The most common meal during the Great Depression was meals such as beans, potatoes and pasta which was a filling dish that was often made in large pots for making soups and stews like Hoover Stew or Mulligan stew.
And affordable and versatile ingredients like peanut butter, canned sardines and cheaper cuts of meats were also a central part of peoples diets in the Great Depression, which reflected the need for maximizing nutrition and sustenance on a tight budget.
Canned beans or dried beans were a very popular and affordable food source and source of protein and nutrients during the Great Depression and they could all be prepared as bean soup or formed into patties or even added to stews.
Potatoes were highly valued during the Great Depression for their filling nature and versatility, and appeared and were used in many soups, pancakes and other dishes during the Great Depression.
Even simple pasta dishes like macaroni and cheese also were popular during the Great Depression as they were also cheap to make and could also feed a family for days.
Hoover Stew is also a hearty, budget friendly meal that was also a staple in soup kitchens and households during the Great Depression and it was often made with canned tomatoes, hot dogs or ground meat and pasta.
Peanut butter was also a cheap and filling source of protein and was often eaten with sandwiches like the peanut butter sandwich.
Canned vegetables like tomatoes and peas, canned sardines etc were all common choices of foods during the Great Depression as they were also cheap and had a long shelf life.
The main driver for these meal choices was the cost as people prioritized cheap and filling as well as nutrient rich ingredients during the Great Depression when money was either nonexistent or tight.
The potatoes and beans during the Great Depression were also popular as they could be stretched into various dishes like soups, stews and even pancakes.
And starchy foods like potatoes, rice and flour were also essential for fighting off hunger during the Great Depression.