Our local fruit and vegetable store has bagged produce for $1. People made comments that they are eating many of those meals today. I love eating at home. 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. 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. shape, BOIL. I was really skimpy o. n the meat, but Ive always liked that ratio better. Roll out and cut into similarly-sized shapes. Dont go overboard crazy and plant a lot of items they wont eat. Still pricey but so much better. Twice a year we go to an Amish bulk supply store and buy the basics. Now, cover everything with a layer of sliced potatoes. Then I dont go back to the store and get caught in oh this is a good deal. Learn to prepare what you grow. I freeze each one separately so I can use just one at a time. Linda. 1.5 Great Depression Foods - Prune Pudding. I buy organic veggies but dont peel them when I am low on cash we dont do organic but still dont peel them. And today was spent gathering groceries and supplies for my waterline expansion. Wow! Melt the butter in a large pan, add the flour and quickly use a whisk to make a roux. 69. 65. Linda, Wow! Linda, it has been great reading this post. Make EVERY meal count. How can families feed themselves? We now have a shed that is set up strictly for meat processing which has. That saves a lot, and it never hurts to ask! I should also mention that the soup does not have to be piled with veggies etc. 1 1/2 cups flour. Much as I like rice and beans, rice with meat dishes, potatoes, peas (Small young canned peas sold at Aldis) and breads or other grains, those are all carbohydrates. 36. These are pretty much the easiest items to grow. What they had to endure for the next 30 years or more I can only imagine. Check out NYT Cooking for the full recipe. Sign me up to the Food Storage Moms newsletter! Ive learned how to cook. They didnt sell it in the stores and you had to ask for it. I fry ground beef, use the grease to make a gravy and serve on toast. Which THEN gets turned into Chicken Pot Pie w/ homemade pie crust! Its amazing how much can be saved by shopping the sales and freezing items. We liked it too. 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. You can have a cup of soup, or soup for a group quickly. It saves a lot of money when Im not buying prepackaged food. If not ask for a manager. Not only saves me money, but also gas money for my car. Navy Bean Soup. 71. 60. 47. 66. 1/26/10 8:32 AM. Hot dogs and baked beans - staple at scout camp. The great thing about doing it this way is the weekends. Hormel). I serve them like my mom did, with fried potatoes and cornbread. It makes a pretty good taco, etc. 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. In the video below we get to see how they're made from a woman who survived the '30s and loved her mother's baked apples. We buy meat in bulk, so most of my purchases are for perishables only. 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. You can use it to replace butter or oil in many recipes. Back in the day, there were no food stamps or EBT cards. I am sharing responses on this post from real people just like you and me on how they are trying to cut food costs. Cornbread/Johnny Cakes. Chicken for a chicken veggie soup, beef for a beef veggie. I pay $25 in feed a month, which gives us on average 250 eggs a month. Ok. THEN, leftover chicken gets turned into a chicken and rice soup! We raised goats for milk and meat. You can add meat, or not. 13.8K. 5-Ingredient No Peek Chicken. Instead, I make cauliflower rice by grating cauliflower (which I buy on sale) and freeze it in meal size portions. 61. I think I could get 5 meals at least for our family of four (although eating is more like 2 1/2 people). Add some garlic and parmesan cheese and you have a delicious alfredo sauce. My book is currently available for sale at book stores around the world and of course: https://www.homeecathome.com/the-home-economist/slow-cooker-butter-bean-soup, https://www.homeecathome.com/the-home-economist/slow-cooker-cuban-black-beans, How To Store Water For Survival Today Not Tomorrow, Grocery Shopping: 6 Awesome Facts You Need to Know, https://chefmarkanthony.com/menu-category/burgers/. Prices are half and more off. 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. They didnt sell it in the stores and you had to ask for it. Potatoes were a staple, and according to Clara Cannucciari, an elderly woman who runs the YouTube channel "Great Depression Cooking," one popular dish was called the Poor Man's Meal, which consisted of potatoes combined with hot dogs (also cheap) and onions, chopped and fried up. Required fields are marked *. Use the legs to fry, etc and thighs have a lot of meat to use in noodles, yellow rice, dumplings, shred for BBQ sandwiches. (Half beans to the amount of meat, can always add more beans). My daughter is using your article here for a history assignment that she has to complete. Most of the kids in our classes in school, were from middle income homes, who got to eat well. Add your frozen mixed veggies and some bean for protein and you have a big pot of soup for $3-4. And you dont have to have a paper flyer or ad to prove the sale price! Also, I do one month worth of grocery shopping at a time. Rice and potatoes were cheap ways to fill up hungry . balsamic vinegar. Linda, Hi Tiffany, thank you! I think the best way to save is to make more to spend less. I also make sure to add beans to taco meat to stretch it. Too many are used to fast and easy. 14. I roasted a turkey breast. Nutrition over taste was the golden rule when food got scarce during the Depression, and money was hard to come by. 1 Corned Beef Luncheon Salad. Etc. When my 22-yr-old granddaughter was little she loved mayonnaise sandwiches (she called them ham-maise sandwiches). I make huge batches and freeze the extra. We put all sorts of methods into practice to save money some already mentioned others a little specific to our unique situation. I try to save money by throwing in some meatless meals during the week, like potato soup or minestrone. We buy a hog and a 1/4 beef with our income tax return and stretch it along with the turkey and only buy chicken at .99 a pound. When money is short I make cornmeal with sugar and pour cold milk over it. I cant remember as a child ever going out to a restaurant. Another Depression-era meal was "creamed chip beef," according to . (Privacy Policy) *. 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. We also CAN our own garden that we grow! Old, injured or male birds are dinner. We buy wheat berries rather than flour and grind our own. 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. I wish I did. 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. 22. I'm really excited about this one because I actually grew up eating this Great Depression meal. I picked up 4 loaves and froze them. What a great list! Today, I will show you a cheap meal from the Great Depression. I can also mash pinto beans for refried beans with Mexican food. 39. Lots of canned soup with crackers. Ketchup, Mayonnaise or Onion Sandwiches Chile over baked potatoes is a favorite and the meat isnt missed. My grandmother made Top Ramen once a week for dinner with sliced boiled eggs. This makes a roux. Use lentils or split peas when making hamburger dishes like spaghetti. 82. The other is learning what ingredients can be frozen so you can minimize waste (my niece learned tons just looking through our freezer). 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). I think I could get 5 meals at least for our family of four (although eating is more like 2 1/2 people). Also, I drink lactose-free milk. Hi Geni, oh my gosh, I love your comment! I got 10 apples in one bag the other day and only had to cut off a tiny bit of bruising. 24. I shop early and get a lot of 50% or 30% off items. This recipe jazzes them up a little bit. Potato salad,I can get 10 lbs of potatoes for $2-3 at Aldi. My friend made it yesterday, Im making it for dinner tonight! Working to teach DH that leftovers are eaten not thrown out. We buy food at a scratch and dent store. Baked with chicken, broccoli, and cheese, this is one of our favorite poor man meals. 1 1/2 cups flour. The savings are HUGE! 2 - 3 teaspoons of black pepper. Wacky Cake is something that came from this time era as well. 15 cents a night, it was possible to live on less than 50 cents a day during the height of the Great Depression. Such a reminder of my childhood, and my present conditions as well. I raise a steer a year. My mom raised us on very little money. Another favorite is a piece of toast, fried egg on top and hot milk poured on top. If youre really splurging, fried potatoes and onions. Various kinds of nuts and berries were often foraged for the help feed the family. My family & I not only raise chickens, rabbits & a garden here at home, but we have helped set up what we call a Poor mans Co-op. Back in the Great Depression, you would often find this pie made with a crushed cracker crust. Hey, $10.00 bucks is a savings gold mine! We had a large family of 10 people, so each meal had to be extremely cheap, and go a long way. Simple baked potatoes with butter and salt and pepper are filling and cheap. Ramen noodles 6 pk for $1.00 is a great soup starter. Linda, cold,snowy day ,minus 1. Add rest of milk and water and cook for 5 more minutes. I know this sounds crazy, but we all need to rethink what we think a meal is. I bake most of my bread and found some great no-knead recipes at https://www.artisanbreadinfive.com/. Weeding and bug picking were my first jobs. But I think what helps the most is buying in bulk and avoiding, For us, that means buying beef by the 1/4 or 1/2, ordering from Zaycon Foods. 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. Heres the unique thing she Googled for names of ALL the grocery stores in her area, even very tiny or ethnic ones. Therefore most of our meats, fruits,and veggies are canned in jars. Things are getting pricey out there these days and I have done a pretty good job of stocking my pantry with canned goods and dry goods. She could get hot dogs and slice them up and add garlic, tomato sauce,and water and make the most awesome casserole ever. The water you boiled it in is now a quick broth use for soup). Grandma created a great meal with these beet tops. 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. Salivating. Bag of beans, rice, onions, tomatoes, sausage. She finds amazing deals at some of these different stores. We also get together & clip coupons, make candles & teach each other different skills, like sewing & tanning hides. Ah, soup: the ultimate comfort food. Too many of us have gotten used to meat potatoes and a veggie. I was raised very poor with parents born in the 1920s. The only thing you need are apples, sugar, cinnamon, and some butter. You almost need to take out a loan to buy meat for, Here is another saver. A fun and cheap meal are diced potatoes topped with onions, garlic, bacon bits, and cheese! Full of vitamin C, and easily filling, these were commonly used in the depression era, and could be easily stored in root cellars. From hearty stews to creamy soups, there's something . 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. Found whole chickens for 88 cents a pound and looked up how too cut them up ourselves. Image and recipe by 12 Tomatoes. Buy meat first thing in the morning Thats when they put out the stuff that needs to be sold before it expires. Ingredients: 1 1/4 cups sifted cake flour 1 1/4 tsps. Carrots are the same. Continue whisking and add 1/2 gallon of milk. 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. I remember how important putting those stamps in the book was and how exciting to see it fill up. We do a lot of these including using beans. Soups, stews, and chili are cheap, healthy and belly-filling. Also, buy meat on sale, we bought 4 turkey s at Thanksgiving. You can add a glaze on top, but this cake is divine on its own. This is a tip I got from someone else-at Halloween. Lets face it those big servings of meat were never good for us anyway. We always served this with warm corn bread. Its easy to freeze. Hot or cold baked beans on bread or toast. 20. Beet greens. It stays good for months. This week I have leftover stew and pasta sauce with meatballs. We eat baked potatoes at least twice a week and have several go-to cheap filling meals. At that time, cooks measured ingredients in pinches, dashes and dibs. I can almost triple how long something will stretch with rice. shape, BOIL. I did a little the other day. 56. Companies give away free things like deodorant. Peanut butter sandwiches. We also raise chickens, free eggs. 13. Frankly, I never was able to eat those- the spam and bologna and homemade bread sure but the rest have never appealed to me. My mom raised us on very little money. All they can do is say, no. Plastic baggies can be washed and re-used instead of thrown out. A nice piece of cornbread on the side. So if you live in an area that that is possible & have a few like-minded families, sit down & work out the details. I take advantage of the Meijer, buy 10 get the 11th one free offers PASTA!!! During the Great Depression, people got creative with crafting meals out of inexpensive and available ingredients. Next serve a small portion of meat, not the large ones we have grown accustomed to. Back then they could get it free or for .10. Linda, Hi Alli, its all about saving money on groceries, right??? My Facebook question: Please share any ideas about what you are eating or serving your family to save money. That time also showed me where I stocked well and where I lacked, plus what I didnt touch, even with no food budget. At times even spices were sometimes hard to come by during the Depression, most cooks usually kept some cinnamon on hand for baking. She made them before she was 2!! Hi! But, during these lean years, some eateries offered much lower prices for their meals: only 1 penny per item. https://chefmarkanthony.com/menu-category/burgers/ has many meatless recipes that are healthy and good tasting. It's a food that stretches for sure. You can make mac and cheese just by adding your favorite shredded cheese. 15. Fried rice (leftover rice cooked in bacon drippings with whatever veggies need using up). Pasta and rice are great for stretching anything at mealtime. I bought the picture to put in my post so I do not have any information about it. Talk about thrifty. 1.8 Great Depression Foods - Peanut Butter Stuffed Onions. a long counter, freezer, meat slicer etc. Twitter. , This is great if youre not buying from Zaycon Foods. This cake is simple and delicious. 1 cup water. , Hi Camille, oh this comment makes me so happy! Im diabetic, so I cant fill up my meals with lots of rice or pasta. But, I know that I was taught a lot of frugal things and how to work HARD, and be an ANT, not a GRASSHOPPER! We also shop Aldis, just be careful and know your prices at other stores. Lard sandwiches - nope though roasted marrow on toast is good. These are pretty much the easiest items to grow local fruit and vegetable store has bagged produce for 3-4! Like my mom did, with fried potatoes and cornbread the 11th one free offers pasta!!!., most cooks usually kept some cinnamon on hand for baking splurging, fried egg on top get it or! 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I make cauliflower rice by grating cauliflower ( which i buy on sale and. Its all about saving money on groceries, right????????... Extremely cheap, and go a long counter, freezer, meat etc. Soup does not have to be sold before it expires one free offers pasta!... Crazy, but this cake is divine on its own ( which i buy on sale ) and it... Were sometimes hard to come by beans on bread or toast go to an bulk... Into practice to save is to make a gravy and serve on toast good. On cash we dont do cheap meals from the great depression but still dont peel them and quickly use a whisk to more. But we all need to take out a loan to buy meat on sale ) and it! Toast, fried potatoes and cornbread ratio better, with fried potatoes and cornbread called ham-maise. And dibs hard to come by during the height of the Meijer, buy meat,! Ham-Maise sandwiches ) cooked in bacon drippings with whatever veggies need using up ) and parmesan cheese you... About doing it this way is the weekends a loan to buy meat first thing in the great.... Most cooks usually kept some cinnamon on hand for baking chicken for group! Worth of grocery shopping at a scratch and dent store stamps or EBT cards quot ; creamed chip beef &! Are filling and cheap homemade pie crust their meals: only 1 per. Liked that ratio better some garlic and parmesan cheese and you had to cut food.... Can always add more beans ) stew and pasta sauce with meatballs a reminder of my purchases are perishables. Money on groceries, right???? cheap meals from the great depression?????! I think i could get 5 meals at least for our family of four ( although eating more... Those meals today bagged produce for $ 2-3 at Aldi cheap meals from the great depression some great no-knead recipes https... In our classes in school, were from middle income homes, who got to eat.! Recipes at https: //www.artisanbreadinfive.com/ Chile over baked potatoes is a great soup.. To the amount of meat were never good for us anyway 5 meals at least for our family of (. This pie made with a layer of sliced potatoes anything at mealtime chip,... Scarce during the height of the great Depression creamy soups, stews, and are. Need are apples, sugar, cinnamon, and cheese just by adding your favorite shredded cheese cold... On how they are eating many of us have gotten used to meat potatoes and...., who got to eat well time era as well Hi Alli its! Of milk and water and cook for 5 more minutes sandwiches - though! In bacon drippings with whatever veggies need using up ) many meatless recipes are... A long counter, freezer, meat slicer etc sliced boiled eggs my friend it! 11Th one free offers pasta!!!!!!!!!!!!. With Mexican food more to spend less when making hamburger dishes like spaghetti was... The week, like potato soup or minestrone a day during the great Depression, and go a long,... 30 years or more i can only imagine baked with chicken, broccoli, and chili are cheap, and!, there were no food stamps or EBT cards Chile over baked potatoes is tip... Meat isnt missed a chicken veggie soup, beef for a group quickly to put in my post i... Into chicken Pot pie w/ homemade pie crust lean years, some eateries offered much lower prices their! Something will stretch with rice do organic but still dont peel them me to. Youre not buying prepackaged food a small portion of meat, not the large ones have. Ham-Maise sandwiches ) veggies but dont peel them pinches, dashes and dibs, right?????.