What should I make for dinner tonight? This might just be the number one question that we ask ourselves almost daily over here.
Then you have come to the right place, we have rounded up 21 frugal recipes from the great depression that we have shared over the years.
Plus, there is such a variety of flavours in these recipes, so you are sure to find something for you. Most of these recipes are quick and easy ones made especially for busy weeknights.
21 Frugal Recipes From The Great Depression
Great Depression Recipe: One-Dish Meal
Depression Dinner Recipe: Just 5 Ingredients!
Green Tomato Pie
Poor Man’s Cookies
Lemon Depression Cake Recipe
Latkes (galettes de pommes de terre juives de Hanouka)
Chicken & Shrimp Gumbo
Caribbean Beans and Rice
Hard Times Pudding – A Frugal Dessert from the 1920s
What foods were popular during the Great Depression?
Chili, macaroni and cheese, soups, and creamed chicken on biscuits were popular meals.
How did poor people get food during the Great Depression?
Some people chose to hunt for their food. Some people harvested their own bees to make honey. Other people went to soup kitchens, which are places where people can go and get a free meal. Since many people needed a free meal during the Depression, they often had to wait for hours in long ‘soup lines’ to be served.
What was the cheapest food in the Great Depression?
Plain potatoes, split pea soup with a slice of bread, and pork and beans were common menu items. You wouldn’t find much meat on most of these menus, but nevertheless these meals kept people fed for a price they could afford – all while preserving their dignity.
How do I cook like the Great Depression?
What did soup kitchens serve during the Great Depression?
Soup kitchens served mostly soup and bread. Soup was economical because water could be added to serve more people, if necessary. At the outset of the Depression, Al Capone, the notorious gangster from Chicago, established the first soup kitchen. He started it because he wanted to clean up his shady image.
What should I stockpile for food shortages?
The Best Foods You Need in Your Stockpile
- Bottled water.
- Canned or boxed milk.
- Canned meat.
- Packaged dried meat like beef jerky.
- Canned fruit in juice or water, not syrup.
- Canned vegetables in water.
- Canned low-sodium soup.
- Protein bars.
Who set up soup kitchens during the Great Depression?
How much did flour cost during the Great Depression?
Retail Prices of Selected Foods in U.S. Cities, 1890? 2015
| Year | Flour (5 lbs) | Sugar (5 lbs) |
|---|---|---|
| 1940 | 21.5 | 26.0 |
| 1935 | 25.3 | 28.2 |
| 1930 | 23.0 | 30.5 |
| 1925 | 30.5 | 35.0 |
Did people lose weight during the Great Depression?
From birth year group born pre-Depression (1925–1929) to the group born during the Great Depression (1930–1934), there was a mean adjusted decrease in birth weight of 97 g for men and 70 g for women. Concurrently, ponderal index (Figure 2) decreased from 2.66 for males and 2.65 for females to 2.50 g/cm3 for both sexes.
How much did eggs cost during the Great Depression?
| Food | ||
|---|---|---|
| Product | Brand Name | Price per Unit |
| Eggs | A | $0.15 |
| Fish | A | $0.19 |
| Flour | Gold Medal | $0.63 |
How much did hot dogs cost during the Great Depression?
Hot Dogs (without bun) cost $0.08 per pound. Best Steak cost $0.22 per pound. Pure lard cost $0.15 per pound.
What did a loaf of bread cost in 1930?
| YEAR | Cost of 1 lb. of Bread | Federal Minimum Wage |
|---|---|---|
| 1930 | $0.09 | None |
| 1940 | $0.10 | $0.30 |
| 1950 | $0.12 | $0.75 |
| 1960 | $0.23 | $1.00 |
What’s the poor man’s meal?
Potatoes were also inexpensive and used extensively. Some meals even used both. One of these meals was called the Poor Man’s Meal. It combined potatoes, onions, and hot dogs into one hearty, inexpensive dish, which was perfect for the hard times people had fallen on.
What did farmers eat during the Great Depression?
Many farm families raised most of their own food – eggs and chickens, milk and beef from their own cows, and vegetables from their gardens. People who grew up during the Depression said, “No one had any money.
What foods were eaten in the 1930s?
Food “disguises” were popular in the 1930s including pigs in blankets, mushrooms made out of cream cheese and “bunny salad” made from a canned pear half. Chicken divan casserole, cherries jubilee, sweet potato-marshmallow surprises, and black bottom pie were very popular during the 1930s.




















