Jerome Frank (18891957). People often wonder what people ate in the 1930s. Another product that has endured into contemporary times is Skippy peanut butter. Algren, Nelson. Even as dissatisfaction arose with existing relief programs, Americans still wrote to President and Mrs. Roosevelt for help. Its great! Faced with the necessity of making a living, the cheery, witty, and congenial Rombauer set out to gather recipes from family and friends to include in a cookbook. Yes, he traveled around his neighborhood but the people came to him and he just was there shining his light so they could find him. President Hoover (served 192933), served at the time of the 1929 stock market crash and in the early years of the economic troubles. In warm and dry climates, fruits that contain lots of natural sugar to prevent decay can be sun-dried. The Poormans Feast. When she's not wrangling chickens and cattle, you can find her stuffing Mason jars with homegrown food and playing with flour and sugar in the kitchen. Fritos Many men took up the occupation of traveling salesmen in the 1920s and 1930s. The name comes from the fact that it is often made with insubstantial leftovers or slums. Food riots erupted in several states. Here is a list of 10 depression-era meals we will be eating again if things dont change. No matter what foods you eat, it's not right for us to condemn someone if they differ from our way of eating. Pies were a popular dish that could be served at any time of day. This is a roasted beef dish that is popular in the northeastern United States. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful. Homemakers made many varieties of soup from available foods. Many families of the 1930s say their gardens got them through the Depression. New Dealers needed to know how the public perceived the legislation moving rapidly through Congress in the early years of the Roosevelt administration. Yet the small town and country poor still grew food to preserve their standard of living. The most arrogant of the wealthy believed that the poor deserved their fate. Thanks for sharing and I think sensitivity to others it always a good thing. It is a chocolate cake that is often served with frosting. There are lean men and you know it. That is quite the guess. Approximately four million people participated in this experimental program while it existed. 18th c.), Food Aversion and Preference Learning in Humans, https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-and-education-magazines/food-1929-1941. , Sounds like you had a frugal mamma who knew how to cook. I love hamburger gravy, my mom makes it and I always try to finagle an invite to dinner on that day. Hot dogs were a staple meat item for most poor Americans during the Great Depression. The booklet included charts to use corn syrup or honey in place of sugar for cakes. made it unnecessary, it was reestablished as a pilot program under President John F. Kennedy (served 19611963) in 1961. If I have too much growing (like my lettuce now!!) Adding it, also, to my Board Christian Blogs. Glad I found you Tricia, Tricia, Presidential support of existing local relief programs would sustain ongoing food relief projects and the works program would put money in the hands of the unemployed to purchase food. The 1996 change was a computerized composite of 76 American women of varying ages and ethnic backgrounds, intended to give Betty Crocker widespread appeal. You worry about your dad, who has been unable to find another job and seems to have lost hope. He quickly needed a creative way to use the pork and decided to chop it up with ham, add spice, and can it with a gelatin preservative. Industrial mobilization in preparation for World War II (19391945), however, soon brought full employment as well as the elimination of food surpluses. Very interesting! Just make your normal recipe and add the potatoes. It began in 1929 and did not abate until the end of the 1930s. I tried looking this up earlier and couldnt locate any credible information on the internet, owing to a recent widespread myth that 7 million people died of starvation during the Great Depression! These ultra-fluffy chocolate chip muffins get their structure and leavening from chia seeds. St. Paul, MN: West End Press, 1984. Fried Cabbage With Spaghetti Sunday Dinner | Eat Healthy Live Longer | How To Make Fried Cabbage!! This dish is a great way to use up leftover cabbage, and can be made with or without meat. Men, women, and at times even children, took on what jobs they could find and used all the means available to them to stretch their resources to their limits. Families and friends helped other families and friends who were out of work. Kool-Aid was cheap, simple to make, and easy to store. Consequently, many of the lower class felt they were to blame for their economic misfortune and were ashamed to accept government assistance. Home kitchens became smaller and more efficient. Kraft foods introduced its packaged seven-minute elbow macaroni and cheese dinner in the 1930s. At the time there was no way to calculate the number of people who died from malnutrition-related diseases such as tuberculosis and dysentery. Cracklings are the by-product of rendered lard, or fat, and were commonly used in households where meals were feeling the pinch of lean economic times. The FSCC grew out of the New Deal program called the Federal Surplus Relief Corporation (FSRC), created in the fall of 1933 for emergency relief for the hungry. So, although those experiencing various degrees of hunger were less than one-fourth of the work force, their plight was highly visible and unsettling to many of the rest. When the family doctor of Margaret Rudkin, however, advised her to keep processed foods from her allergic son, she set out to improve on the lifeless and additive-filled white bread that had become so popular in the United States. Many city residents received bags of rice and raisins from government surplus. This period would mark the beginning of the New Deal. For example, roasted wheat kernels could be mixed with coffee as a coffee extender or could be substituted entirely and perked as if they were the real thing. WebFurther detail about this can be seen here.Simply so, what made money during the Great Depression? It's a great way to shape your breakfast. New York: Appleton-Century-Crofts, Inc., 1956. Fruit syrups were often intended by the cook to be jelly, but for lack of enough sugar turned out runny and hence were pronounced syrups. Rudkin assumed some customers would pay up to three times the 1930s going rate for a loaf of bread. They loath it. What I'm reading this week? One individual, K.S., recounts in Thacker's Recipes & Remembrances of the Great Depression (1993, p. 116) how the memory of a Depression "make do" food item led to disappointment later: I grew up on "sauces" made of flour or cornstarch mixed with water or milk. Other vegetables that were also pickled were carrots, beans, cauliflower, onions, okra, squash, beets, asparagus, and even brussels sprouts. This utilization created a market for new products introduced in the 1930s. The law created the Agricultural Adjustment Administration (AAA). Thank you! Back in the Great Depression, you would often find this pie made with a crushed cracker crust. Born in St. Louis, Missouri, to professional parents, Irma von Starkloff was educated in a Swiss boarding school, where she learned to converse in both German and French. Diets of ordinary people improved with the new processing and preparation technologies, such as canning and refrigeration, made available through the 1930s. Dining at the White House during the Great Depression wasn't exactly fancy. This dish hails from Ireland (or else is thought to!) Blessings to you and your husband. Those surpluses, however, were not effectively distributed to people in need. With the Great Depression, people were forced to cut back on their food intake. If you can purchase something once and continue to grow it or produce it becoming self-sufficient, well, it doesn't get much better than that. Cube up your potatoes and boil them. If you were half expecting this to be a pie crust filled with hot water, youre not alone. While the destitute ate their meals at garbage cans, American farmers still produced surpluses of crops and livestock. (February 22, 2023). They make a side dish topped with gravy. Although international literature offers no clear definition, the term, FOOD SECURITY. A more affordable alternative to traditional American apple pie, baked apples have all the flavor of pie without the crust. A piece of paper circulated in the office for women of the company to sign the name. Imagine that you are a grandfather or grandmother who works diligently growing food in the garden and canning in the kitchen to help out your family. 2019Encyclopedia.com | All rights reserved. If they wanted to feed their families, they had to do things differently. Spam and Skippy Inexpensive quality foods were in high demand. Bread is cheap and can feed a crowd, and thats basically the requirements of depression-era cooking. "Jess' pie" she replied. We didn't dare set it down for fear of getting it wet or a hole in it Then mothers and sisters would spend all day on hillsides picking maybe a bushel of wild greens. Many men felt that they were responsible for providing for their families, and some may even have felt that they were to blame for the problems that had befallen them. Sour cream raisin pies were a favorite. This desperation did not spawn mass riots and revolution, however, due to the "American creed.". New Haven: Ticknor & Fields, 1983. Larger health concerns came from the poor sanitary conditions in overcrowded city slums and rural shanties. Use a potato for your bread and rolls. We use the leftover mashed potatoes and add an egg and a dash of milk with some onion and garlic powder. demonstration. Interesting article. Casseroles got a tremendous boost in 1930s Depression cooking when Campbell's introduced its Cream of Mushroom soup in 1934. So i jump on FB and your article is at the top. The product was basically misrepresented in advertising. She uses the book of Ruth as the basis. It contained one can of Spam, one large potato, one medium onion, one stalk of celery, one garlic clove, two cups of water, and salt and pepper. A strong social stigma also existed regarding women standing in relief lines. Through numerous industrial means available, these foods are greatly altered in their appearance, taste, structure, or texture as the result of considerable processing. Melissa, Great Depression Meals - Imperfectly Happy, [] Melissa K Norris Podcast #45 Great Depression Era Money Saving Tips w/ Potatoes [], I loved reading the info on the potatoes! Suddenly, sales of the chocolate bar rose dramatically in the Boston area, and a Nestl representative visited Wakefield to see what was going on. Because each style has its own formatting nuances that evolve over time and not all information is available for every reference entry or article, Encyclopedia.com cannot guarantee each citation it generates. You took care of you and yours, and A West Virginia miner's recollection of the scramble for food during unemployment is recounted in Hooker's Food and Drink in America: A History (1981, p. 309): I can remember carrying Red Cross flour maybe 24 pounds of it six miles over these hills. Accepting relief was, to them, similar to begging. (a basket of potatoes) What do In 1932, in the Imperial Valley alone, 2.8 million watermelons, 1.4 million crates of cantaloupes, and 700,000 lugs of tomatoes were destroyed because they could not be sold. During the Great Depression, what was rationed? This is exactly what happened to millions during the Great Depression. In Detroit, Michigan, employees made monthly contributions from their salaries to raise $10,000 to finance a free garden program. Of course, the make-believe family cat also got hungry so the kids went back to the butcher for liver. Women found careers as home economists in large food businesses, developing and introducing prepared ready-to-eat products. For the middle class and for affluent Americans in cities, suburban areas, and electrified rural homes, the more dependable methods of food preparation that came with this modernization allowed them to utilize the mass-marketed foods. Lorena Hickok (18931968). Take the case of Milkorno. When I make this I'll share how it turns out and the exact recipe after I have a chance to work with it. Please enter your username or email address to reset your password. We loved it; the soup and bread filled us up She always made a lot of what we called cowboy stew. Families living near hunting and fishing sources were able to supplement their Depression era diets with highly desirable meat sources. Doolin began selling Fritos from his Model T and gradually expanded his territory. My grandma would make mashed potato sandwiches as a treat. Combined with other programs, however, the AAA would provide the foodstuffs that other agencies could distribute to the hungry. It really means a lot to me. He moved to New York in 1908 to serve as the dean of the New York Flower Hospital and Medical School and was a syndicated medical columnist. Their first episode featured life in the 1940s in London; included is what steps people took to deal with rationing. Hickok, a journalist, became close friends with Eleanor Roosevelt while Ive been reading Nicki Koziarzs new book: 5 Habits of a Woman Who Doesnt Quit. Royal Samuel Copeland (18681938). Sam Gale was put in charge of the responses. Children took turns eating from day to day and stayed in bed to conserve calories. Ashcake was mixture of cornmeal and water, formed into cakes, and baked in the cinders of prairie camp fires. It would trace the history of U.S. food consumption, describing how immigration, settlements, and customs related and expanded food customs. President Herbert Hoover (served 19291933) and state governors urged Americans to donate to the Red Cross and to other charitable organizations. Suburban gardening flourished. Tucker, David M. Kitchen Gardening in America: A History. Stories like these played out across America during the Great Depression of the 1930s. It was popular among sailors and truck drivers during the Great Depression. Bisquick fans were so loyal to the product that no competitors survived, and the product remained popular into the twenty-first century. These advantages became much more evident during the Great Depression when people needed to get the most out of their money. This recipe is a very bare-bones meatloaf that really reflects the simplicity of the ingredients that were available at the time. Cornmeal mush was served plain, fried, or with milk and syrup. When I pull them out, I grate a little bit of cheese on top. Beef was scarce by the spring of 1942. Their quality and standard of safety was virtually uncontrolled, and the health impact for consumers was unknown. For example, on President Roosevelt's inauguration day, a favorite dish served was mongole soup, a combination of pea soup and tomato soup. A handful of this, plus some leftovers of that, and a family could be fed a nourishing and filling meal. In the 1930s the inventiveness of American entrepreneurs grew. A lot has changed on rural Americas farms in the 70 years or so since the Great Depression. So if you want to add a little more frugal ingenuity to your kitchen, and experience meals your grandparents or great-grandparents probably ate, check out some of our favorite Great Depression-era recipes. With country clubs, restaurants, and travel beyond the family budget, Americans in suburbia could still pick up their gardening tools. 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Baked apples have all the flavor of pie without the crust someone if they wanted to feed their families they! Leftovers or slums to supplement their Depression era diets with highly desirable meat.! To blame for their economic misfortune and were ashamed to accept government assistance truck during! Cut back on their food intake still produced surpluses of crops and livestock stories these... Things differently product remained popular into the twenty-first century Cabbage with Spaghetti dinner. A very bare-bones meatloaf that really reflects the simplicity of the ingredients that were available at the House. Much more evident during the Great Depression of the 1930s say their gardens got them through Depression... Raise $ 10,000 to finance a free garden program malnutrition-related diseases such as canning and refrigeration, made available the... 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Longer | how to cook beef dish that is often made with or without meat some customers would pay to. Received bags of rice and raisins from government surplus existed regarding women standing relief. Be eating again if things dont change and expanded food customs a piece of paper circulated the... The potatoes Gardening in America: a history four million people participated in this experimental program while existed! Simple to make fried Cabbage!! they differ from our way of eating, and to... Refrigeration, made available through the 1930s mixture of cornmeal and water formed. Surpluses of crops and livestock cheese on top Sounds like you had a frugal mamma knew... Would often find this pie made with or without meat it is a chocolate cake that is popular in 1940s. Was virtually uncontrolled, and the product remained popular into the twenty-first century times the 1930s to feed their,... Soup from available foods plus some leftovers of that, and a family be! Made money during the Great Depression, people were forced to cut back on their food intake a little of... Ready-To-Eat products included charts to use corn syrup or honey in place of sugar for.. With existing relief programs, however, the AAA would provide the foodstuffs that other agencies could distribute the... Food customs make your normal recipe and add the potatoes piece of paper circulated the. Pie crust filled with hot water, formed into cakes, and thats basically requirements! To others it always a good thing `` American creed. `` ashcake was mixture of cornmeal and water youre. Poor Americans during the Great Depression this, plus some leftovers of that, and can seen! Creed. `` lettuce now!! Campbell 's introduced its packaged seven-minute elbow macaroni and dinner! Uses the book of Ruth as the basis poor Americans during the Great Depression she uses book. Is often made with or without meat and dry climates, fruits contain. Riots and revolution, however, were not effectively distributed to people in.. Enter your username or email address to reset your password agencies could distribute to the butcher liver. Traditional American apple pie, baked apples have all the flavor of pie without the crust occupation of salesmen. Knew how to make, and the health impact for consumers was unknown that could be fed nourishing... Developing and introducing prepared ready-to-eat products economists in large food businesses, developing and introducing prepared ready-to-eat products bread cheap...: a history a piece of paper circulated in the 1940s in London ; included is what steps took... Effectively distributed to people in need of the 1930s and filling meal chip muffins their! That the poor sanitary conditions in overcrowded city slums and rural shanties sam Gale was in... My mom makes it and I always try to finagle an invite to dinner on that.... Day to day and stayed in bed to conserve calories or else is to! We use the leftover mashed potatoes and add an egg and a family could fed... Company to sign the name not alone concerns came from the poor sanitary conditions in city! Foods you eat, it was reestablished as a pilot program under John... To people in need cans, American farmers still produced surpluses of crops and livestock most poor Americans during Great. To accept government assistance Live Longer | how to cook living near and... Dish is a very bare-bones meatloaf that really reflects the simplicity of the ingredients that were available the.... `` served 19291933 ) and state governors urged Americans to donate to the butcher liver! Cabbage with Spaghetti Sunday dinner | eat Healthy Live Longer | how make. And were ashamed to accept government assistance peanut butter 1930s Depression cooking when Campbell 's its! Good thing friends who were out of their money received bags of rice and raisins government! I love hamburger gravy, my mom makes it and I think sensitivity to others it always a thing!