Much like today, the Great Depression was a challenging time in America. The Great Depression was marked by economic hardship and resource scarcity.
In the face of adversity, families had to get creative with their meals, concocting affordable and filling recipes.
We can learn from the past and implement these time-tested ideas in our present lives to get through difficult times and move forward.
The following recipes are budget-friendly and show us that a little can go a long way with some creativity and determination.
Potato Soup
Nothing is more satisfying on a cold night than a warm bowl of potato soup.
Ingredients:
-
- Potatoes
- Onions
- Water
- Salt and pepper
Instructions:
Peel and dice the potatoes and onions. Bring them to a boil in a large pot until tender. To thicken the soup, mash some of the potatoes in it. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Average Cost: $3-$5 depending on location and pricing
Bean and Rice Casserole
Beans and rice are an affordable staple that should be a part of every American pantry.
Ingredients:
-
- Dried beans
- Rice
- Onions
- Canned tomatoes
Instructions:
Cook the beans until tender. Cook rice separately. Mix the beans and rice with sautéed onions and canned tomatoes. Bake at 350 for 15 to 20 minutes or until flavors meld together.
Related: Canning Mormon Beans For Long Term Preservation
Average Cost: $3-$5 depending on location and pricing. You can improve it and make it tastier if you have more ingredients, as you can see here.
Bread Pudding
Bread pudding is the perfect bedtime snack to fill hungry bellies.
Ingredients:
-
- Stale bread
- Milk
- Eggs
- Sugar
Instructions:
Tear the bread into small pieces. Mix with a blend of milk, beaten eggs, and sugar. Bake until set, and enjoy a comforting and filling dessert.
Average Cost: Depending on your location and current pricing, this treat can be created for less than $3 per serving
Simple Vegetable Soup
A healthy option for any meal, this recipe can be adapted to fit any items you have on hand.
Ingredients:
-
- Carrots
- Potatoes
- Corn
- Green beans
- Broth and water
Instructions:
Chop vegetables and simmer in a pot of broth until they are fully cooked. Season with salt and pepper. Store or freeze this soup for a hearty and nutritious meal anytime.
Average Cost: Around $3 depending on location and pricing, cheaper if you can grow your vegetables at home. You can learn here how to make a year-round self-sustaining garden.
Cornmeal Pancakes
Cornmeal pancakes are super easy to make, cost next to nothing, and are so filling. Perfect for any meal.
Ingredients:
-
- Cornmeal (1+ cup)
- Flour (4 ½ oz)
- Milk (1 cup)
- Baking powder (1 tbsp)
- *optional: 2 eggs, 3 tbsp sugar
Instructions:
Mix ingredients into a batter. Cook on a grill for a simple and satisfying breakfast. These delicious morsels can be made ahead and kept warm in an oven for up to an hour or frozen for enjoyment later.
Average Cost: $2- $3 depending on location
Cabbage and Noodles
Cabbage is affordable or can be easily grown at home. It is packed full of nutrients and provides many health benefits.
Ingredients:
-
- Cabbage
- Egg noodles
- Butter or margarine
Instructions:
Sauté cabbage in butter. Boil egg noodles and mix with cabbage. It is an affordable and comforting dish to use as a side, or you can add protein to make it a meal.
Average Cost: $3-$4
Fried Bologna Sandwich
A popular staple throughout American history, the fried bologna sandwich is still beloved by many.
Ingredients:
-
- Bologna slices
- Bread
- Mustard
Instructions:
Fry bologna slices until crispy. Make a sandwich and add mustard for a quick and tasty lunch.
Average Cost: $2-$5 depending on location and current grocery prices
Rice Pudding
Another affordable option for a filling dessert is rice pudding.
Ingredients:
-
- Rice
- Milk
- Sugar
- Cinnamon
Instructions:
Cook rice in milk and sugar until creamy. Sprinkle with cinnamon for a sweet treat.
Average Cost: $4
Mock Apple Pie
No apples? That’s okay. We’ve got you covered with this mock apple pie recipe.
Ingredients:
-
- Crackers
- Sugar
- Cinnamon
- Water
Instructions:
Crush crackers and mix with sugar, cinnamon, and a little water to create a paste. Bake for 15 minutes in a pie crust at 425 for a surprising substitute.
Average Cost: $4-$5 depending on location and pricing
Egg Drop Soup
This Asian-inspired delight can be easily made on a budget and stored easily.
Ingredients:
-
- Chicken broth
- Eggs
- Green onions
- Soy sauce
Instructions:
Bring chicken broth to a simmer. Beat eggs and slowly pour into the broth. Stir gently, add chopped green onions, and season with soy sauce.
⇒ Learn How to Keep Eggs Fresh for at Least a Decade
Average Cost: $5, depending on your location
Corn Chowder
Corn chowder is another perfect meal for a cold fall night and is easy to make.
Ingredients:
-
- Corn kernels
- Potatoes
- Milk
- Butter
Instructions:
Boil potatoes and corn in a pot. Add milk and butter. Simmer until the potatoes are tender for a rich and satisfying chowder.
Average Cost: $3-$5 depending on your location and current sales
Ritz Cracker Casserole
Cooking doesn’t get much easier than this Ritz Cracker Casserole.
Ingredients:
-
- Ground meat (any type)
- Ritz crackers
- Tomato sauce
- Cheese
Instructions:
Brown ground meat. Layer with crushed Ritz crackers, tomato sauce, and cheese. Bake until bubbly and golden.
Average Cost: $3-$4 depending on choices location, and current pricing
Potato Patties
One of my all-time favorites, potato patties are cheap, quick, and perfect for any meal.
Ingredients:
-
- Mashed potatoes
- Flour
- Egg
- Salt and pepper
Instructions:
Mix mashed potatoes with flour and beaten egg. Form into patties and fry until golden.
Related: How to Can Potatoes for Long Term Preservation
Average Cost: Around $3 depending on location
Navy Bean Soup
Beans were an essential staple during The Great Depression and often worked into every meal. Navy bean soup was one popular bean recipe that is still popular today.
Ingredients:
-
- 2-3 cups dried navy beans
- 1 can diced tomatoes
- chopped onion
- Diced ham or ham hock
- 2 cups broth
- 2 cups water
Instructions:
Soak the navy beans according to package instructions, rinsing them clean before and after soaking. Mix the beans with the can of tomatoes, onion, ham, broth, and water; season to taste.
For thicker soup, puree the cooked beans in a food processor and add them back into the soup, stirring well to combine.
Average Cost: $3-$4 per serving
Creativity Counts
While they may require you to be a little creative, these Depression-era recipes are not only budget-friendly but also provide a glimpse into the resourcefulness of families during challenging times.
Although we may not face the same economic hardships or lack of access today that citizens met in the past, these recipes remind us that delicious and nutritious meals can be crafted with simple, affordable ingredients if you are creative.
Try these dishes to experience a taste of history, bring a touch of nostalgia to your modern kitchen, or save some cash. A little creativity and some frugal shopping can make a big difference.
Do you have a good Depression-era recipe that can be made for less than 5 bucks? Please share it in the comments, and let’s create affordable go-to recipes we can all enjoy.
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These recipes are probably like your grandma’s old cookbook recipes. Even the pro chiefs still use cookbook recipes at there restaurants.
Even in prepping we use recipes or guideline eBooks to prep too.
Recently the these Blue Sanctuary States or cities run by idiots or Demoncrats are the pots calling the kettle black. Like the socialist Black mayor in Chicago or Shitcago. The Sanctuary State politicians mandated those policies of fake liberal hospitality.
Now that Texas and the border States have been overwhelmed by Biden’s ILLEGALS and terrorist cells spreading to other Sanctuary States. These politicians are now crying over their liberal policies liberalism has made their choices to welcome illegals to their States.
Fake socialist of Sanctuary States have had virtue signalling never thinking the illegals would be coming across Bidenomics open southern border in masses. They think it’s Texas problem at the border, not us liberals problems. Homeless camps anyone?
What do you expect when you choose to become a Sanctuary State?
So what is the problem liberals?
I find it funny how the wealthy elites on Martha’s Vineyard got some illegals kicked off the island from the southern border:)
Those liberals had virtue signal yard signs saying welcome to all. As soon as reality hit of their Sanctuary Welcome Matt found reality and California Dreaming collided that day. They got a taste of their liberal medicine, ha, ha!
Us border States are supporting these illegals other Blue Sanctuary States need to pick up the slack also. Spread the open border wealth, watch your taxes go sky high to support the liberal mess.
Then us border State residents can afford to make those depression recipes on our low income finances too.
Not my sense of humor –
because they really get a way with making laws only for others to follow:
i.e. honest, hard working Patriots
People who come into this country requesting asylum are not “illegals”. They are allowed to stay until a hearing (and appeals) determine if their claims are valid. This process can take years. The President cannot change this. Only Congress has the ability to change the law. However, it is more beneficial, politically, to complain about a problem than it is to fix it.
Bonnie, there is legal immigration and illegal immigration. We have laws, passed by Congress that -if followed- would provide a level of protection against overwhelming lawlessness. We, however, are not enforcing these laws, and that is directly the fault of an administration that appears to put other `values’ above the law and contrary to our national interests.
Depression era food was because the supply chain got disrupted for a variety of reasons, one was the stock market crash of the 1930’s.
We have similar crisis with Bidenomics.
Are we prepping for the old outdated stuff or for the new chaotic world beginning in 2024?
“For Over 2,500 Years, Gold Means Money”
“While paper money comes and goes, and money “mined” from computer code (like Bitcoin) has been a volatile and often unstable investment, Gold has meant money for at least 2,500 years.” – AMAC
How many times do the articles repeat before people or preppers understand these articles have repeated over and over?
Unfortunately, Gold only holds value. It’s value does not grow. The numbers it represents may change, but what it can buy will stay relatively stable.
At least you will be able to BUY something with it… The paper money can get so worthless it will not even make goo toilet paper to wipe your As*…. Just ask the Venezuelans, their money became fodder in the streets. We could and probably will be in that same boat soon.
Silver is important, too!
Silver may even be a little safer to own because “Gold Fever” is real –
If word ever got out that a person has a stash of physical gold, they would need ongoing, reinforced, Security for themselves and all their loved ones…(just sayin’ ..)
I like hot soups for the cold Winter we are partway through, cooking on a gas stove. If the electricity is not available because of downed power lines or a drunk hitting a power pole with their car, your not cooking on a electric stove.
Two other topics; 1-Gold and Silver the most stable currency on planet earth, why the USA government took the American currency base off the gold standard was stupidity and greed. The block chain technology is no different than paper money fiat system. A bank of computers run 24/7 mining digits of electronic electrons as long as the electricity is stable or consistent.
We have had over educated idiots in charge in the 21st century.
—————————–
2-“Hello from Mike Lindell, The people in California, Arizona, Texas I met with last week are standing united in our opposition to electronic voting machines……and it’s paying off.
The “FAKE NEWS” Media knows we are RIGHT.
The “FAKE NEWS” Media knows voting machines are hackable.
The “FAKE NEWS” Media knows voting machines connected to the Internet.
The “FAKE NEWS” Media knows voting machines can change the outcome of elections.”
Will our election voting be disrupted by the alphabet agencies and big tech again?
What ever we do don’t get rid of our gas cars, gas stoves, water heaters, if we vote right, we will be drilling for oil and gas. Bidenomics will be DOA too.
Cooking food on gas or a wood stove give the best food flavor.
Ask a New Yorker on pizza, which stove cooks pizza better. A wood fired stove or a gas stove versus an electric stove flavorless pizza?
I believe the next election is in jeopardy of being stolen again. Because NOTHING has been done to fix the loop holes that allowed it the last time. The machines are still being used, the voter roles have still not been cleaned up of registered Dead People and Non-Residence. Ballot boxes for stuffing the votes have not been outlawed – And more importantly, NO ONE has really been jailed for stuffing boxes or illegal voting in the last election. History will repeat itself again.
Is prepping more or less about food than any other part of prepping?
Isn’t interesting we are repeating history?
The survivalist in the 1970’s had a crappy president, the gas supply shortage caused economic problems. Gold and silver hoarding.
Today we have a crappy president, gas shortage due to Biden’s green energy EV push down Americans throats. No more oil drilling in America by one idiot’s Exec Orders. Dependence on China for day to day supplies and foreign countries buying up American farmlands. Gold and silver prices going up.
Carter let the Muslim radical terrorists take American and other country citizens hostage. The middle yeast has always been a boiling pot.
Biden’s foreign policies are a dumpster fire. Gaza American an Israeli hostages, some alive, some dead and tortured by Muslim Hamas inspired by Iran. Biden supporting Iran with aid that goes to the proxy terrorists.
We can see with liberals in charge we are following similar historic repeat to another great depression, will 2024 be any different?
Make sure we have enough food supplies to make those old tired depression recipes for 2024 and beyond.
My grandparents still cooked a lot of these dishes in the 60’s & 70’s. As a kid, I enjoyed the dishes and never thought about the cost. As an adult, I still enjoy the dishes and before bidenomics, never considered the cost savings. The beauty of having served these meals for so long means that I had more money available for enjoying steak and other high dollar meals.
I have tried to instill an awareness in my kids that there will always be times of feast or famine, and to learn to enjoy what they have and not be too concerned about what they want. Keeping up with the Jones’ has always caused problems instead of providing happiness. Flying a kite with your young child, to me, is more rewarding than spending a day on a jet ski or taking a high dollar vacation once a year.
I have ZERO regrets having enjoyed my simple life all these years.
Excellent article : as you get older you really appreciate the things you rememeber of past
and grandmas recipies are the best :
Being from a depression family , parents we used to have to eat a lot of food , yu would never see today
pickled foods ( cows tounge, feet, liver , brains, intestines
and made to taste Great in soups and dishs
The secret is how is made .
we had to eat a lot of stuff , I will never eat again , unless starving , but when you grow up in a depression family , you really learn how to prepare, make the best of things , and appreciate the small things of life , like Good home cooking , country cooking , wild foods , meats you might never eat
like : Fish eyes, minooodle , pig intestines , pigs feet, pigs tounges , Goat, Bear, wild meats , like mixed meats in a brine
Really helps you appreciate all the Good , That God our savior has Given us to enjoy
Time is coming when the luxury will disappear and the ungratefullness will appear
those who never had to endure hardship , and will curse God for loosing everything
NOW is the Time to Renew YOUR relationship with our savior , Make the decision to follow Jesus Christ No matter the cost , and to read the ten commandments , love your neighbor as your self , forgive one another , give to the needy , NOT the greedy , NOT the wealthy , NOT those who Dont need , NEEDY
I agree with your comment. People today do not know the difference between an emergency and a desire. Kids think if they don’t get the food they want (or anything else) then the world will come to an end.
Like you, I have eaten things I will NEVER eat again, yet, if I am truly starving, then I will probably eat just about anything. Even the “needy” folks of today may not truly need food from the food bank; they may be using the food bank as a way to save money to keep their cell phone. A needy person will be willing to engage in conversation, or jump on the other end of a hoe to earn a little extra. If they are not needy, they will blow you off and move to the next person they think will make life easier.
The food banks are not free, somebody always pays the freight for the FREE STUFF.
Quit voting for liberals in both parties, more emphatic liberal indoctrination this time of year to give donations to the poor. I can’t anymore, our taxes are wasted on homeless baloney housing and food. Now I’m on a fixed retirement, no one is paying for my property taxes to help out.
The donation beggars are now 365 days of the year. Quit giving our tax money to foreign aid programs fix our country first, not last.
Put the needy on low wages cleaning up the sh*t and pee stained sidewalks and fight the wildfires by doing dead brush, wood on the ground cleaning.
Remember “Smokey the Bear” says only you can prevent fires.
That fact has gone over the slick used car salesman CA gov Newsom.
He blames everyone else, start cleaning up the dry brush to prevent wildfires. You waste more time on gun control while your buddy Soros and son’s DA’s let the criminals back out on the streets. Not to forget the stupid high speed train to nowhere. Costing Californians billions to trillions in taxes to pay for illegals to ride from the southern border to the North, free rides illegals, not for us.
Must be nice the website monitor took down a negative reply about you. So it is true you are related to the website people running the show here.
Your still a soapbox regurgitator, they like than a normal contributor.
I don’t hate you , I pray for you to be kind , don’t be mad , you can be all you can be , God loves the hatters as we should do to our incompetent opposition .
Debbie , we are all Gods children , whether we like it or not , I am much better than your snarky comment , this website loves me .
Now this is the kind of information I want to see on Ask A Prepper! This is the kind of eating that just feels right to me. Haven’t tried the cabbage and noodle combination, but I might. As for things to add to the list I would say shepards pie, and sometimes hot dogs and sauerkraut is a simple meal around here.
I still make the potato soup. My grandma always made it for us, but since they lived on a farm she would add a few things. When the soup had cooked she would add what she called “riblets” I know they are called rivlets, but that wasn’t what my grandma would say LOL ( these also help thicken the soup) once the rivlets were done she would add just enough milk to change the color of the soup and a helf cup of butter. once the butter had completely melted then it was ready to eat.
It’s good stuff!
That was a fantastic article. Thank you so much. Each recipe can be built upon if you have extra ingredients or spices you want to include.
Rivels and spaetzle are similar forms of noodles or dumplings to go into soups. Some recipes for rivels have milk but no salt. Some recipes for spaetzle have salt and milk, some don’t have milk. I guess it depends on how your grandmother’s grandmother made them. My grandmother didn’t make either and her mother came from Germany. Go figure….
Noodles and cabbage with garlic, onion, bacon and LOADS of real butter is a Polish dish called “Haluski.” It is very popular around Pittsburg, Pa. Try it with a dollop of sour cream on top….pure heaven for your taste buds.
I started adding cabbage while frying my hash browned potatoes with garlic and onion and some butter along with the cooking oil. It’s a great way to get your family to eat green veggies along with the potatoes. Again, put some sour cream or shredded cheese on top.
Another great dessert is a Jewish dish called “Noodle Kugel.”. Cooked egg noodles placed in a buttered baking dish and mixed with raisins, cinnamon, some sugar – either granulated or brown – then pour a custard of milk and eggs over it and bake until it sets. Great comfort food and a good way to use up leftover noodles.
Some of the “Old World” peasant recipes are great ways to make your grocery money stretch, especially if you raise your own chickens and are not spending $6 for a dozen eggs. It makes sense when you consider how many wars were fought in Europe over the centuries. If you are constantly being invaded by armies, you come up with economical ways to survive.
The old world was like the American Dream are all hogwash.
Europe is a pain in the butt for centuries of elitist versus the unwashed masses. America helped with the two world wars and more likely a third world war from an American wussy president whose globalist views are not of America.
Those Europeans would not have to be frugal if they would have taken the hierarchy out along with the corrupt Catholic church, the popes were not exactly honest. The Iranians can terminate the Mullahs who run the religious quasi-government an those citizens can live in peace too.
A decade or so Europe got their new invasion of the Muslims conflicting with the Christian culture is suffering from dummy politics. Give those illegals a chance, yes they got an inch and took a mile.
America currently has the same problem of illegals from around the world. We have finite resources that are being destroyed by the floods of freeloaders. They bring their culture, don’t speak English, demand America succumb to their needs, not ours.
Many of you voted for Biden, you get the garbage government you wanted.
Don’t make the same mistake next time.
We only have this nation and nowhere for us to run to. We are in the invasion of replacements of the honest Americans that will die soon from another Chinese bioweapon to finish us off. Why do you think we have open borders?
Prepping = the results of conflict between religion and politics. That has been the formula for the world since Roman times and the Chinese Dynasties have ruled.
Great ideas! I have some potato soup in my freezer now. Add cheese and bacon as a topper…. Yum!!
When is it “time”???
I gave all responses that were off subject (Food recipes) a negative vote. Please stay on topic.
I’m printing this one out for my pantry binder. While not necessary in good times, in week three of a SHTF scenario, we’ll be looking at ways to create different ways of creating meals.
Most of these ingredients are already in our pantry right now. Having an unplanned menu of sorts helps when deciding what to store.
I have 26+ weeks of food and supply preps stored (and rotated) divided into seven different meals. Having different solutions in the form of fast recipes will be helpful for the extra food not already earmarked as daily meals.
This year I bought each of my adult children and my husband a crank/solar weather radio for Christmas. Next year I plan to give my children a prepper binder with various recipes and information they should prep. The following year (should we get that far), I will give them 5-gallon buckets of long-term storage foods. The following year I plan to give medical kits. I might decide to do some of these things for their birthdays instead, but you get the idea.
Brian H, each time I try to cut/paste to copy on this site my hilite disappears. How can I copy/print info from here?
I grew up with depression era grandparents. I refused that life until I had my own family. Forgive me for not learning more from them. Several years ago; A brand name product was discontinued so I set my mind to recreating & canning it. I started a new path of food addiction. I have canned & created anything you can buy in the store & many things you can’t buy.
My pantry is stocked for anything I may want…ever.
My affordable method for me:
I never buy meat Or anything unless its on sale or unless it’s a must have. If its buy 1-2 get the next free; I always take the free.
Take advantage of the stores holiday sales…they offer the best buys then.
Example: Thanksgiving Turkey & hams…I paid .39¢ for turkey $2.39 for ham. I purchased 12 of each (1 per month) I use them as needed or can or dehydrate. I eat that food at that cost all year. A zero+ freezer is a must & for me it is only temporary storage. I can year round.
I buy sale large pork loins..now $2.49#. It will make slot of meals & I cure it into Canadian bacon. Bone in pro roasts are cheap for alot of meat & you can make buck board bacon with it.
My point is to Prep for your actual family needs to survive daily comfortably & health wise. keep reading this sight! It posts are excellent! Ask them your questions & glean there wisdom.
look up desperation pies. When the root cellar was empty and spring plants had not come up yet was the season for desperation pies.
Grandma made a vinegar pie that was good. Ritz crackers, apple cider vinegar, water and butter in a pie crust. Maybe something to thicken it.
Rhubarb (& strawberry) pie.