11 Foods That Made Their Mark During The Great Depression

The images that come to mind when thinking of the Great Depression are brutal: Absolutely decimated fields, unemployed bankers meandering the streets, and soup kitchen lines linger among other associations. There's not much that can positively be said about the dark spot in U.S. history, but its effect on contemporary American cuisine is becoming harder and harder to deny. On one hand, there were more logistical changes that came as a result of the Great Depression, including the establishment of soup kitchens, a shift in open public policy surrounding food, and the rise of large food brands.

But, beyond the tangible, the Great Depression spelled out a major change for the American food structure. During those lean years, American families faced major food insecurity that not only challenged how they procured food, but also how they could make it last. The Depression meant a shift in American dietary habits that leaned towards the nutritious, sustainable, and indulgent where possible. Despite the hardship, there are many Depression-era foods that endure to this day in American cuisine. Read below to learn more about 12 foods that made their mark during the Great Depression.

1. Buttermilk

Today, buttermilk is a darling of the dairy aisle with its bold flavor, thick texture, and medley of vitamins. But, there was a time when buttermilk was the cheap remaining dairy by-product that floated families  during the Great Depression.

Buttermilk was for many a means of survival during the lean years of the Depression. In the '20s it was common to churn butter at home, which produces buttermilk as a natural by-product. During the era of economic and agricultural uncertainty, many families needed to stick to a "waste not, want not" attitude. Even those who did not churn butter at home could still go to local creameries where they could purchase, but more often than not, receive buttermilk for free.

In the kitchen, buttermilk found any number of uses and added flavor, nutrition, and fluffiness to the kitchen in hard times. From being enjoyed as a glass on its own, to making soups, biscuits, and pancakes, buttermilk has remained a staple in American cuisine for its merit and versatility.

2. Cornbread/Johnny Cakes

During the Great Depression, corn meal was one kitchen staple that was typically easily accessible and cost-effective. To utilize this ingredient during hard times, home cooks began making Johnny cakes, a Northeastern bread that became particularly popular during the Great Depression. 

Though a bit more obscure than cornbread, Johnny cakes are similar in concept, utilizing corn meal as their base ingredient. They're a bit richer and more decadent than the average cornbread, as well. Some people triangulate Johnny cakes as a sort of thin, fried cornbread-pancake hybrid, and it's no doubt that they provided some sort of comfort and nutrition during harder times. Certainly Johnny cakes just haven't received the notoriety they deserve, and we think even the modern kitchen could benefit from a good venture in Johnny cake-making.

3. Dandelion salad

Dire times call for a bit of creativity, or going back to the roots. In some areas, foraging became a part of eating during the Great Depression, and hand-picked dandelion salad was something that could be found on the dinner table. Dandelions made for a pretty ingenious addition to the diet: Not only do the weeds grow in abundance, but they also have a slightly tangy edge to them similar to spinach.

Clara Cannucciari, a former chef and cookbook author, shared the dandelion salad recipe she ate during the Great Depression in this video. While the extremely tough years of the Great Depression have past, the then 94-year-old chef explored the simple wonders of the salad: It's completely free to make, nutritious, and for some, is wonderfully delicious. In fact, according to Mount Sinai, dandelions are rich in iron, potassium, vitamins A, B, C, and D, minerals, and zinc.

4. Spam

Spam is a sort of legendary food that has found its way into cuisine to both the exuberance and horror of many; there is something about canned meat that just inspires a big reaction. Spam first made it on to the market in 1937, during the Great Depression. The product featured meat that would most likely not sell on its own: a square of pork shoulder and other bits of pork ham, mixed with a sugar, salt, and starch to bind it.  The name Spam actually is supposed to be a combination of "spiced and ham."

The simple Spam recipe hasn't changed since its inception, but its popularity has certainly ebbed and flowed. While there was a call for cheap and convenient foods during the Great Depression, there was some hesitancy around Spam, and many were confused as to why the meat didn't need to be refrigerated. 

It was when the U.S. entered World War II that the meat really took off as a means to feed the troops, and the mystery meat still remains relatively popular where they were once stationed. Nonetheless, it was the economic circumstances of the Great Depression that brought this pop culture icon to the stage and to the plate. 

5. Kraft Macaroni & Cheese

Kraft Macaroni & Cheese is still a cheap eat that many turn to in a pinch and for comfort. The mac launched in 1937 alongside other convenient foods like Spam. At the time, macaroni and cheese casserole was a popular and economic meal to feed families and dinner parties. Kraft provided a quicker and more convenient way to make this comforting dish. With its product, named the Kraft Macaroni Dinner, or just Kraft Dinner for short, a meal could be made 7 to 9 minutes. Part of the reason why the meal could be prepared so quickly is because Kraft had patented an instant cheese powder, which is still a feature in its contemporary recipes.

It seemed that the company struck the right nerve, and in its first year, it sold more than 9 million boxes of the instant macaroni. But, there's a long-lasting genius to this craft, and Kraft remains a recognizable brand.

6. Hearty soups

Soups are filling, comforting, and cheap; in short, they are perfect to fall back on to in hard times. During the Great Depression, many soup recipes began arising out of need, hunger, and creativity. Soups in this era were designed to be as nutritious as possible, and for some families, they were a part of everyday life for dinner. They would often be as loaded as possible: potato, onions, and beans could all be found floating just underneath the surface. Buttermilk would also be added to further thicken up the soup and fill stomachs.

The Great Depression kitchen was not one that would throw away food that could be used, and often this meant that leftovers would get tossed into the soup bowl. While this usually meant leftover meats, some families would take this to new extremes. One journalist recalled her grandmother's "Depression soup,"  which contained a roving collection of all kitchen scraps in one bowl. Anything from fish heads, to rabbit bones, to bits of rice, and broccoli ends would patchwork themselves into the freezer box's broth. While this may be far from what we can stomach today, as the journalist notes, perhaps there's something to learn from the stick-to-it-ness of the Depression-era soup.

7. Peanut butter

Peanut butter is an ingredient that everyone knows, but it was the Great Depression that really put it on the map, and on the plate. The late '20s saw the rise of major peanut butter brands, some of which still exist to this day, including Skippy and Peter Pan. It was these brands that were able to produce peanut butter en masse and lower the price on what was once a luxury good reserved for the well-to- do.

During the harder times of the Great Depression, peanut butter was especially important in that it was low in cost and high in calories. These were two critical considerations for many people, and often, peanut butter sandwiches would even be handed out in food lines. Around the same time, soft and cheap white bread had also been developed. The ingredients for the modern American sandwich had been developed just in the nick of time, and would stay much longer as a childhood staple for many Americans to come.

8. Meatloaf

Meatloaf is something that can still be found on the dinner table. Really, the simple yet enticing meatloaf traces its way back to Ancient Rome, where Romans were documented enjoying the dish with wine and bread. Stateside, meatloaf experienced a resurgence in the 19th century with the invention of the meat grinder.

It was, however, the Great Depression that spelled a major renaissance for the meaty dish, even though meat wasn't served every day. The real goal with meatloaves was to be able to make the pricier meat last longer and be more filling. Home cooks ground the beef and combined it with what was around, including more traditional ingredients like (stale) bread crumbs and seasonings, as well as macaroni, potatoes, and even biscuits. The goal with meatloaf was to load it up as much as possible. While that may not necessarily be the case today, the meal is still a regular for many families.

9. Potato candy

Potato and candy? There are stranger things out there. This food is actually an Appalachian specialty treat that most likely traces back to Central-Eastern Europe. The candy uses potato as a starch for the dough, which some Redditors rightfully point out acts as a sort of marzipan alternative. Despite potato candy's European roots, its peanut butter filling makes it all-American.

During the Great Depression, these candies were almost as low cost as it could get, especially given the cheap cost of peanut butter at the time. Naturally, potatoes have long been a food for hard times, and the '30s were no exception. It is only natural that potato candies would capitalize on available ingredients and provide a little bit of sweetness in harsh times. While the candies have all but faded from obscurity, they still remain well-known, or at least well-loved in Appalachia.

10. Rocky Road ice cream

Rocky road may be one of your favorite orders at the ice cream shop today, but its history began during the Great Depression. In 1929, right at the epicenter of the economic crash, ice cream makers Joseph Edy and William Dreyer of Edy's Ice Cream decided to lean into the absurdity of the time. While tinkering with flavors, they added marshmallows, chocolate chunks, and walnuts to chocolate ice cream — and Rocky Road was born.

The ice cream was made with intention, and was supposed to elicit feelings of joy and perhaps indulgence to those who grabbed a spoon and dug in. There is certainly something poetic in finding something delicious in the rockiest of roads, as evidenced by the ice cream. There has proven to be some longevity in Rocky Road and it can still be found alongside modern ice cream flavors; you can even make your own tub of Rocky Road at home.

11. Surprise cake and Wacky cake

Even in tough times, people seem to find room for dessert. It may be surprising just how they do this, and "surprise cake" best exemplifies this. The cake, which is in essence a spice cake, uses tomato soup in lieu of buttermilk. Hence, the surprise! 

Tomato soup really works as an unusually powerful baking alternative, where it provides acidity and acts as a thickening agent not dissimilar to buttermilk. Many assert that the tomato can't be tasted, at least not really. Those who swear by tomato soup in baking praise it for the moistness it lends to the recipe it graces. Surprise cakes actually survived beyond the Great Depression and could even be found in popular culture more or less into the '60s.

Another cake that was popularized during the Great Depression was the so-called "wacky cake." The cake truly made due with what was at hand and is a no-thrills recipe that opts for cheaper alternatives. Instead of butter, the recipe calls for cooking oil, and instead of milk, it uses water; the most expensive items on the list are cocoa powder and sugar.