The Great Depression was the worst economic disaster in modern American history. At its height, almost 25% of the nation’s workforce was unemployed and salaries for those who were still employed dropped significantly – 42.5%. This reduction in salary and workforce created a chain reaction in the economy, affecting what people ate, or rather didn’t eat, leading to a new wave of everyday meals of the Great Depression.
Grocers and markets found it hard to keep items on the shelves. Food supply was exacerbated even more when drought led to the Dust Bowl, causing a mass destruction of land and crops. This agricultural depression had long-term economic impacts that contributed to bank closures, business losses, and emotional and physical hardships. (Here are haunting photos that capture the struggles of the Great Depression.)
Due to this lack of resources, Americans adapted by creating imaginative ways to put food on the table. Basic pantry staples like bread, milk, eggs, and flour were not readily available. Breakfast items that were once standard fare were now unaffordable. The American diet was revamped. More vegetables, and soups were eaten, and inexpensive foods like Wonder Bread, Bisquick, and Cream of Mushroom soup were introduced.
24/7 Tempo has compiled a list of everyday meals of the Great Depression using sources such as the Daily Meal, Eat This, Not That, Hunger to Hope, The Travel, and Historynet. Some peculiar dishes emerged like bacon rolled in stale bread, meatless loaf using peanuts and oatmeal, spaghetti casserole with carrots, and peanut butter stuffed onions. (These are probably not among the 50 signature dishes that define American cuisine.)
Bacon roll-ups
- What it is: Stale bread cubes bound with egg and wrapped with bacon
Baked apples
- What it is: Cored apples filled with cinnamon-sugar mixture, then baked
Baked beans
- What it is: Navy beans slow-cooked with molasses and sometimes bits of pork (the basis for many common dishes at the time)
Bisquick
- What it is: A mix of baking ingredients initially meant for biscuits, but later repurposed for pancakes, dumplings, etc.
Cabbage soup
- What it is: Soup of cabbage, potatoes, onion, and bacon
Chili
- What it is: Cheap chili with crackers (which were free) at chili joints around the nation
Chocolate cream pie
- What it is: A simple dessert made with cocoa powder and sugar
Cornbread
- What it is: Made only with cornmeal, salt, and hot water
Creamed chipped beef on toast
- What it is: Toast covered with chopped dried beef in white sauce
Dandelion salad
- What it is: Dandelion leaves, often picked wild, soaked in clean water and rinsed, then dressed
Depression cake
- What it is: Fruit, nuts, spices, and flour (no milk, sugar, butter, or eggs because they were too expensive or hard to obtain)
Deviled eggs in tomato sauce
- What it is: Stuffed eggs covered with tomato sauce
Hoover Stew
- What it is: Stew with cooked macaroni, hot dogs, stewed tomatoes, and canned corn
Kraft Macaroni and cheese
- What it is: At just 19 cents a box, this iconic Kraft product was an instant hit when it was introduced in 1937
Meatless loaf
- What it is: Loaf made with peanuts, cottage cheese, and oatmeal or rice
Milkorno
- What it is: A product made from powdered skim milk, cornmeal, and salt, often eaten as hot breakfast cereal
Mulligan stew
- What it is: Similar to Irish stew, made with carrots, potatoes, cabbage or lettuce, and meat if it was available
Onion soup
- What it is: Onions, potatoes, and green beans simmered in milk
Peanut Butter Bread
- What it is: Made with peanut butter instead of butter or eggs, which were too expensive
Peanut butter-stuffed onions
- What it is: Onions stuffed with peanut butter and bread crumbs and baked
Potato candy
- What it is: No-bake treat also known as Depression candy, made of mashed potatoes, peanut butter, and powdered sugar
Potato pancakes
- What it is: Made of grated potatoes only; cheese, garlic, and onion were optional
Potato soup
- What it is: Made with potatoes, onions, salt, pepper, a bit of butter and milk
Prune pudding
- What it is: Chopped prunes (cheaper than other fruits) simmered with cornstarch, sugar, and cinnamon
Rice pudding
- What it is: Dessert made with white rice, milk, egg yolks, and sugar
Spaghetti with bacon
- What it is: A one-pot meal in which bacon was the substitute for meatballs
Spaghetti and carrot casserole
- What it is: Spaghetti with boiled carrots and a white sauce baked in the oven
Spam
- What it is: Canned processed pork product
Split pea pancakes
- What it is: Soaked and chopped split peas with a bit of flour and egg, sometimes served with tomatoes or sauce of some kind
Split pea soup
- What it is: Split peas boiled with onion, maybe some ham, and spices