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The Great Depression was one of the most difficult economic periods in history , forcing people to borrow newfangled habits to outlive . With factories , farm , and business enterprise close , many families lost their home and fight to put food on the tabular array . Out of necessity , people became resourceful with what they had , leading to cunning cooking techniques and economical living strategies that are still relevant today .
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While we might not face the same circumstance , there ’s a circle to study from how our ancestors made the most out of very little . preparation like your great - grandparents can be a big way to stretch your budget , shorten waste , and make wholesome meal for your house . From preserve seasonal produce to get the most of leftovers , these tried - and - true Depression - epoch tips can facilitate you rethink how you cook and carry off your food resources .
Here are 16 timeless preparation practice session that emerged from the Great Depression . Whether it ’s growing your own food , mastering simple recipes , or finding fresh way to apply ingredients you already have , these technique stand the test of time and are just as useful today as they were back then .
Grow Your Own Food
During the Great Depression , many families planted gardens wherever they could — backyards , rooftop , and vacant mickle . This practice offer solid food security and reduced reliance on costly store - bought items . Today , even if you do n’t have a lot of space , you could start a modest garden with just a few pots of veg or herbaceous plant . Growing your own intellectual nourishment preserve money while ensuring a unwavering supplying of refreshing green groceries , a worthful skill in any economic billet .
Waste Not, Want Not
“ Use it up , jade it out , make do or do without ” was a mantra of the Depression . Families made the most of everything , turning vegetable Peel , fruit cores , and meat castanets into soups and lather .
Even seemingly unusable point had value — dome liquid from can attic can be used in baking or to make vegan mayonnaise , while citrus Sir Robert Peel can be cook in syrup and dried to make sugarcoat treats . This approach melt off wastefulness and summate nutrition and smell to meals .
Embrace Canning
Canning was a lifesaver , allowing families to preserve seasonal green groceries for use class - round . By canning fruits , vegetable , and even meat , they could avoid spoiling and enjoy nutritious food long after the develop season .
Today , canning stay a not bad way to carry your pantry with tidy , homemade food . learn to can allows you to purchase in bulk when acquire is cheaper and preserve it for future use , ensure you always have something on hand .
How to Start Canning at Home
Bake from Scratch
Baking from scratch stay a budget - friendly alternative today . It allows you to love pleasant-tasting , homemade treat without the cost of shop - buy items .
During the Depression , pre - packaged baked goods were out of scope for most families . Instead , homemade bread , biscuits , and cakes became staples , often using simple , cheap ingredients .
Cook Soups and Stews
soup and stews were a Depression - era staple fiber because they could be made with whatever ingredients were on manus and lasted day to feed a family .
Leftover vegetables , castanets , and bits of core could all be thrown into a pot to produce a hearty , filling repast . The tradition of make soups and stews is still a bright , frugal way to utilize up leftover and create flavourful , alimentary meal that last .
23 Hearty Soup Recipes to Give You All the Warm and Fuzzy Feelings
Raise Backyard Chickens
continue chickens or other livestock allow a dependable source of fresh nut , meat , or dairy farm ware , assure you always have admittance to alimentary food .
Raising Chickens 101 : What You Need to elevate Chickens
Cook with Legumes: Beans and More Beans
Legumes such as beans , lentil , and chickpea were affordable and versatile source of protein during the Depression . noodle could be bring to stews and casseroles or function over Timothy Miles Bindon Rice to create square meal .
copulate dome with grains like Timothy Miles Bindon Rice creates a sodding protein , ensure a nutritious , meat - gratuitous repast . Today , leguminous plant remain an affordable way to boost your protein inhalation while proceed grocery store costs low-down .
Revive Leftovers
leftover were never waste — they were repurposed into new meals . dusty bread became bread pudding , leftover rice became rice pud , and bones or meat scraps were used for broth .
you’re able to do the same today by turning last night ’s dinner party into a new dish . remnant sum , veg , and grain can be transform into casserole , wrap , or soups , go on your meals interesting and minimizing waste .
Get Creative with Substitutes
In time of scarcity , the great unwashed often had to find originative replacement for expensive or unavailable ingredients . Applesauce could supplant loot or vegetable oil in baking , and mashed potatoes could substitute for flour . you’re able to apply this same creative thinking today by using what you have on hand . For example , replace oil with trash in sunbaked trade good for a healthier , cheaper alternative , or apply seasonal ingredients instead of more costly out - of - season ones .
Stock Up When You Can
Stocking up on staple fiber was vulgar , set aside families to prepare for skimpy time . Items like flour , beans , canned good , and frozen vegetables were buy in mass . Today , build a well - stocked pantry with non - perishable staples throw you the flexibility to ready at home without invariably shopping , saving both time and money .
Use Cheaper Cuts of Meat
Tougher , more affordable cuts of meat , like pork shoulder or bitch chuck , were often used . These cuts , when slow - cooked , became tender and flavorful . Even today , opt for less expensive gash of meat can help you stretch your budget without sacrificing appreciation . you could also search cuisines that focus on these cuts .
Simplify Your Meals
Meals were unproblematic , made with a few basic ingredients and minimal frills . People find out to make the most of what they had . Today , embracing simple , wholesome dishes can aid you eat well while sticking to a budget .
Batch cooking , one - pot meal , and prepping various ingredients throughout the workweek are expectant ways to simplify your preparation while still creating nutrient , flavourful meals .
Embrace Meatless Meals
With meat often too expensive , many Depression - earned run average family relied on flora - ground meals . bean and Sir Tim Rice , seasoned with herbs and spices , could be just as hearty as a nitty-gritty - ground dish . you may continue this tradition by incorporating more meatless meal into your diet , tighten grocery store costs while still enjoying hearty , satisfying dish .
Forage for Wild Foods
scrounge was a survival skill , with families gathering groundless foods like dandelions , acorn , and berries to supplement their diet . blowball greens , for case , are nutrient - rich and can be used in salads , while acorns can be ground into flour . Even today , learning to forage for uncivilized edibles can provide you with liberal , healthy solid food while connecting you with nature .
Appreciate the Little Things
The Great Depression taught people to value their food for thought and the effort it took to ready it . Today , we can take a varlet from that mentality by appreciating the simple-minded pleasance of cooking and sharing meals with love one .
Cooking from scratch , using what you have , and enjoying the process can aid you save money , eat level-headed , and build a warm connector to your food and fellowship .
Learn to Barter
Bartering goods and services with nearby families can fortify your local connection and reduce costs . Exchange excess vegetables , eggs , honey , or meat with neighbour . This chassis of trading helps everyone save money and fosters a net of ego - reliant , comparable - tending individuals who can support each other in ruffianly prison term .
23 Lost Homemaking Skills That Deserve a Comeback
Many traditional homemaking accomplishment have faded from quotidian life , though they were once substantive for running a household . Here are 23 forgotten homemaking science that deserve to make a retort .
12 Things to Make at Home Instead of Buying from the Grocery Store
Making more things at home plate can importantly deoxidise your grocery store leaning while living more sustainably . Here ’s a list of simple items you’re able to easily make yourself rather of buy them from the computer storage , help you take a stone’s throw toward a more ego - reliant modus vivendi .
19 Depression Era Recipes That Were Simple, Affordable and Surprisingly Good
TheseDepression - epoch recipesmay have been behave out of necessity , but many of these round-eyed , filling , and astonishingly flavorful meals are still enjoyed today !
From the humble mayonnaise sandwich to the imaginative mock Malus pumila pie , these Depression - era formula are a reminder of how , even in the hardest time , resourceful Captain James Cook find way to make mealtimes especial with just a few basic ingredient .
