If you’re a prepper, it’s best to learn different recipes so you can prepare a variety of dishes using the food in your stockpile after SHTF.
Below are forgotten recipes from the Great Depression that you can try, especially if you’re frugal and want to make the most of your supplies when disaster strikes. (h/t to TheSurvivalistBlog.net)
During the Great Depression, people struggled to provide food for their families because food and other resources were scarce. But people still had to eat, so they found ways to make the ingredients they had last for the longest time possible.
Many of these recipes can be tweaked using common ingredients like potatoes and beans. Some of them may sound very frugal, strange or unappetizing, but they were all popular during that era.
Bacon grease-fried cornbread
Bacon grease-fried cornbread is a popular dish that is still served today. This dish was popular among sharecroppers and rural families. Bacon grease-fried cornbread is simple to make and filling. Different versions of the dish can be found all over the American South.
Burgoo
Burgoo is a stew made with whatever meat and vegetables are available. The dish was often served at church socials or community gatherings.
Chipped beef on toast
Chipped beef on toast was common in the military and among truck drivers. The dish is made with dried beef that is rehydrated and then sauteed, usually with onions. It is served over toast or biscuits.
Dandelion wine
Dandelions are nutritious and people used them to make wine during the Great Depression. When trying this recipe, make sure you only use dandelions that haven’t been sprayed with pesticides.
Ingredients for 4 quart jars:
- 1 gallon boiling water
- 1 quart yellow dandelion blossoms, well rinsed
- 8 cups white sugar
- 1 (.18 ounce) package wine yeast
- 1 orange, sliced
- 1 lemon slice
Preparation:
- Place the dandelion blossoms in the boiling water. Let the dandelions stand for four minutes. Remove and discard the blossoms, then let the water cool to 90 F (32 C).
- Stir in the yeast, sugar, orange slices and lemon slice into the water and pour the liquid into a plastic fermenter. Attach a fermentation lock.
- Let the wine ferment in a cool area until the bubbles stop for about 10 to 14 days.
- Once done, siphon the wine off of the lees (deposits of dead yeast or residual yeast) and strain with a cheesecloth before bottling in quart-sized, sterilized canning jars with lids and rings. Age the wine for at least one week for the best flavor.
Depression-era potato soup
While this soup was created during the Great Depression, it became popular again during World War II. The soup is made with potatoes and whatever vegetables are available. You can also add meat if you have some.
Fish chowder
Fish chowder was popular among coastal and riverine communities. This hearty and filling soup was usually made with whatever fish was caught that day and leftover vegetables.
Fried cabbage pasta
Make fried cabbage pasta if you want to use up leftover cabbage. Prepare it with or without meat.
Fried squirrel
Fried squirrel is perfect for small game-eating. This is a common dish in the rural south, where squirrels are plenty.
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Hominy grits
Hominy grits are a staple of southern cooking. These are made from dried and hulled corn kernels. Boil hominy grits and eat them as is or grind them into flour.
Hoosier cream pie
Hoosier cream pie is a Hoosier tradition that dates back to the 1800s. It’s made with a layer of sugar cream, a layer of custard and topped with meringue. Back in the Great Depression, Hoosier cream pie usually had a crushed cracker crust. (Related: 5 Delicious and filling pioneer recipes to learn before SHTF.)
Junket
Junket was a popular dessert during the Great Depression. It is made with milk and rennet, and it has a pudding-like consistency.
Meat and potato patties
Meat was often considered a luxury during the Great Depression, and many folks tried to make meat last by using additives in various dishes. For example, meat and potato patties are made with bread, flour or ground or mashed veggies.
Molasses cookies
Molasses was a common sweetener during the Great Depression because it was much cheaper compared to sugar, which was more scarce at the time.
Navy bean soup
This soup is a staple among Navy sailors. It was also popular in the Great Depression because it’s cheap and filling. You can make the soup with navy beans, ham and potatoes.
Pigs in a blanket
Hot dogs were a staple meat item for many poor Americans during the Great Depression. Pigs in a blanket are made with hot dogs wrapped in biscuit dough and then fried or baked.
Rabbit stew
Rabbits were a common source of protein during the Great Depression since it was more accessible and cheaper compared to cows, pigs or lamb. Learn how to hunt rabbits or raise them on your homestead. Compared to larger animals like cows or pigs, rabbits don’t require as much feed.
Red flannel hash
This dish is made with beets, onions and potatoes. It gets its name due to its resemblance to a red flannel shirt pattern when served in a skillet. This is a great option for vegetarian preppers.
Sauerkraut
Sauerkraut was a popular dish during the Great Depression because it was a cheap way to get vitamins from cabbage. It is still a popular dish today. Sauerkraut is a great recipe for preppers because it’s a useful method of preserving a pantry staple like cabbage.
Shepherd’s pie
Shepherd’s pie is made with lamb or mutton, potatoes and other vegetables. It can also include cheese. In the U.S., the dish is often made with beef instead of lamb. While the dish originated somewhere in Europe, it became popular in the U.S. during the Great Depression.
Slumgullion
Slumgullion is a stew or goulash made with whatever meat and vegetables are available. The name comes from the fact that it is usually made with insubstantial leftovers or “slums.”
Succotash
Succotash is made with corn and beans, and sometimes it includes bacon and tomatoes. The dish is popular in the U.S. and Canada. The Native Americans have eaten succotash for centuries.
Wacky cake
Wacky cake is made without butter, eggs or milk. It was popular during the Great Depression when these ingredients were scarce and expensive. This chocolate cake is often served with frosting.
Watermelon rind pickles
People often grew watermelons in home gardens during the Great Depression because they didn’t require much care or attention. To minimize food waste and maximize calorie output, people pickled watermelon rinds and served them as a side dish.
Ingredients for 1 pound of pickles:
- 2 pounds watermelon rind, from a roughly 5-pound watermelon
- 1 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup water
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup chopped candied or crystallized ginger
- 4 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon allspice berries
Preparation:
- Use a sharp peeler to remove the exterior green portion of the watermelon rind. Discard the green part.
- The rind should now be mostly white, with a little bit of pink or red on one side. Cut the rind into one-inch cubes.
- Add the apple cider vinegar, water, sugar, ginger, salt and spices to a two-quart saucepan set over medium-high heat. Bring the mixture to a boil and hold for one minute, then carefully add the chopped watermelon rind. Return to a boil then turn off the heat. Remove the pan from the heat and let it cool for 30 minutes.
- Move the pickles to a two-quart jar using a canning funnel and ladle. Pour on as much of the pickling juice as possible, then cover the jar and leave it at room temperature for another one and a half hours.
- Refrigerate the pickles overnight and consume them within a month. Keep the pickles refrigerated.
Wayside beans
This dish is made with navy beans, bacon and molasses and was popular among sailors and truck drivers during the Great Depression. A blue-collar staple, wayside beans are high-calorie, filling and easy to prepare in large quantities.
West Virginia peanut soup
This dish is very filling and full of protein. It is made with peanut butter and onions, but people sometimes add potatoes to it. It was created during the Great Depression, when peanuts were cheap and readily available.
Yankee pot roast
This roasted beef dish is popular in the northeastern United States. It is often cooked in a Dutch oven or slow cooker and can be served with vegetables. Yankee pot roast was considered a special dish and was often served on special occasions, such as weddings. Before SHTF, learn how to make these frugal but filling dishes from the Great Depression to make the most of your food stockpile.
Watch the video below to know how to make succotash.
This video is from the Living The Life With Tracy channel on Brighteon.com.
More related stories:
- Cheap eats: 3 Healthy soup recipes for tough times.
- Honey, powdered milk, salt and wheat: Survival cooking with the 4 basics of food storage.
- Prepper recipes: How to make hardtack, a long-lasting survival food.
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Five Things New “Preppers” Forget When Getting Ready for Bad Times Ahead
The preparedness community is growing faster than it has in decades. Even during peak times such as Y2K, the economic downturn of 2008, and Covid, the vast majority of Americans made sure they had plenty of toilet paper but didn’t really stockpile anything else.
Things have changed. There’s a growing anxiety in this presidential election year that has prompted more Americans to get prepared for crazy events in the future. Some of it is being driven by fearmongers, but there are valid concerns with the economy, food supply, pharmaceuticals, the energy grid, and mass rioting that have pushed average Americans into “prepper” mode.
There are degrees of preparedness. One does not have to be a full-blown “doomsday prepper” living off-grid in a secure Montana bunker in order to be ahead of the curve. In many ways, preparedness isn’t about being able to perfectly handle every conceivable situation. It’s about being less dependent on government for as long as possible. Those who have proper “preps” will not be waiting for FEMA to distribute emergency supplies to the desperate masses.
Below are five things people new to preparedness (and sometimes even those with experience) often forget as they get ready. All five are common sense notions that do not rely on doomsday in order to be useful. It may be nice to own a tank during the apocalypse but there’s not much you can do with it until things get really crazy. The recommendations below can have places in the lives of average Americans whether doomsday comes or not.
Note: The information provided by this publication or any related communications is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as financial advice. We do not provide personalized investment, financial, or legal advice.
Secured Wealth
Whether in the bank or held in a retirement account, most Americans feel that their life’s savings is relatively secure. At least they did until the last couple of years when de-banking, geopolitical turmoil, and the threat of Central Bank Digital Currencies reared their ugly heads.
It behooves Americans to diversify their holdings. If there’s a triggering event or series of events that cripple the financial systems or devalue the U.S. Dollar, wealth can evaporate quickly. To hedge against potential turmoil, many Americans are looking in two directions: Crypto and physical precious metals.
There are huge advantages to cryptocurrencies, but there are also inherent risks because “virtual” money can become challenging to spend. Add in the push by central banks and governments to regulate or even replace cryptocurrencies with their own versions they control and the risks amplify. There’s nothing wrong with cryptocurrencies today but things can change rapidly.
As for physical precious metals, many Americans pay cash to keep plenty on hand in their safe. Rolling over or transferring retirement accounts into self-directed IRAs is also a popular option, but there are caveats. It can often take weeks or even months to get the gold and silver shipped if the owner chooses to close their account. This is why Genesis Gold Group stands out. Their relationship with the depositories allows for rapid closure and shipping, often in less than 10 days from the time the account holder makes their move. This can come in handy if things appear to be heading south.
Lots of Potable Water
One of the biggest shocks that hit new preppers is understanding how much potable water they need in order to survive. Experts claim one gallon of water per person per day is necessary. Even the most conservative estimates put it at over half-a-gallon. That means that for a family of four, they’ll need around 120 gallons of water to survive for a month if the taps turn off and the stores empty out.
Being near a fresh water source, whether it’s a river, lake, or well, is a best practice among experienced preppers. It’s necessary to have a water filter as well, even if the taps are still working. Many refuse to drink tap water even when there is no emergency. Berkey was our previous favorite but they’re under attack from regulators so the Alexapure systems are solid replacements.
For those in the city or away from fresh water sources, storage is the best option. This can be challenging because proper water storage containers take up a lot of room and are difficult to move if the need arises. For “bug in” situations, having a larger container that stores hundreds or even thousands of gallons is better than stacking 1-5 gallon containers. Unfortunately, they won’t be easily transportable and they can cost a lot to install.
Water is critical. If chaos erupts and water infrastructure is compromised, having a large backup supply can be lifesaving.
Pharmaceuticals and Medical Supplies
There are multiple threats specific to the medical supply chain. With Chinese and Indian imports accounting for over 90% of pharmaceutical ingredients in the United States, deteriorating relations could make it impossible to get the medicines and antibiotics many of us need.
Stocking up many prescription medications can be hard. Doctors generally do not like to prescribe large batches of drugs even if they are shelf-stable for extended periods of time. It is a best practice to ask your doctor if they can prescribe a larger amount. Today, some are sympathetic to concerns about pharmacies running out or becoming inaccessible. Tell them your concerns. It’s worth a shot. The worst they can do is say no.
If your doctor is unwilling to help you stock up on medicines, then Jase Medical is a good alternative. Through telehealth, they can prescribe daily meds or antibiotics that are shipped to your door. As proponents of medical freedom, they empathize with those who want to have enough medical supplies on hand in case things go wrong.
Energy Sources
The vast majority of Americans are locked into the grid. This has proven to be a massive liability when the grid goes down. Unfortunately, there are no inexpensive remedies.
Those living off-grid had to either spend a lot of money or effort (or both) to get their alternative energy sources like solar set up. For those who do not want to go so far, it’s still a best practice to have backup power sources. Diesel generators and portable solar panels are the two most popular, and while they’re not inexpensive they are not out of reach of most Americans who are concerned about being without power for extended periods of time.
Natural gas is another necessity for many, but that’s far more challenging to replace. Having alternatives for heating and cooking that can be powered if gas and electric grids go down is important. Have a backup for items that require power such as manual can openers. If you’re stuck eating canned foods for a while and all you have is an electric opener, you’ll have problems.
Don’t Forget the Protein
When most think about “prepping,” they think about their food supply. More Americans are turning to gardening and homesteading as ways to produce their own food. Others are working with local farmers and ranchers to purchase directly from the sources. This is a good idea whether doomsday comes or not, but it’s particularly important if the food supply chain is broken.
Most grocery stores have about one to two weeks worth of food, as do most American households. Grocers rely heavily on truckers to receive their ongoing shipments. In a crisis, the current process can fail. It behooves Americans for multiple reasons to localize their food purchases as much as possible.
Long-term storage is another popular option. Canned foods, MREs, and freeze dried meals are selling out quickly even as prices rise. But one component that is conspicuously absent in shelf-stable food is high-quality protein. Most survival food companies offer low quality “protein buckets” or cans of meat, but they are often barely edible.
Prepper All-Naturals offers premium cuts of steak that have been cooked sous vide and freeze dried to give them a 25-year shelf life. They offer Ribeye, NY Strip, and Tenderloin among others.
Having buckets of beans and rice is a good start, but keeping a solid supply of high-quality protein isn’t just healthier. It can help a family maintain normalcy through crises.
Prepare Without Fear
With all the challenges we face as Americans today, it can be emotionally draining. Citizens are scared and there’s nothing irrational about their concerns. Being prepared and making lifestyle changes to secure necessities can go a long way toward overcoming the fears that plague us. We should hope and pray for the best but prepare for the worst. And if the worst does come, then knowing we did what we could to be ready for it will help us face those challenges with confidence.
