Buzz
During the tough times of the Great Depression in the 1930s, food was redefined. With ingredients like sugar and butter becoming scarce, people had to get creative with their cooking.
Some of these culinary adjustments were more successful than others. When we think of Depression-era meals, it's often a reminder to appreciate our current food options: “Can you imagine having a ketchup sandwich?”
However, some recipes endured and remained both practical and flavorful, even after financial hardships began to ease. These are some of the most delicious dishes that emerged during that era.
10. Potato Soup
This is one meal I can personally guarantee still holds up today.
Potato soup is simple but delicious. Take some potato, onion, and a little bit of butter and milk, and you’ve got yourself one helluva dinner! Potatoes are one of the cheapest vegetables money can buy, and while they can be bland on their own, salty butter and creamy milk add plenty of flavor and texture.
If you’ve got a bigger budget, fresh scallions or green onions and sour cream elevate the dish to a totally new level. It’s no wonder this straightforward soup has stayed popular for over a century.
9. Bread and Butter Pickles
Did you know that these popular pickles were created during the Great Depression?
At summer's end, any leftover cucumbers were transformed into pickles to ensure they lasted through the winter months. During this time, fresh produce became even more scarce for those living in poverty, making pickles a treasured addition to simple bread and butter sandwiches.
Today, pickles are typically considered a condiment or side dish, rather than the centerpiece of a meal. However, if you’ve ever attended a carnival and snacked on a pickle-on-a-stick or grabbed a hot pickle from a gas station, you’ll understand just how irresistible these tangy vegetables can be.
8. Egg Drop Soup
Egg drop soup is commonly recognized as a Chinese delicacy. But during the challenging years of the Great Depression, Americans adopted this basic dish and made it their own.
All you really need for egg drop soup is water or broth and eggs. Naturally, when available, people often added meat, vegetables, or served it with toast. But when those extras weren’t accessible, just the warm broth was enough to provide comfort and sustenance during the harsh winter months.
Honestly, the American version of egg drop soup doesn’t quite have the same appeal as the traditional Chinese version, which typically includes tofu and scallions and can be prepared with various meat or vegetable broths.
7. Spaghetti with Carrots and White Sauce
This dish is simple to prepare: overcook your spaghetti, mash it with some boiled carrots, then add a basic sauce made from milk, flour, salt, and butter, and bake it like a casserole.
It may not be the most glamorous meal, but both President FDR and First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt were supporters of it. If it’s good enough for the president, it’s certainly good enough for me! The Roosevelts made a point of eating the same food as the average American, rather than indulging in the lavish banquets they were accustomed to. During this time, the White House became infamous for its unremarkable meals.
But it was all for a noble cause. Eleanor Roosevelt was determined to make a statement, and she certainly succeeded. Although some politicians complained about the food, they were getting a firsthand experience of what ordinary Americans ate every day, which gave them a better understanding of the country's struggles.
Additionally, with a few modern adjustments (such as adding crushed red pepper or sriracha for an extra kick), spaghetti with carrots and white sauce becomes a quick and easy dinner option.
6. Mock Apple Pie
This recipe is designed to replicate an apple pie. The only catch is that instead of apples, it uses crackers.
It may sound unbelievable, but it actually tastes so much like a real apple pie that people often make it just to prank their friends and family when they reveal that there are no apples in it at all!
What gives it such a similar taste? Apparently, it’s the combination of cream of tartar and lemon zest that creates a fruity, tangy flavor similar to apples. Then, the cinnamon and sugar trick your brain into thinking it’s a real apple pie, and you believe it because, if it looks and smells like one, it must taste like one too!
What do you think of these crackers—oops, I meant appetizers?
5. Prune Pudding
Nowadays, you can walk into any Walmart and pick up a box of pudding mix for just about 20 cents. But back in the Great Depression, even something as simple as pudding was a luxury. To make do, many Americans turned to prunes. Why prunes, you ask? Because they were not only nutritious but also packed with sugars and vitamins that weren’t as common in other fruits. They may not be the most glamorous or delicious, but they served a purpose.
In addition to their flavor and health benefits, prune trees were hardy and could thrive in poor soil and with minimal water—unlike many other fruit trees that need near-perfect conditions. This made prunes a popular choice, frequently appearing in recipes like this one. During the 1930s, when people were trying to save every penny, prunes offered flexibility in recipes. You could adjust the sugar, spices, or use whatever ingredients you had on hand.
While prunes might not be the most beloved flavor of pudding, if you’re craving a dessert that’s not too overwhelmingly sweet, this one is affordable and simple.
4. Mystery Spice Cake
A recurring theme in Great Depression recipes is the use of “surprise” ingredients—things that may taste delicious, but would make people hesitant if they knew what went into making them. For instance, would you prefer to try “mystery spice cake” or “tomato cake”?
No matter which one you pick, they’re actually the same. The secret ingredient in mystery spice cake is tomatoes, which were made accessible and affordable to even the poorest households thanks to Campbell’s canned soup. With other typical cake ingredients like eggs and butter being either scarce or costly, the soup or canned tomatoes added moisture to the cake.
The cake remained a favorite even after the Depression, thanks to its unique flavor. Sylvia Plath, the renowned poet of the 1960s, was a frequent baker, and tomato soup cake was one of her specialties. As Plath’s fame has surged in recent years, many have combed through her journals and diaries, discovering some of her unconventional baking choices from that memorable oven.
3. Wacky Cake
No eggs, butter, or milk? Don’t worry! You can still bake a cake, as long as you make this one that dates back over a century.
"Wacky cake," also referred to as "Depression cake" or "Eggless, butterless, milkless cake," earns its name due to the absence of those typical ingredients that are usually essential in most cake batters. Despite this peculiarity, it’s surprisingly easy to make. Unlike regular cakes, you simply mix all the ingredients together—there’s no need for separating wet and dry ingredients or folding—just toss everything into a pan and pop it in the oven.
While the precise origin of wacky cake is traced to 1940, it likely originated earlier, during the Depression, when families often lacked the usual ingredients for baking. The wacky cake became such an effective substitute for traditional cakes that it remains popular today, especially because it can be made in the microwave, making it a great choice for anyone craving a fast chocolate fix.
2. Water Pie
One of the most iconic recipes from the 1930s has seen a resurgence nearly a century later, thanks to TikTok. During the COVID-19 pandemic, TikTok users posted videos of themselves preparing and tasting the unusual recipe, which led even more young people to try it themselves.
The feedback was generally positive, with teenagers eagerly licking their lips in surprise at how custard-like and sweet the pie tasted. The starch in the flour helps the water set and thicken, so the pie is less watery than you might expect.
And the fun doesn’t end with just water: that was merely the one ingredient Americans always had access to. Nowadays, you can swap it out for any beverage, like Sprite or Coke!
1. Hoover Stew
No, not the vacuum cleaner: The president.
During the 1930s, people were furious… with the government, the employers, and anyone in power who wasn’t doing enough to help them. As homelessness spread, their anger intensified. With limited outlets for their frustration, they began to label undesirable things after President Herbert Hoover, the man they held responsible for it all.
It all began with "Hoovervilles," makeshift shantytowns that sheltered thousands of people during the Depression. Then came Hoover stew. With only four ingredients, it's hard to go wrong with this simple mix of macaroni, hot dogs, tomatoes, and corn. Whether fresh or canned, it didn’t matter—Depression-era Americans made do with what they had. So if you'd prefer a different type of pasta, meat, or vegetable, feel free to add whatever you like.
With such a versatile recipe, it’s easy to turn this dish into something you’ll enjoy.
