30 Thrifty Holiday Recipes from the '30s (2024)

Home Holidays Christmas

ByCarrie Madormo, RN

Taste of Home's Editorial Process

Updated: Jan. 05, 2022

Hosting a festive gathering doesn't have to break the bank. Stick with these inexpensive holiday recipes for all the flavor at half the price.

1/30

Old-World Puff Pancake

My mom told me her mother-in-law showed her how to make this dish, which became popular during the Depression, on their “get acquainted” visit in 1927. At that time, cooks measured ingredients in pinches, dashes and dibs. But through the years, accurate amounts were noted. My wife and I continue to enjoy this dish today, particularly for brunch. —Auton Miller, Piney Flats, Tennessee

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2/30

Citrus-Herb Roast Chicken

This dish is one of my all-time favorites. The flavorful, juicy chicken combines with the aromas of spring in fresh herbs, lemon and onions to form the perfect one-pot meal. I make the gravy right in the pan. —Megan Fordyce, Fairchance, Pennsylvania

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3/30

Traditional Mashed Potatoes

Mashed potatoes make a wonderful accompaniment to most any meal, so keep this recipe handy.

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4/30

5/30

Old-Fashioned Fruit Compote

A perfect partner for your Christmas goose, this warm and fruity side dish can simmer while you prepare the rest of your menu, or make it a day ahead and reheat before serving. —Shirley A. Glaab, Hattiesburg, Mississippi

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6/30

Hearty Navy Bean Soup

My family loves navy bean soup! Beans were a commodity you did not survive without in the ’30s. This excellent navy beans and ham soup is a real family favorite of ours and I make it often. —Mildred Lewis, Temple, Texas

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7/30

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Pumpkin Pie Pudding

My husband loves anything pumpkin, and this creamy, comforting pumpkin pudding recipe is one of his favorites. We make our easy pudding all year long, but it's especially nice in the fall. —Andrea Schaak, Bloomington, Minnesota

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Glazed Cinnamon Apples

If you are seeking comfort food on the sweet side, this warm and yummy apple dessert, made with cinnamon and nutmeg, fits the bill. —Megan Maze, Oak Creek, Wisconsin

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9/30

Bacon Roll-Ups

This family recipe dates back to the 1930s, when my grandmother started making these hearty breakfast rolls. —Janet Abate, North Brunswick, New Jersey

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10/30

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Mom's Fried Apples

Mom often made these rich cinnamon-sugar apples when I was growing up. I swear the folks at Cracker Barrel copied her recipe! —Margie Tappe, Prague, Oklahoma

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11/30

Sugar-Glazed Ham

This old-fashioned ham glaze gives a pretty golden brown coating—just like Grandma used to make. The mustard and vinegar complement the brown sugar which adds a tangy flavor to this glazed ham recipe. Be prepared to serve seconds! —Carol Strong Battle, Heathville, Virginia

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12/30

13/30

Roasted Chicken with Rosemary

Herbs, garlic and butter give this hearty meal in one a classic flavor. It's a lot like pot roast, except it uses chicken instead of beef. —Isabel Zienkosky, Salt Lake City, Utah

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14/30

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Oyster Stuffing

This recipe came from my mother. She made it every Thanksgiving for my father, who absolutely loved it. —Amy Daniels, Brodhead, Wisconsin

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15/30

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Sunday Dinner Mashed Potatoes

Sour cream and cream cheese add delicious dairy flavors to these potatoes. They can be prepared in advance and are special enough to serve guests. —Melody Mellinger, Myerstown, Pennsylvania

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16/30

Cinnamon Spiced Apples

If you’re feeling festive, scoop some vanilla ice cream over a bowl of my cinnamon spiced apples. They’re homey, aromatic and just plain heavenly. —Amie Powell, Knoxville, Tennessee

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Cranberry Glazed Ham

That show-stopping entree you've been hoping for is right here, and it only takes five ingredients to make. The sweet and tangy cranberry glaze pairs beautifully with succulent ham. —Joni Peterson, Wichita, Kansas

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18/30

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Roasted Chicken

This tender chicken is a real time-saver on a busy weekend. A simple blend of seasonings makes it a snap to prepare, and it smells heavenly as it roasts. —Marian Platt, Sequim, Washington

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19/30

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Pumpkin Pudding Desserts

I love pumpkin pie but I don't always have time to make it so I decided to come up with a way to eat pumpkin pie all year round with this lighter pumkin dessert. Very delicious when topped with cool whip like a real pumpking pie! Could be considered the new pumkin pie at Thanksgiving dinner!

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20/30

Chunky Creamy Chicken Soup

I am a stay-at-home mom who relies on my slow cooker for fast, nutritious meals with minimal cleanup and prep time. I knew this recipe was a hit when I didn't have any leftovers and my husband asked me to make it again. —Nancy Clow, Mallorytown, Ontario

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21/30

Roast Chicken with Vegetables

Love a moist and tender chicken but not the mess of actually roasting one? Use an oven cooking bag to keep a chicken and veggies easily under control. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen

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22/30

Gran's Apple Cake

My grandmother occasionally brought over this wonderful cake warm from the oven. The spicy apple flavor combined with the sweet cream cheese frosting made this recipe one that we treasured. Even though I've lightened it up, it's still a family favorite. —Lauris Conrad, Turlock, California

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23/30

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Apricot-Glazed Ham

Glaze a bone-in ham with apricot jam for a entree that's beautiful and delicious. Any leftovers will make meal planning a breeze later in the week. —Galelah Dowell, Fairland, Oklahoma

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24/30

Deluxe Mashed Potatoes

When it comes to mashed potatoes recipes, this is one of my favorites because they can be made ahead, refrigerated and then popped into the oven just prior to dinnertime. When my grandchildren come for dinner, I have to double this recipe. They love it! —Vivian Bailey, Cedar Falls, Iowa

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25/30

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Warm Cinnamon-Apple Topping

You'll quickly warm up to the old-fashioned taste of this cinnamon-apple topping. Spoon it over vanilla ice cream or slices of pound cake. —Doris Heath, Franklin, North Carolina

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26/30

Spinach Souffle Side Dish

You just can't make an easier, more delicious side dish than this. It's great with beef, pork and lamb, and I especially like serving it for a festive occasion like New Year's Eve. —Bette Duffy, Kenmore, Washington

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27/30

When my whole family comes over for dinner, I make a big platter of roast chicken with sweet potatoes, carrots and fennel. My dad leads the fan club. —Kelly Ferguson, Conshohocken, Pennsylvania

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28/30

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Pressure-Cooker English Pub Split Pea Soup

This family favorite is the same recipe my grandmother used. Now with the magic of today's appliances, I can spend 15 minutes putting it together, walk away for a bit and then it's "soup's on!" Finish it with more milk if you like your split pea soup a bit thinner. —Judy Batson, Tampa, Florida

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29/30

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Maple-Peach Glazed Ham

This is one of my husband's favorite recipes. He makes it regularly for his group of friends on the weekends because it's so good and easy. —Bonnie Hawkins, Elkhorn, Wisconsin

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30/30

Sunday's Best Chicken

I am a busy mom of four and a nursing student, so weeknight dinners are often rushed. Sunday dinners are very important to our family, and everyone loves when I make this old-fashioned chicken recipe. —Amy Jenkins, Mesa, Arizona

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Originally Published: December 06, 2020

Author

Carrie Madormo, RN

Carrie is a nurse and health writer who has worked with Taste of Home for six years. As a former health coach, she’s written across a range of health publications and digital outlets and strives to translate the latest health and nutrition research into easy-to-understand information and actionable articles.

30 Thrifty Holiday Recipes from the '30s (2024)

FAQs

What was the most popular food in the 30s? ›

From Hunger to Hope. From frozen foods to Jell-O molds, the 1930s and 40s saw a huge upsurge in convenience foods. Building on the popularity of brands like Wonder Bread, Kool-Aid, Velveeta Cheese, and Hostess Cakes, American supermarkets stocked up on mass-produced items.

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What food was served at a 1930's dinner party? ›

Including ingredients like lobster, squab, oysters, tongue, crab, fruit punch, prunes, peaches, pineapple, honeydew melon and orange marmalade in the menu helped gentrify the meal and add that touch of elegant refinement that was so important.

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What was a typical meal during the Great Depression? ›

Celery soup mixed with tuna fish and mashed potatoes. A salad of corned beef, gelatin and canned peas. Baked onion stuffed with peanut butter. Those are just some of the recipes Americans turned to during the Great Depression, when many families struggled to eat enough nutritious food.

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What did hobos eat during the Great Depression? ›

Perhaps one hobo acquired a few carrots from a charitable person, while another stole an onion off a box car, while another had a few potatoes from a farm he worked on briefly… From this concoction, a “hobo stew,” also known as “Mulligan/Mulligatawney stew” was born and became the traditional food of the hobo.

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What foods were invented in the 30s? ›

"Even in the Depression, people were so inventive," Cass County Historical Society President Marilyn Fry says of the durable food brands born in the depths of the 1930s. Birds Eye Frosted Foods, sliced Wonder Bread, Hostess Twinkies, Mott's Apple Sauce, Snickers candy bars, French's Worcestershire Sauce.

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What was a typical meal in the 1930s? ›

Big families could be fed with soups from leftover meats, beans, and home-grown vegetables. Homemakers made many varieties of soup from available foods. The results included split pea, chicken-rice, potato-onion, bean, hamburger, and all vegetable. Dumplings were a filling addition to complement the soup.

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What did children eat in the 1930s? ›

During the Depression, casseroles and meals like creamed chipped beef on toast, chili, macaroni and cheese, and creamed chicken on biscuits were popular. Jell-o was a cheap protein source and found its way into many cookbooks during the Depression.

Where did many of the homeless eat during the Great Depression? ›

Soup kitchens and bread lines were methods of feeding the neediest people in the country during the Great Depression. Run by charities, private companies, and the government, many soup kitchens and bread lines served thousands of people a day.

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What did farmers eat during the Great Depression? ›

Farm Families and the Great Depression

Farmers could grow their own food in large gardens and raise livestock to provide meat. Chickens supplied both meat and eggs, while dairy cows produced milk and cream. Many women had sewing skills and began producing much of their family's clothing.

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What was the mulligan stew during the Great Depression? ›

This Great Depression staple was also known as “Hobo Stew.” Mulligan, being a common Irish surname, completes the recipe stew title because it's an adaptation to a classic Irish Beef Stew. During the depression, this catch-all meal was assembled by whatever anyone could scrounge up.

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What president fixed the Great Depression? ›

The New Deal was a series of programs, public work projects, financial reforms, and regulations enacted by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in the United States between 1933 and 1938.

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What was popular in the late 30s? ›

The 1930s were primarily known for the Great Depression, the Dust Bowl, jazz music, the Art Deco movement, and the New Deal. Jazz/swing music not only became popular in the U.S., but also found audiences in Europe.

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Was there fast food in the 1930s? ›

In the 1920s and 1930s, some of the most famous chain restaurants—Horn & Hardart, Howard Johnson's, A&W Root Beer, Bob's Big Boy, Dairy Queen, White Castle, and Marriott Hot Shoppes among them—appeared in urban areas as walk-up lunch rooms, cafeterias, and hamburger stands.

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