Besides, working in the garden or feeding & watering etc. Doesnt have to be fancy and expensive. My parents were born in 1920 and grew up very differently daddy was a rich boy with no problems but my mom grew up in the country with a garden and my grand doing handy work for people who needed his skills. No money for luxuries. Cook your own. Walmart sells a package of 5 for $4 and they are really good! People made comments that they are eating many of those meals today. Life is good, stay well my friend! {Linda} I really want to thank every one of you for helping me with food saving tips available for the world to see how to save money on groceries! Such a reminder of my childhood, and my present conditions as well. Its amazing how much can be saved by shopping the sales and freezing items. (Privacy Policy) *. My grandmother was able to get the Beet greens that grocers would twist off for their customers before they weighed the beets for purchase. at Aldis! Linda, Hi Tiffany, thank you! Beet greens. Related: How I Feed My Family of 6 on $200 a Month . I buy 1/2 cow and a 1/2 pig from a local farmer the freezer was worth the investment yes its expensive up front but does the math its cheaper the long run and its local fresh and so much cheaper than the store in the long run. 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. I add wheat berries (homemade) to my spaghetti sauce and then cut the meat in 1/2 and no one notices. Hi Pam, its interesting because Mark and I eat so many of these meals today. 1 cup water. I think the best way to save is to make more to spend less. , This is great if youre not buying from Zaycon Foods. Ask. This collection of 20 depression-era recipes is a tasty idea that you can still use today. Fun fact: It's called "Navy Bean Soup" because it was considered a staple food of the United States Navy in the . Various kinds of nuts and berries were often foraged for the help feed the family. My mom made it a lot, so I know it's going to be delicious. A typical hot cocoa beverage from the depression era looked like this: 2 tbsp of cocoa. 67. Dr. Battaglino says one of the best foods for mental health is fatty fish, like salmon, sardines, and tuna. Recipes varied, but usually involved hot dogs, canned vegetables, and pasta or macaroni. Therefore most of our meats, fruits,and veggies are canned in jars. 51. 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. It helps me to repurpose my leftovers into other meals. I dehydrated my whole garlic crop in slices (other than the ones for replanting) and can use as is or grind up. I cook some chicken. Ive learned how to cook. Its all about saving money, right? These days, I do not make a purchase where I do not stand at the register with my smartphone and come up with a coupon for an item or % discount. Your email address will not be published. I spent just about $300 for the month of February, which comes to $10.71 per day. 58. Buying cheap and using coupons. When you cook meats you often find fat at the bottom of the ban. Using the most inexpensive ingredients she could, she was able to feed her family throughout a harsh economic time. Or frozen tubes of ground turkey/beef. Most of the kids in our classes in school, were from middle income homes, who got to eat well. (Half beans to the amount of meat, can always add more beans). Ingredients: 1 1/4 cups sifted cake flour 1 1/4 tsps. 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. Sorry, it took me so long to post but Ive been getting in at near midnight all week long. When the bag is full, veggies soup! We also get together & clip coupons, make candles & teach each other different skills, like sewing & tanning hides. We stretch stretch stretch!! I buy organic veggies but dont peel them when I am low on cash we dont do organic but still dont peel them. The turkey we roast the day before also to make stuffing using dried out buns and heals. They didnt sell it in the stores and you had to ask for it. 22. Shoppers may want to study the price matching policy or even print it out before shopping. This mean is even better the next day! As one of the oddest combinations on this list, baked onions and peanut butter were a filling meal for many during the Great Depression. Then I dont go back to the store and get caught in oh this is a good deal. 1.7 Great Depression Foods - Dandelion Salad. Linda. My mom raised us on very little money. One way to save money on utilities is to get a chest freezer and not a stand-up. I thought all those simple meals and sandwiches with just onions or tomatoes was something my family did just because. 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. h ground meat in it, I substitute half the meat with TVP (online ). 79. Loved reading how others save money on food. 68. Invite the family over. 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 am too. Buy meat first thing in the morning Thats when they put out the stuff that needs to be sold before it expires. Popcorn, Corn tortillas fried for corn chips. Served at Franklin Delano Roosevelt's White House, this dessert is not overly sweet. Keep stirring until the mixture is cooked and smooth. 5-Ingredient No Peek Chicken. Good memories. I ALWAYS go first to the managers specials at the grocery store. So even if times are tough, these foods are usually not expensive and good for us. 13.8K. We use tons of beans too. 1 1/2 cups flour. 45. I love to cook and can make something out of nothing and its almost always pretty damn good. As a kid, I thought we were the only people that did that. Carrots are the same. I work in Wyoming once in a while where there arent many and I can find them for $3 /lb. 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. 82. We have one butchered professionally for all the different cuts and I butcher one or 2 for sausage and make bacon myself. I was just talking to my cousin about this today. Drinking. It is cheaper by the pound. Nutrition over taste was the golden rule when food got scarce during the Depression, and money was hard to come by. I fry ground beef, use the grease to make a gravy and serve on toast. They are so darn cute at that age! Potatoes baked in microwave. 10. 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. 37. 1 can of soup with leftovers served 4-5. We were wondering who took the photo and any other information you could provide on the actual photo. I make lots of Frybread & salads to go with meals. 50% off yogurt makes nice frozen treats that we would not have otherwise. But, I know that I was taught a lot of frugal things and how to work HARD, and be an ANT, not a GRASSHOPPER! 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. 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. The Penny Restaurants of the Great Depression. 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. Shape and fry up). Taco meat over rice. Popcorn replaces chips. You can stock and it will take a little time. It's a food that stretches for sure. Linda, My Mum made soup du jour using a can of soup, usually cream of mushroom or cream of chicken, and adding what ever leftovers she had. We loved tomato soup but we did have grilled cheese with it and tuna casserole, well everyone had tuna casserole and salmon patties. We also raise chickens, free eggs. Those same trimmings go into my deer and goat burger to make a great hamburger for Chili, meatloaf, and spaghetti. 4 cups water (divided) Small amount of oil, butter, or lard for frying. 0 seconds of 1 minute, 11 secondsVolume 0%. Check out these 10 Cheap Recipes You Can Make Out of Leftover Produce. Learn to prepare what you grow. 15 cents a night, it was possible to live on less than 50 cents a day during the height of the Great Depression. I pay $25 in feed a month, which gives us on average 250 eggs a month. 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 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. I buy organic veggies but dont peel them when I am low on cash we dont do organic but still dont peel them. Waste nothing. 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. I dont know how she came to make them, they had never been served to her. We use turkey burger from Aldis instead of hamburger not much of a taste difference in our minds. I decided that as I get my Social Security check once a month, Id shop only once a month (excluding fresh veggies and fruit). I didnt realize others did the same thing and they came from the depression. One more detail to add, that is, that, for a long time, most . We buy wheat berries rather than flour and grind our own. Ramen noodle packages are not considered food in my house. Thanks in advance! Notify me via e-mail if anyone answers my comment. Those who dont have the cash up front to fund the operation, or have the land to do so, can put in work hours to cover your share of the $. 56. During the Depression, cheap, nutritious and filling food was prioritized often at the expense of taste. I also found a different bread recipe that used fewer ingredients so we could have bread. Save the fat. Meat mixed in gravy makes it go farther than chunks of roast for everyone. Use the legs to fry, etc and thighs have a lot of meat to use in noodles, yellow rice, dumplings, shred for BBQ sandwiches. Fish patties (salmon or tuna, bread crumbs, lemon juice, mustard, onion, egg. We ate our share of lettuce sandwiches with miracle whip. Talk about a stretch! Toast with mayo, sliced onion, pepper, and fried egg over medium. 75. (Some of my family & friends Swear by one or the other). Little greens, a slice of cucumber, few chopped onions, a small grape tomato, and a few carrot curls. Place on an ungreased baking sheet. We have a half-acre garden and I garden year around. 66. They went through the Great Depression, and World War 2. Using no special ingredients, this cake is delicious and cheap. I try to save money by throwing in some meatless meals during the week, like potato soup or minestrone. Blessings to all of you! To stop eating out, we take cheese and crackers or sandwich makings. We all except one sister, all ended up being diabetic. You can also make your own noodles quite easily. Depression-Era Hot Milk Cake. Full of vitamin C, and easily filling, these were commonly used in the depression era, and could be easily stored in root cellars. Learning to do your own butchering/processing will save you a lot of money. 11. 34 Recipes That Got Us Through the Great Depression. Very similar navy beans, a little bit of ham (or even better a leftover ham bone), some onions, celery, carrots. Back in the day, there were no food stamps or EBT cards. So it should come as no surprise that someone figured out how to take a few basic ingredients (cream of chicken soup, onion, butter, etc.) It only takes a couple to go a long way. Hamburger, mixed with oats, onion, tomatoes, rice, small can tomatoes paste, an equal amount of BBQ sauce. No more stressing about what can I make, and, the same menu can be used month after month because its so varied by the time the meal comes around again you havent had it for four weeks! balsamic vinegar. There is only 2 of us but we do buy flour bulk due to baking. Simple baked potatoes with butter and salt and pepper are filling and cheap. 1. Lots of canned soup with crackers. 48. I decided that as I get my Social Security check once a month, Id shop only once a month (excluding fresh veggies and fruit). 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 . dry beans and cook 2 lbs at a time in the slow cooker. cup cornmeal. In 1937, when the United States was in the throes of the Great Depression, Kraft Foods launched the iconic Mac and Cheese. Fast and easy meals are expensive and sometimes not as healthy. Linda. Bread making and canning were normal activities. Eat a lot of casseroles because it doesnt require as much meat. During the Great Depression, corn meal was one kitchen staple that was typically easily accessible and cost-effective. Our parents use to use their green stamp books to save. Lots of beans, sometimes I have cornbread, or crackers. 15. We also CAN our own garden that we grow! My daughter is using your article here for a history assignment that she has to complete. 18. Also, I do one month worth of grocery shopping at a time. Also, buy meat on sale, we bought 4 turkey s at Thanksgiving. A side salad and some saltines. If they ask what store, she refers to her list but they usually dont ask. Have you ever seen that fog that rolls down and out when you open the door? does making more of X become a key ingredient for meal days or weeks later). 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. While we do sometimes buy bread, I make our buns and sweet bread. Simple baked potatoes with butter and salt and pepper are filling and cheap. I have a big cast iron pot I keep on the fire full of boiling water nearby all the guts and oral gets boiled and fed to my chickens as an added protein which helps egg production, Same with fish guts and heads. Oxtail: Its the bone of the tail and very tender meat. Dandelion salad - served in high end eateries today. We do a lot of these including using beans. Potatoes are cheap and easy to store, so it's no surprise they showed up on menu home meal plans during the Depression. Its all about saving money. Then we eat all we can and can or freeze the rest. You almost need to take out a loan to buy meat for, Here is another saver. Melt the butter, add the flour and quickly start whisking it. I remember when we were starving after not getting breakfast or lunch at school, we would come home on the bus, and make mayonnaise sandwiches because we were so hungry. We keep 40 to 50 hens all the time and have eggs aplenty year around. Ida's Depression Goulash - Goulash is one of those foods that you can make a big pot and feed a LOT. Linda, I laughed when I read your list of things you ate growing up. Favorite flavors were cherry, grape, lemonade, and tropical punch. Back then they could get it free or for .10. Serve with a side of cornbread. If you brown the butter, it changes the taste of the white sauce. I love the term soup of the day!! 2 - 3 teaspoons of black pepper. We liked it too. Lets share ideas with each other. It saves a lot of money when Im not buying prepackaged food. My family hasnt noticed. This meal costs less than $3 for four servings. Did this ever bring back memories! Ask if you can have them. I felt my health was the very best when I ate only vegetables. My mother told us about depression meals she remembered and enjoyed growing up. 1 large yellow onion, chopped. If I buy the name brand its a dollar more than the store brand and even less at WalMart. Give these recipes from . Lard sandwiches - nope though roasted marrow on toast is good. You can make this without the chorizo to save money. We live in Idaho and many farmers will let you go through and pick the fields after theyve harvested. Thank you sooo much for sharing! To that, add about 8 ounces of dried beef (i.e. We eat what we want most of the time because we shop strategically. My grandmother made Top Ramen once a week for dinner with sliced boiled eggs. Rice and potatoes were cheap ways to fill up hungry . Great Depression Casserole Recipe; 7. I usually only buy pot roast when its marked down and vacuum seal it and freeze it for later. 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. 17. One thing I recommend, if it is affordable, is to buy a small freezer. Potatoes, tomatoes, garlic, onion, and cumin to flavorthem. It stays good for months. I dont have to purchase that product again until it goes on sale. The best ones went for dehydrating and the rest for apple sauce. Feeding 5 here.