When the stock market crashed in 1929 ushering in the Great Depression the way Americans viewed food and cooking changed dramatically. For many the ongoing economic struggle forced creativity in the kitchen. Certain foods and ingredients were no longer available or too expensive such as fresh fruits and vegetables. Meals had to last for days yet still be nutritious. This led to many innovative recipes that are both fascinating and familiar to us.
| Channel | Publish Date | Thumbnail & View Count | Actions |
|---|---|---|---|
 Weird History | 2021-04-11 14:00:17 |  3,187,229 Views |
Strange Foods People Ate to Get Through the Great Depression
Some of the dishes that were popular during the Great Depression may sound unappetizing but they were the result of ingenuity in a nearly impossible time. And guess what? We still enjoy some of those meals today. Maybe you remember your grandmother’s “special stew” or your grandfather’s countless potato-based recipes. Maybe you whipped up a pasta recipe after a late night with whatever you could find in the pantry. So the next time you’re paying for a dandelion green peasant salad remember how dandelion greens were a cheap (or free) way to get much-needed vitamins and minerals during the Great Depression—not just a trendy side dish.
Plums remain an oddly divisive foodie—perhaps because we associate them with certain bathroom activities or perhaps because they seem rather boring. But plum lovers prize the rich sweetness of the dried fruit which is still popular in Middle Eastern and Japanese cuisine. Plums were especially big during the Great Depression when they were cheap to buy and easy to store. Plums are packed with fiber and good for your digestion. They’re a superfood of sorts.
What can you do with all those plums? Make plum pudding of course. The ingredients are basically plums sugar and cinnamon — but you can be flexible with the spices. No more cinnamon but still cardamom? That works!
