10 Forgotten Depression Era Recipes That Saved America Wartime Meals & Vintage Cooking Secrets

meat

🥗Healthier: beans

💰Cheaper: lentils

Beans are a cost-effective protein source.

milk

🥗Healthier: almond milk

💰Cheaper: water

Water can be used in many recipes to reduce costs.

lard

🥗Healthier: olive oil

💰Cheaper: butter

Olive oil is healthier and can replace lard in cooking.

sugar

🥗Healthier: honey

💰Cheaper: brown sugar

Brown sugar can be a more affordable sweetener.

Collect potato peels throughout the week, wash thoroughly, and store in cold water to keep them fresh.

On a cold weekend evening, take out the soup pot.

Saute onions in bacon grease or lard.

Add potato peels, garlic, carrots, and diced celery or dried herbs if available.

Pour in water or weak broth and bring to a simmer.

Let the mixture simmer low and slow until the peels are tender and the broth is flavorful.

If available, add a splash of milk or evaporated cream to enrich the soup.

Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve with a slice of stale bread.

For cornmeal mush, bring water to a boil and add a pinch of salt.

Slowly stir cornmeal into the boiling water, watching it thicken into a soft mass.

Serve hot with molasses, butter, or milk, or pour into pans to chill overnight.

Slice chilled mush and fry in bacon grease or lard until crispy on the outside and creamy inside.

Top fried mush cakes with apple butter, jam, or sugar as desired.

For Victory Garden soup, gather whatever vegetables are available from the garden.

Simmer cabbage leaves, green beans, corn, diced tomatoes, potatoes, and onions in water or broth.

Add herbs or leftover bones for flavor if available, and serve with bread or cornmeal cakes.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

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Dietary

Allergens