10 Recipes From “The Great Depression” To Survive The Next One

During the Great Depression Era (1929 – 1939), the world suffered from a massive economic recession in the industry as the stock market crashed. Because of this, people lost jobs and were left with no money. Consequently, they were unable to buy food which caused its shortage. Therefore, people modified their cuisine and started to prepare meals that did not utilize many ingredients and were easy to cook.
Based on the experiences in the past, you might want to prepare for any such disruption in the future! So, here I present you with some of the old-school delicacies that are time-efficient, budget-friendly, and long-lasting.

1. One-Pot Potato Soup

Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Servings: 7
Nutrition facts (per serving): 318 calories, 17,5 g fat
This creamy delicious potato soup is a game-changer because you get a healthy (covers all three macronutrients) and fulfilling meal in minutes to feed the whole family.

Ingredients:
• 3 tbsp. butter or oil
• 5 diced bacon
• 1 small bowl of diced onions
• 2-3 cloves crushed garlic
• ¼ cup flour
• 500 ml chicken stock
• 500 ml milk
• ½ cup cheese
• ½ cup Greek yogurt or sour cream
• 3-4 diced potatoes
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:
First of all, grease a large stockpot with butter. On a medium flame, sauté bacon until crispy. Then remove it and add garlic along with onions. When it softens, add flour to make the roux. Subsequently, add chicken stock and milk. Mix well and then add the potatoes. Let them soften while stirring occasionally. Once done, mash it and add all the remaining ingredients. Serve hot and enjoy.
Storage:
You can store the soup for a long term in the freezer. Simply pour in the excess amount in a deep plastic container, cover it, and put it in the freezer. This will remain good for up to 6 months.

2. Crispy-Edged Cornbread

Preparation time: 10 minutes
Baking time: 20 minutes
Servings: 9 Nutrition facts (60g): 198 calories, 33 g carbohydrates, 4 g proteins, 6 g fats, 1,4 g fiber
You would have had many types of bread but this is one of a kind! This moist, silky soft inside and crispy golden on the outside is a classic confectionary that you must try.

Ingredients:
• 120g cornmeal
• 1 cup of all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 115g unsalted and melted butter
• 67g brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons of honey
• 1 egg
• 1 cup room temperature buttermilk

Instructions:
First of all, preheat your oven at 400°F/204°C. Second, grease and lightly flour a 9-inch square baking pan and set it aside. Combine cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl. In another bowl, whisk the melted butter, brown sugar, and honey together to form a smooth and thick mixture. After that, whisk in the egg until unified. Then pour in the buttermilk and mix well. Finally, transfer the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients bowl and give it a quick mix. You would now want to transfer it into the baking pan. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Let it cool and then slice it to serve with butter, honey, or jam of your choice.
Storage:
This dish can be made and stored for up to 1 week at room temperature and for about 3 months by freezing it at 0F. Just cover it in aluminum foil and put it either in zip lock bags or containers as you don’t want your cornbread to freeze burn.

3. Macaroni And Cheese

Preparation time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Servings: 4
Nutrition facts (per serving): 421 calories, 73 g carbohydrates, 21g proteins, 21g fats, 0g fiber
This ultimate dish has been an all-time favorite comfort food for everyone. Its creamy look and cheesiness would definitely make you drool.

Ingredients:
• 500 ml milk
• 200 g shredded cheddar cheese
• 1.5 cups uncooked macaroni
• Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
Boil milk on the stove and add macaroni. Stir it occasionally so that it does not stick on the bottom and cooks evenly. Then add salt and pepper to taste. Cover and let it cook on low flame. Once it softens, add cheese and mix well. Dish it out and serve hot.
Storage:
Freezing mac and cheese can be a good way to save the dish for a longer-term. Just make sure to cover it properly. It will remain best for up to two months this way.

4. Vegetable Pickle

Preparation time: 45 minutes
Processing time: 10 minutes/batch
Yield: 11 pints
Nutrition facts (1/4 cup): 60 calories, 15 g carbohydrates, 21g proteins, 0g fat, 0g fiber
To date, this Oldie Goldie has still considered a popular food to consume. And there are thousands of varieties to this! You can pickle out your favorite fruits, vegetables, meat, or even beans to consume for a longer duration. Try out one such super cool recipe which I’m sharing below.

Ingredients:
• 12 sliced cucumbers
• 4 sliced onions (about 4 medium)
• 1 sliced sweet red pepper
• 1 sliced green pepper
• 3 quarts’ ice water
• ½ cup canning salt
• 6 cups sugar
• 6 cups white vinegar
• 3 tablespoons mustard seed
• 3 teaspoons celery seed
• 1 ½ teaspoons ground turmeric
• ¼ + 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

Instructions:
Place all the veggies in a bowl and add salt with ice water. Keep it aside for at least 3 hours. Then drain the water and rinse them well. Now pack these in eleven hot 1-pint jars while leaving good enough space from above. Next, boil sugar, vinegar, mustard seed, celery seed, turmeric, and cloves after combining them. Pour it in the jars leaving half-inch headspace. Tightly close the jars with the lid. Finally, place them into the canner and cover them with water. Boil for 10 minutes, remove and leave them to cool down. Can be served with boiled rice or over toast.
Storage:
You can store your homemade favorite pickle for up to a year. The pickle should be preserved in an air-tight glass jar. Just make sure to store it in a dark, cool, and dry place.

5. White Sauce Casserole

Preparation time: 8 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Servings: 3 – 4
Nutrition facts (per serving): 379 calories, 33g carbohydrates, 10g proteins, 23g fat, 0g fiber

One of the highly recommended dishes from the great depression era was spaghetti with boiled carrots and white sauce baked into a casserole.
Ingredients and preparation:
Simply take 4 oz. and cook it until mushy and add ½ cup boiled carrots. White sauce can be prepared by heating 4 tbsp. butter and add 2 tbsp. flour, 2 cups milk, salt, and pepper to taste. Once the sauce thickens, add it to the spaghetti. To increase its nutritive value, just add 2 whisked eggs into it and bake it for 5 – 8 minutes or until lightly golden and crispy from the top.
Storage:
According to the food safety charts, the baked casserole can be stored for up to 3 months in the freezer. Just place it in a plastic container that closes tightly and it’s ready to go.

6. Coconut Cookies

Preparation time: 25 minutes
Baking time: 10 minutes
Yields: 9 dozen
Nutrition facts (2 cookies): 107 calories, 16g carbohydrates, 1g proteins, 4g fat, 0g fiber

Ingredients:
• ½ cup softened butter
• ½ cup shortening
• 2 cups packed brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• ¼ cup water
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut

Instructions:
Whisk butter, shortening, and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs. Then slowly add water and vanilla and mix well. Combine the dry ingredients with the wet mixture. Gently fold in coconut and the batter is done. Now cover it and refrigerate for about 2-4 hours. To bake, simply make small balls. Grease a baking dish and place these at a distance of 2 inches. Preheat the oven for 8-10 minutes and bake at 400° for the same time or until lightly browned. When done, let it settle for two minutes and then shift it to a wire rack. Coconut cookies can be served as breakfast with milk.
Storage:
Once baked, these can be stored in a sealed air-tight jar for up to a week. However, you can freeze the cookie dough in a container to be able to use it for a longer time. It will remain best to use for about two months.

7. Great Grandmother’s Potato Pancakes Recipe

Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Servings: 7 (total 14 pancakes)
Nutrition facts (2 pancakes): 175 calories, 39g carbohydrates, 5.4g proteins, 0.7g fat, 3g fiber
Ingredients
• 4 large russet potatoes, peeled
• 1 medium onion
• 1 egg
• ¼ cup flour
• kosher salt, to taste
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• ¼ teaspoon baking powder
• Butter/oil (for frying)

Instructions:
Grate the onion and potatoes. Squeeze extra liquid from them and set aside. In a bowl, whisk in eggs with dry ingredients. Then add potatoes and onion. Combine them well. For frying, use 1 tablespoon oil or butter in a skillet for each batch. Take ¼ cup of the mixture and shape it using a spatula. Cook each side for 3 minutes or until crispy and golden brown.

Storage:
You can store cooked potato pancakes for up to 2 months in the freezer. Just layer them using baking sheets and cover them with a cling film. Then transfer into a heavy-duty plastic freezer bag.

8. Basic Bread Pudding

Preparation time: 15 minutes
Baking time: 40 minutes
Servings: 6
Nutrition facts (per piece): 419 calories, 56g carbohydrates, 7g proteins, 19g fat, 1g fiber
Ingredients:
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups milk
• ¼ cup butter
• ¾ cup sugar
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 5 cups soft bread cubes
• ½ cup raisin or nuts (optional)

Instructions:
Take a bowl and whisk the eggs. Then one by one add the rest of the ingredients and gently mix them together. Grease an 11×7-inches baking dish and pour the batter into it. Bake at 350° for about 45 minutes.
Storage:
For short-term storage, use an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 5 days. To save it for longer-term, freeze it. It will remain best for about 3 months.

9. Sausage Potato Supper

Preparation time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 25 minutes
Servings: 2
Nutrition facts (2 cups): 448 calories, 12g carbohydrates, 18g proteins, 37g fat, 1g fiber
Ingredients:
• 2 small potatoes, cubed
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 small zucchini, cut into 1/4-inch slices
• 1/8 teaspoon garlic salt
• ½ lb. smoked sausage, cut into ½-inch slices
• ¼ teaspoon pepper

Instructions:
First of all, boil potatoes until tender. Take a skillet, add butter and sauté zucchini with garlic over medium-high heat for 2 minutes or until crisp-tender. Then add sausage and cook until brown. Last, add the potatoes and seasoning. Mix well and serve hot.
Storage:
A plastic air-tight container works best to store your potato-sausage supper meal for up to 3 months in the freezer.

10. Navy Bean Soup

Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 1-3/4 hours
Servings: 10
Nutrition facts (1 cup): 245 calories, 42g carbohydrates, 18g proteins, 2g fat, 16g fiber
Ingredients:
• 3 cups dried navy beans
• 1 can diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 cup diced cooked ham
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 2 ½ cups water
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Minced fresh parsley, optional

Instructions:
First, wash and soak the navy beans according to the package instructions. Next, take a pot and add all the ingredients. Bring it to boil first and then let it simmer for about 1 ½ hour by covering the pot until beans get tender. Finally, garnish with parsley and serve.
Storage:
First, allow the soup to cool down completely. Then transfer it into a BPA-free gallon freezer bag or an air-tight container. This way you can store the soup for about 3 months.

You might be amazed that there is no limit to these wonderful recipes that can be prepared and consumed by adults easily. Make sure to try them and save your time by storing some. I bet you won’t regret it!

You may also like:

Foods You Should Never Buy And Always Make At Home

Cheap and Easy to Build Root Cellar in Your Own Back Yard (Video)

Backyard Projects That Might Get You Arrested

How to Keep Eggs Fresh for Months with Mineral Oil

What Happens When You Bury A Fish Head Under A Tomato Plant