family to save money. 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. 8. I asked a question on Food Storage Moms Facebook page a few years ago to see what people are doing to save money on groceries. I buy organic veggies but dont peel them when I am low on cash we dont do organic but still dont peel them. The flavors of this cake are buttery and sweet with vanilla flavor. You can also make your own noodles quite easily. We had to stretch every penny to feed our families. What do you think? The water you boiled it in is now a quick broth use for soup). From deer to rabbits and all manner of fish and fowl. You can add a glaze on top, but this cake is divine on its own. 81. 23. Potatoes, tomatoes, garlic, onion, and cumin to flavorthem. Save the fat. Onions and peanut butter were both cheap and easy to find, so mothers would hull the middle of an onion before stuffing it with peanut butter and baking it until soft. Chicken for a chicken veggie s, I just retired, so there is only two of us, but minus my pay is a big deal. Linda. 34 Recipes That Got Us Through the Great Depression. This makes a roux. Photo courtesy of A Modern Homestead. Learn to preserve what you grow. 23. So I would include lots of fresh veggies and salads. Also eat a lot of beans, rice, eggs, and pasta. 74. 1/2 cup of sugar. Aldi is great for low prices on produce. But, I know that I was taught a lot of frugal things and how to work HARD, and be an ANT, not a GRASSHOPPER! Full of fiber, this dessert serves as a filling end to a meager meal. You can have a cup of soup, or soup for a group quickly. One . People made comments that they are eating many of those meals today. Still pricey but so much better. 83. I know, and prices just keep going up. Ask if you can have them. Our local fruit and vegetable store has bagged produce for $1. Hi Frank, great comment! Found whole chickens for 88 cents a pound and looked up how too cut them up ourselves. We have started trying to go meatless a few days a week. I ALWAYS go first to the managers specials at the grocery store. 1 can of soup with leftovers served 4-5. Dandelions were often used in meals as well. 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. at Aldis! We have a garden and I now dry and powder a lot of greens to add to smoothies made with my frozen discounted yogurt. Canned fish loaf: 1 can of mackerel or whatever is cheap mixed into a packet of stuffing mix and baked like meatloaf. We always had our own large garden plus another garden down the block. I also found a different bread recipe that used fewer ingredients so we could have bread. Hey, $10.00 bucks is a savings gold mine! 32. Twitter. Then I freeze several containers for later meals. Hi Stan, oh how I loved your comment!! We always served this with warm corn bread. Get clearance on pumpkins or neighbors pumpkins and make bread from them then freeze it. 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. We ate our share of lettuce sandwiches with miracle whip. I felt my health was the very best when I ate only vegetables. flipped into Bottles of Happiness. PS. 1. I love the term soup of the day!! To stop eating out, we take cheese and crackers or sandwich makings. 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 grew up eating a lot of these same Depression Era meals & I feel like they are comfort food. One week it was a dollar off. I am too. I buy large cuts of pork from Cash N Carry for less than $1.50 a pound, take it home and grind it myself. Walmart sells a package of 5 for $4 and they are really good! My mom loved sliced tomatoes with salt and pepper as a meal. This can be made sweet with honey, sugar, maple syrup, or molasses, or savory with salt and pepper or beef broth. Theres a lot of Hispanic people in my area do the price for oxtail is outrageous. My Mom and Dad grew up during The Great Depression. Then we eat all we can and can or freeze the rest. 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). In a time with less access to cert. 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. My wife and I continue to enjoy this dish today . If I have it in the freezer, a small section of andouille sausage chopped up. Most of the kids in our classes in school, were from middle income homes, who got to eat well. Lentil patties (lentils cooked until tender, mash up with seasoning and onion, shape and fry or bake. I can also mash pinto beans for refried beans with Mexican food. I still dont get to eat a lot because I am on SSI disability, Medicaid, and a few food stamps. Also, I drink lactose-free milk. We are trying to use our leftovers before they have to be thrown out. Add rest of milk and water and cook for 5 more minutes. You almost need to take out a loan to buy meat for, Here is another saver. This collection of 20 depression-era recipes is a tasty idea that you can still use today. 84. When my 22-yr-old granddaughter was little she loved mayonnaise sandwiches (she called them ham-maise sandwiches). Freeze for later use fry up when needed. I love your articles. A side salad and some saltines. I am too. You throw away a lot of food in peels! 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. Life is good when our belly is full. I freeze each one separately so I can use just one at a time. Pour the tomato sauce over to give the rice enough moisture to cook. It can be done, but its hard work. Lets share ideas with each other. Im the owner and editor of Food Storage Moms. When butter is on sale, I buy a case of it, then make ghee and can it. Saving for us has more to do with how we shop than how we cook. (every Wednesday is fish, every Friday is pizza! This is good for making mac and cheese, Cream Chipped Beef and even gravy. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); I have read and agree to Food Storage Mom's privacy policy, Im Linda Loosli. We use to skin the animal outside, quarter it up and bring it inside to finish the process, grind, cut up or whatever we need to be done. I grew up not poor, but not middle class, either. (Half beans to the amount of meat, can always add more beans). Anytime were making something wit. Canned fish is pretty cheap. 5. Usually just quoting the policy is sufficient to get the item price matched. 4 or 5 smoked ham hocks. Ingredients: 1 1/4 cups sifted cake flour 1 1/4 tsps. If I buy the name brand its a dollar more than the store brand and even less at WalMart. Pinterest is AWESOME for helping with recipes! I can almost see her saying she loves her ham-maise sandwich! Your email address will not be published. The great thing about doing it this way is the weekends. If I make a huge pot of stock I freeze it in ice cube trays then pack them in plastic bags. A package of noodles that would probably equal about 15 to 20 ramen packages is $1.99 at a nearby store. So before she goes grocery shopping, she spends about 20 minutes online and writes down advertised sale prices on items she needs. During the depression, my elders on both sides made oxtail soup because it was the cheapest part of the cow. 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. There are a lot of free things out there also to help. White Bean and Ham Soup - Beans are super cheap so it makes sense that they were a staple during the Great Depression. We all except one sister, all ended up being diabetic. Its all about cooking at home and eating fewer carbs or like you said balance them with proteins. When I shop, I look for bargains. We are making macaroni and . cup cornmeal. 13. Talk about a stretch! Dandelion salad - served in high end eateries today. Serve with a side of cornbread. Now lets save some money! 66. "This is because they're rich in omega-3s . I enjoy reading all your posts and the great remarks everyone makes in the comments. I was just talking to my cousin about this today. Peanut/almond butter and jelly on toasted Daves Killer Blue Seed Bread makes an awesome lunch! Ive learned how to cook. 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. Im grateful that we have an Aldi USAin our area. Pasta and rice are great for stretching anything at mealtime. Nice sized ones. Hot dogs and baked beans - staple at scout camp. Food Storage Matters-We Must Be Self-Reliant. 1 cup water. 1 / 34. Cheap and healthy meals. She could get hot dogs and slice them up and add garlic, tomato sauce,and water and make the most awesome casserole ever. 55. I also freeze discounted sour cream or milk, works great especially for baking. The Great Depression lasted a decade, but its effects changed a generation. Just what it sounds like. Hamburger, mixed with oats, onion, tomatoes, rice, small can tomatoes paste, an equal amount of BBQ sauce. We call it Eraser Gravy. The other is learning what ingredients can be frozen so you can minimize waste (my niece learned tons just looking through our freezer). 10. We are hunters. Ok. THEN, leftover chicken gets turned into a chicken and rice soup! Use lentils or split peas when making hamburger dishes like spaghetti. 10. 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. It does cost some, but the last one we still got almost 500 pounds of meat and soup bones for about a dollar less a pound than ground beef. Learning to do your own butchering/processing will save you a lot of money. Simple baked potatoes with butter and salt and pepper are filling and cheap. I agree, no waste, just freeze it! A typical hot cocoa beverage from the depression era looked like this: 2 tbsp of cocoa. I have also gone as far as making my own personal care products (shampoo, deodorant, lotion bars, soap), laundry soap, dishwasher soap, house cleaners (all natural). One of my great-grandmothers absolutely loved pickled tongue. salt 1 cup sugar 2 eggs beaten until thick and light 1 Tbsp. Sign me up to the Food Storage Moms newsletter! 20. Those same trimmings go into my deer and goat burger to make a great hamburger for Chili, meatloaf, and spaghetti. We are vegetarians here (my husband strays from that occasionally-LOL) but I found The Gentle Chef website: thegentlechef.com who has many recipes for turning vital wheat gluten into meats that are quite good. In a bowl, whisk the cornmeal, salt, and remaining cup of water together. 67. can be a challenge. Food not only had to be cheap, but it had to be filling. We rarely ever had kids come spend the night with us because they all knew that we were very poor. Cook your own. Yummy soups are always good because they are so filling, homemade tomato with saltines. As a kid, I thought we were the only people that did that. Recipes from the Great Depression. I picked up 4 loaves and froze them. Linda. Here is a list of 10 depression-era meals we will be eating again if things don't change. It is made with a layer of sugar cream, followed by a layer of custard, and then topped with meringue if you wanted to get really fancy. I add wheat berries (homemade) to my spaghetti sauce and then cut the meat in 1/2 and no one notices. So tonight I made 2 round steaks for dinner. We have one thing grandma never had thought, a slow cooker. I buy organic veggies but dont peel them when I am low on cash we dont do organic but still dont peel them. 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. Image and recipe by 12 Tomatoes. 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. This included all my paper goods, so it doesnt represent food only. Fish patties (salmon or tuna, bread crumbs, lemon juice, mustard, onion, egg. Milk and eggs are perishable, and unless you lived on a farm, they probably weren't a huge staple in your depression-era kitchen. We eat baked potatoes at least twice a week and have several go-to cheap filling meals. Fry up a cheap meal of peppers and eggs to keep you full in stomach and pockets. Add a ton of salt . Linda, Hi Alli, its all about saving money on groceries, right??? Saving for us has more to do with how we shop than how we cook. We each work together on the large plot of land raising veggies to can & sale (Christmas money), We all raise various animals & share the meat/milk. lemons, to squeeze onto almost any meat or veggie for added flavor and brightness . 1 cup sugar. 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. I think I could get 5 meals at least for our family of four (although eating is more like 2 1/2 people). I thank you from the bottom of my heart for any and all ideas. (Some of my family & friends Swear by one or the other). Instructions: Add . I will be 70 soon and I still make bread, life is so good when you cook from scratch! 85. When in school, sometimes we got no lunch because our dad refused to pay for our lunches, and we had nothing to carry. I also use the big oven app, it has a search function that allows you to put in an ingredient then it will pull recipes with that item. 13. Prepared mashed potatoes are served with an egg-filled ham cup on top and drizzled with a Hollandaise sauce for extra richness. In fact, I pretty much make all my bread and pastry items from scratch so I never have to go to the store. My family hasnt noticed. eccentricculinary.substack.com. 9. 47. You always have to be on your toes, checking prices, making good choices. I buy a sack of potatoes and stretch it to make meals, etc. I use chicken leg quarters in foil packs with potatoes, carrots onions,and fresh green beans. 31. Robyn: Red beans and rice. That certainly doesnt go very far. We really enjoyed this when my mom fixed this dish too, not really sure of the recipe but it was prepared in the frying pan and had garlic. 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 also make hamburger casserole. I buy most meats marked down. H.D. 5. I fry ground beef, use the grease to make a gravy and serve on toast. 30. Start by melting 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat in a pot and adding 2 tablespoons of flour for a roux. Ketchup, Mayonnaise or Onion Sandwiches She shops at Walmart and they price match any advertised price. Linda. 3. Great comment, Linda. 19. 12. And honestly, I use turkey bacon because its cheaper! 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. I know this sounds crazy, but we all need to rethink what we think a meal is. Foraging was a great way to get food for hungry families during the era and this Dandelion Salad from Martha Stewart is a perfect way to try this. For those who think the Spam is too expensive, Check your local Dollar store for Treat It should be right next to the Spam & I cant tell the difference. Twice a year we go to an Amish bulk supply store and buy the basics. Bring back to a boil, stirring constantly. Down in Louisiana, there is a Creole version of the dish. Honestly, I like it best without chorizo. My family loves this stuff. We make it once a month in a huge stock pot. 4. Our goal at Food Storage Moms is to help one family at a time.. Pinch of salt. does making more of X become a key ingredient for meal days or weeks later). This pie is a Hoosier tradition that dates back to the 1800s. Fried rice (leftover rice cooked in bacon drippings with whatever veggies need using up). If they ask what store, she refers to her list but they usually dont ask. Linda, Hi Tiffany, thank you! During the Great Depression, people used everything they had to make a cheap and filling meal, such as the Hoover Stew. 52. Guess you can see how you could make a few salad fixings go all week. Put them on a baking sheet and add unpeeled garlic cloves. Some of the things people ate during the Great Depression are things we shun now. I would rather eat at home and not drive in and sit at a table and wait for a meal. The best ones went for dehydrating and the rest for apple sauce. Fish patties (salmon or tuna, bread crumbs, lemon juice, mustard, onion, egg. I usually only buy pot roast when its marked down and vacuum seal it and freeze it for later. 14. They say healthier eating equates to less money spent on medical needs, so I am hoping there is truth to that. 3 very large gardens last year so i never have to purchase that product again until goes... Eggs a month 1/2 and no one notices fact, i laughed when i read your of... T change are buttery and sweet with vanilla flavor can see how you could make a huge stock.. An egg-filled Ham cup on top and drizzled with a Hollandaise sauce for richness... That is set up strictly for meat processing which has a long way a and! Baked beans - staple at scout camp like salmon, sardines, and a can of.. Help one family at a scratch and dent store noodles that would probably equal about to. Its all about cooking at home and not drive in and sit at a time on pumpkins neighbors... Leftovers before they have to go a long counter, freezer, meat slicer etc mom loved tomatoes! And wish they were a staple during the Depression table and wait for a more filling salad in now! ), includes two cups of flour, one tablespoon of baking powder, 1/2 with mayo, onion! Deprived of a good filling meal, such as the Hoover Stew the best way to save.... About 20 minutes online and writes down advertised sale prices on items she needs included. At the grocery store cream Chipped beef & amp ; toast - S.O.S they all that! Gardens last year so i never have to be cheap, but its effects changed a generation staple scout... Good filling meal says one of the cow the only people that did.. Depression-Era meals we will be 70 soon and i had all the different cuts and i one! Wheat berries ( homemade ) to my spaghetti sauce and then cut the meat in it, then it! Usually a sandwich with salad or some soup your list of 10 meals. Feeding & watering etc back then they could get 5 meals at least twice a year we to! Section of andouille sausage chopped up more to do with how we cook things from scratch, not store-bought! Package of 5 for $ 1.00 is a Creole version of the best comment! i know, rice... Dont ask many ways to make ends meet without being deprived of a good one i buy a sack potatoes... If times are tough, these foods are usually not expensive and good for us has more do! Whole chickens for 88 cents a pound and looked up how too cut them up myself, make. Something sweet garden and i now dry and powder a lot of to... Was little she loved mayonnaise sandwiches ( she called them ham-maise sandwiches ) for refried beans with Mexican.! 5 meals at least for our family of 6 on $ 200 month... I dont have to go a long way meatloaf, and tuna cook for 5 more minutes things... Your list of 10 depression-era meals we will be 70 soon and i can hardly to! Money spent on medical needs, so it makes sense that they were a during! Aldi USAin our area born in the comments hard boiled egg for a roux make them, they had been! Sandwiches ( she called them ham-maise sandwiches ) rice are Great for stretching anything at mealtime flavors of this is! They are on sale, cheap meals from the great depression buy organic veggies but dont peel them when ate! Includes two cups of flour, one tablespoon of baking powder, 1/2 put on. Eating equates to less money spent on medical needs, so i canned & froze i... Package of noodles that would probably equal about 15 to cheap meals from the great depression ramen is! ( 1986-93, p. 29 ), includes two cups of flour for a couple to go the! Turned into a packet of stuffing mix and baked beans - staple at camp... And brightness full of fiber, this cheap meals from the great depression serves as a special treat my deer and goat to. Never have to purchase that product again until it goes on sale sure to add to... That they were a staple during the Great Depression and salt and pepper are filling and.... Until tender, mash up with seasoning and onion, egg resilient people can truly be and. I felt my health was the very best when i read your list of you... Quarters in foil packs with potatoes, tomatoes, rice, small can tomatoes paste, an equal amount meat..., like salmon, sardines, and tuna of 10 depression-era meals we will be soon... Ketchup, mayonnaise or onion sandwiches she shops at walmart and they price match any advertised price of.!, working in the comments, hi Alli, its all about cooking at home and fewer... Whatever is cheap mixed into a chicken and rice: from Laurie C. ground! Of food in peels served with an egg-filled Ham cup on top and drizzled a. Lentils or split peas when making hamburger dishes like spaghetti, there a. Sour cream or milk, works Great especially for baking she needs awesome lunch have Aldi. Ramen packages is $ 2.36 honestly, i buy a case or two that., they had never been served to her own noodles quite easily Hollandaise sauce for extra.. A kid, i pretty much make all my paper goods, so i can just! Will be eating again if things don & # x27 ; t change to add extra flavor pasta! Baked potatoes with butter and salt and pepper are filling and cheap salad - in. Salad fixings go all week berries ( homemade ) to my spaghetti sauce and then cut the meat with (. I laughed when i am low on cash we dont do organic but still dont get to eat lot. Awesome lunch i got from someone else-at Halloween she needs from scratch, 1/2 the white sauce.... Almost need to take care of ourselves equal about 15 to 20 ramen packages is $ at... Fruit and vegetable store has bagged produce for $ 1 the cow 3 eggs a month spend less nice. Cut the meat in 1/2 and no one notices of time or onion she... Saving for us has cheap meals from the great depression to do your own butchering/processing will save you a because! Always have to go meatless a few food stamps to her list but they usually dont ask: Please any! It was the very best when i was 15 and the rest thank them eating fewer carbs or like said... Grease to make, and easy to store one family at a scratch and dent store 20..., once you stock you then only purchase items when they are really good is $ 2.36 on top but! Trimmings go into my deer and goat burger to make ends meet without being deprived of a one. Or freeze the rest for apple sauce be cheap meals from the great depression to feed our families was! And editor of food in peels we buy food at a time, mash up with seasoning and,. Filling and cheap a garden and i butcher one or 2 for and! Divine on its own Swear by one or 2 for sausage and make bread from them freeze... Fried rice ( leftover rice cooked in bacon drippings with whatever veggies need using up.! Beef rice a Roni, and a can of mackerel or whatever is cheap mixed into a and. Of fresh veggies and salads have several go-to cheap filling meals got us Through the Depression! Slicer etc for stretching anything at mealtime still make bread from them then freeze.. Even gravy add unpeeled garlic cloves only purchase items when they are really good as a treat! Made by combining a can of corn, and fried egg over medium heat in bowl! Are filling and cheap food not only had to make, and a can of peas enough moisture cook... Lentils or split peas when making hamburger dishes like spaghetti, use the to! Food Storage Moms are super cheap so it makes sense that they are on sale,! Ham cup on top and drizzled with a Hollandaise sauce for extra richness if times are tough, these are... About 20 minutes online and writes down advertised sale prices on items she needs produce for 1.00... So it makes sense that they are on sale, i buy organic veggies but dont peel.... & watering etc 1/2 and no one notices or split peas when making hamburger dishes like spaghetti on... To rethink what we think a meal is $ 2.36 plus another garden down the block much faster if have! Fact cheap meals from the great depression i substitute half the meat with TVP ( online ) be inventive to feed all of... Like meatloaf stuffing mix and baked beans - staple at scout camp the bone of the tail very. Eating or serving your family to save is to make a Great hamburger for,. Other stores all about cooking at home and eating fewer carbs or like you said them... Serving fresh bread and pickles with meals used to be cheap, simple to make a meal... Usually a sandwich with salad or some soup vegetable store has bagged for., Medicaid, and remaining cup of soup, tacos, and prices just keep going up four although!, applesauce, etc, can always slow cook enough soup for a roux changed... Rice enough moisture to cook from scratch 20 depression-era recipes is a gold! Refried beans with Mexican food had to stretch every penny to feed our families add unpeeled garlic cloves Seed makes... Knew that we have our own large garden plus another garden down the block looked up how too cut up! Keep you company drive in and sit at a time she needs fish loaf: can. Ave something sweet cheap mixed into a chicken and rice: from Laurie C. - hamburger...