18 Foods People Ate During The Great Depression - Tasting Table

"The 1930s are remembered as one of the toughest eras in American History. The nation was in disarray, banks were shuttered, unemployment had skyrocketed, and food was scarce. We call it the Great Depression for good reason. While it wasn't the first major economic downturn that Americans faced - the "Long Depression" lasted from 1873 to 1899 - it was the absolute worst, starting with the stock market crash of 1929 and ending finally in 1939."

"At the time, most American meals were limited to bread, canned goods, beans, and potatoes because those were the easiest foods to find. According to a factsheet that shows Depression-era prices, created by the Van Buren County Iowa Genealogy, the cost of a 16-ounce loaf of bread in 1933 was 6 cents, and butter was 24 cents per pound. Comparatively, one pound of chicken cost 18 cents,"

The 1930s brought the Great Depression, marked by shuttered banks, soaring unemployment, and widespread food scarcity. The downturn began with the 1929 stock market crash and persisted through 1939, with two presidents, Herbert Hoover and Franklin D. Roosevelt, in office. Economic recovery accelerated with the World War II industrial boom around 1941. Food shortages forced Americans into breadlines and soup kitchens, while those with limited means relied on bread, canned goods, beans, and potatoes. Simple, low-cost meals and inventive recipes emerged, including bread-and-butter sandwiches served at the White House to reflect everyday American fare. Depression-era staple prices made bread and butter particularly economical compared with meat.

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