Forgotten Great Depression Meals for a New Generation: Episode #1

While scrolling through Facebook and Pinterest this weekend to survey what is on the mind of the consuming public, I discovered a central theme. Prices of everything are going up at a pace that our salaries and wages are not keeping up with. The consensus is that more ideas are needed for nutritious, delicious meals on a strict budget. The age range seems to be Millennial down. Those who were born and cultivated in a world of plenty and sometimes downright flagrant consumerism. Many children of certain American cultures never knew the multi-generational household where families lived together to pool resources and survive. Post World War II, multi-generational households became a thing of the past as “success” was defined as leaving the childhood home, getting a job, and buying your own home.

If you belong to Gen-X and spent any time with your grandparents (the Silent Generation) who grew up during the Great Depression, you might remember them looking back on food memories with a mix of nostalgia and disgust born of eating way too many meals of the given substance. Then, I am sure these meals repeated themselves during World War II when food rationing was a fact. Not a choice. Neither of my grandmothers could get out the term “Cornmeal Mush” without it coming out with a certain thickness that typically indicates nausea. Indeed, if grits were served, they had to be of a certain consistency, not “too thick.”

Where our society has yet to abandon the American dream of owning their own homes, other means of frugality must arise. First place? The grocery store. Meals on our tables are where we cut corners. The good news is that much can be done with little and even much more nowadays with the myriad ingredients from every cuisine under the sun. It all comes down to a little technique. Julia Child’s famous recipe for potato leek soup has only five ingredients. One of which is water.

In my next few blogs, I am going to discuss the outcomes of building a practical, working pantry to feed yourself and your family without panic. Learn what your great-grandparents and grandparents did, apply what I am offering, and save yourself hundreds of dollars you’ll need for other things like toilet paper. Trust me. You aren’t too far removed from those skill sets of the Quiet Generation. The greater benefit today is the global economy and access to a wider range of ingredients that we view as basic, and our great-grandparents probably never heard of.

Today’s installment covers dried beans, legumes, rice, grains, and related carbohydrate alternatives. These are inexpensive, have a long shelf life, and are very versatile.

Beans and Dried Peas:

One pound of dried beans can go a really long way with good planning. Many families ate a lot of beans, peas, rice, and grits (and cornmeal mush if grits were too expensive). They are generally inexpensive, and a little can go a long way. One pound of store-brand dried beans (most all varieties) are less than two dollars ($2.00) a pound. Organic will cost approximately twice that amount. Dried beans, stored in air-tight containers, are shelf-stable for quite some time. If the freezer space is available, storing dried beans in the freezer is a long-term option as well. In this installment, I will discuss a few of these delicious basics that fill the body and feed the soul.

Pinto Beans, Anasazi Beans, Great Northern White Beans, Black-eyed Peas:

Every bean has its own unique taste, and honestly, sometimes there’s nothing better than enjoying that pure flavor. There’s something comforting about a simple meal that cannot be denied.

One pound of cooked beans is going to be a lot for an average-sized family. Day one, you might serve them over steamed rice, steamed quinoa, farro, or with cornbread muffins. With some of the leftovers, you might make a batch of “Marry Me Beans,” Bean Soup, or Hummus– or a bit of each. The “Marry Me” recipe calls for garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, heavy cream or coconut cream (if vegan preparation), Parmesan cheese (real or vegan), and a bit of broth, and can take on any bean or protein thrown at it. We will get more into these generational updates in Thursday’s edition.

My favorite way to prepare them is to soak a pound of beans in water for 8 hours or overnight. Pick out any stones, sticks, and split beans and rinse them in cool water. Place the beans in a bowl or pot large enough to cover the beans by about 4 inches. The beans will double in size, so you will need the room.

The next day, pour off the remaining water and rinse the beans once more. Put the beans and 10 cups of cold water in a Dutch oven with 1 tablespoon of salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer for two hours.

Check the beans for tenderness. The beans should still have shape integrity and taste creamy when they are done. If you like some of the beans to disintegrate in the cooking process, cook them 30 to 40 minutes longer.

*In a pinch, I will use my Instant Pot. It’s just not my favorite unless doing an express batch of Rick Bayless’s Borracho Beans.

Lentils:

While I am fairly sure that lentils were not widely available during the Great Depression, I cannot overlook their nutritional value and satiety. These little legumes pack great nutritional value into a small pea. Cooked thoroughly, lentils offer approximately 12 grams of protein per ½ cup serving, which is more than two eggs. Lentils are high in fiber and provide additional nutritional benefits for heart health, weight management, and blood sugar control, among other things.

Lentils cook much quicker from dry. From rinsing, picking, and preparing, lentils and a pot of rice can be ready to eat in about 30 minutes. Personally, I find that a half-cup of cooked lentils and a half-cup of cooked brown rice satisfying and filling.

Rice:

There are many different kinds of rice on the market shelves today. According to my favorite grocer’s website, a five-pound bag of generic “long-grain” white or brown rice is approximately four-cents per ounce. My favorite name-brand Jasmine rice is approximately nine-cents an ounce. My personal preference is for my rice to be light and fluffy, so I try to always rinse my rice to remove as much of the starch on the surface of the grains as possible. I cook my white rice with 1.5 cups of water for every cup of rice. Brown rice requires a slightly higher amount of water, 2 cups of water to a cup of rice.

Where I am sure we all love our white rice, choosing brown rice instead, on occasion, can offer another flavor variation, providing a hearty, nuttier flavor. With the bran layer still intact, it lowers the glycemic index and generally helps one feel fuller for longer.

Quinoa:

Quinoa, which is technically a seed and not a grain, is a powerhouse of nutrition that's become much more accessible and affordable in recent years. This ancient food of the Incas is truly a star in our modern, frugal kitchen because it’s a complete protein, meaning it contains all nine essential amino acids—a rare find in the plant world! For those of you looking to cut back on meat or just pack more goodness into your budget-friendly meals, quinoa is your secret weapon. It cooks up quickly (about 15 minutes) with a 2:1 water-to-quinoa ratio, delivering a light, fluffy texture. Serve it hot under a batch of your favorite seasoned beans, or chill it down for a bright, fiber-filled base for your weekly salad prep. You are the architect of your own nourishing, inexpensive meal!

Italian Farro:

Now, let's talk about Italian Farro—a grain that reminds us that simplicity is often the most satisfying. Farro, one of the oldest cultivated grains in history and a staple of the Roman legions, offers a delightful chewiness and a rich, nutty flavor that instantly elevates any humble dish. It comes in three main types (whole, semi-pearled, and pearled), with whole farro offering the most fiber and requiring an overnight soak. But even the semi-pearled variety, which skips the soak, delivers a fantastic, hearty texture that stands up beautifully to soups, stews, and cold grain salads. Swap it in for rice in your next batch of beans for a meal that feels luxurious, but for mere pennies. It’s a wonderful way to bring that multi-generational wisdom to your table, adding a global flavor twist.

Building a life of plenty doesn't mean spending a lot—it means spending wisely and mastering the basics your grandparents knew. You have the skills and the access to more delicious ingredients than ever before. It's time to stock those airtight containers and get cooking! Start with a pound of beans and one of these versatile grains this week. Let’s bring abundance back to the table, together.

In our next episode, we’ll dive into taking these simple ingredients and giving them a “New Generation” twist. Until then, happy cooking!

Kimberly