Depression Era Food

[oujour76]

Interesting article on how the Depression shaped our diets...

www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2016/08/15/489991111/creamed-canned-and-frozen-how-the-great-depression-changed-u-s-diets

"During the Depression, cheap, nutritious and filling food was prioritized — often at the expense of taste."

[AlaCowboy]

I used to talk with my mother and grandfather about the depression and the war years. My grandfather was a tenant farmer during the depression and the war and had all the vegetables and meat he could raise or barter. My parents worked in a cotton mill and stayed employed through the depression and the war. The mill had a company store and every employee had an account that was settled at the end of the week on payday. We lived in a house in the mill village ($3 a week rent) and in 1950 the mill sold them the house for $1000, at the rate of $6 a week.
Mother said during the war there was rationing, but mill employees got first call at the company store. She said everyone redeemed their ration coupons whether they needed the goods or not, and simply stored them in case something was not available the next month. She said we had row after row of shelves lined with canned hams, peaches, beets, beans, peas, peanut butter, etc. More goods stored under beds and in the attic. She said after rationing ended we had enough food to eat for another year or more except for staples like butter and flour, or milk and eggs.

[oujour76]

Aug 16, 2016 15:07:15 GMT -5 AlaCowboy said:

I used to talk with my mother and grandfather about the depression and the war years. My grandfather was a tenant farmer during the depression and the war and had all the vegetables and meat he could raise or barter. My parents worked in a cotton mill and stayed employed through the depression and the war. The mill had a company store and every employee had an account that was settled at the end of the week on payday. We lived in a house in the mill village ($3 a week rent) and in 1950 the mill sold them the house for $1000, at the rate of $6 a week.
Mother said during the war there was rationing, but mill employees got first call at the company store. She said everyone redeemed their ration coupons whether they needed the goods or not, and simply stored them in case something was not available the next month. She said we had row after row of shelves lined with canned hams, peaches, beets, beans, peas, peanut butter, etc. More goods stored under beds and in the attic. She said after rationing ended we had enough food to eat for another year or more except for staples like butter and flour, or milk and eggs.

Different times. Very different times.

[Deleted]

Fred's dad was born in '26. He says he ate a LOT of bean sandwiches growing up, and big chubs of bologna were sort of a treat once in awhile. One year they were so poor that when his dad asked him what he wanted for Christmas he said he wanted an orange. His dad asked him if he was sure that's what he wanted and he said yes, an orange would be the greatest. I guess oranges were pretty scarce in the Detroit Depression-era slums.

[oldgraylady]

Good stories. It pains me to think of children and seniors going hungry or having food that is not fresh/nutritious. So thankful for government nutrition programs--SNAP, WIC, school nutrition programs, senior nutrition programs. Food pantries and soup kitchens are good, but they cannot feed everyone in need.

[Deleted]

Aug 16, 2016 15:07:15 GMT -5 AlaCowboy said:

I used to talk with my mother and grandfather about the depression and the war years. My grandfather was a tenant farmer during the depression and the war and had all the vegetables and meat he could raise or barter. My parents worked in a cotton mill and stayed employed through the depression and the war. The mill had a company store and every employee had an account that was settled at the end of the week on payday. We lived in a house in the mill village ($3 a week rent) and in 1950 the mill sold them the house for $1000, at the rate of $6 a week.
Mother said during the war there was rationing, but mill employees got first call at the company store. She said everyone redeemed their ration coupons whether they needed the goods or not, and simply stored them in case something was not available the next month. She said we had row after row of shelves lined with canned hams, peaches, beets, beans, peas, peanut butter, etc. More goods stored under beds and in the attic. She said after rationing ended we had enough food to eat for another year or more except for staples like butter and flour, or milk and eggs.

[oldgraylady]

Aug 16, 2016 22:48:41 GMT -5 DrSchadenfreude said:

Aug 16, 2016 15:07:15 GMT -5 AlaCowboy said:

I used to talk with my mother and grandfather about the depression and the war years. My grandfather was a tenant farmer during the depression and the war and had all the vegetables and meat he could raise or barter. My parents worked in a cotton mill and stayed employed through the depression and the war. The mill had a company store and every employee had an account that was settled at the end of the week on payday. We lived in a house in the mill village ($3 a week rent) and in 1950 the mill sold them the house for $1000, at the rate of $6 a week.
Mother said during the war there was rationing, but mill employees got first call at the company store. She said everyone redeemed their ration coupons whether they needed the goods or not, and simply stored them in case something was not available the next month. She said we had row after row of shelves lined with canned hams, peaches, beets, beans, peas, peanut butter, etc. More goods stored under beds and in the attic. She said after rationing ended we had enough food to eat for another year or more except for staples like butter and flour, or milk and eggs.

Funny you should post this video. When I read Cowboy's post, I thought of this song too--"I owe my soul to the company store." TEF is a one of a kind, gifted vocalist. I prefer Ford's version to that of Johnny Cash. Anyway, thanks for posting.

[frmthegrav]

Aug 16, 2016 22:12:13 GMT -5 oldgraylady said:

Good stories. It pains me to think of children and seniors going hungry or having food that is not fresh/nutritious. So thankful for government nutrition programs--SNAP, WIC, school nutrition programs, senior nutrition programs. Food pantries and soup kitchens are good, but they cannot feed everyone in need.

      where is the nutrition in a government nutrition program?

[oldgraylady]

Aug 18, 2016 22:09:53 GMT -5 frmthegrav said:

Aug 16, 2016 22:12:13 GMT -5 oldgraylady said:

Good stories. It pains me to think of children and seniors going hungry or having food that is not fresh/nutritious. So thankful for government nutrition programs--SNAP, WIC, school nutrition programs, senior nutrition programs. Food pantries and soup kitchens are good, but they cannot feed everyone in need.

      where is the nutrition in a government nutrition program?

Frmthegrav,

That is a good question. Government guidelines control the food provided by the Child Nutrition program, School Lunch program, Senior Nutrition program, and Vouchers/eCards used by participants in the Women, Infants, and Children program. The biggest problem seems to be with the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

SNAP allows the participants to select their own food. Sadly, often the food and beverages the participants select is not nutritious. The USDA has attempted to remedy this problem by offering nutrition education, budgeting, advice on menu planning and shopping to help participants get the most value from their food benefits. SNAP also provides incentives for participants to shop at farm markets to buy vegetables and fruits.

On this board, and also on the old Aol boards, we have discussed ways of dealing with the SNAP issues. Some have suggested limiting food to basic staple items. Others have suggested having a small allowance for special occasions and treats, with the bulk of foods required to meet certain nutritional guidelines.

The NPR article referred to food in Depression "Relief Boxes" made purposely bland in order to discourage recipients from becoming too comfortable with the assistance. That was interesting and some might consider that idea appropriate today. Really, though, the goal is for needy people to have the opportunity to eat nutritious, palatable food--not to punish them for being poor.

[Deleted]

Aug 19, 2016 0:20:22 GMT -5 oldgraylady said:

Aug 18, 2016 22:09:53 GMT -5 frmthegrav said:

      where is the nutrition in a government nutrition program?

The NPR article referred to food in Depression "Relief Boxes" made purposely bland in order to discourage recipients from becoming too comfortable with the assistance. That was interesting and some might consider that idea appropriate today. Really, though, the goal is for needy people to have the opportunity to eat nutritious, palatable food--not to punish them for being poor.

Let me guess... you're a psychiatrist with a make-believe 'mentor' who always knows what's best for other people. You are also the smartest person in the room except when your 'mentor' stinks up the place.

[Coaltrain]

Aug 16, 2016 22:12:13 GMT -5 oldgraylady said:

Good stories. It pains me to think of children and seniors going hungry or having food that is not fresh/nutritious. So thankful for government nutrition programs--SNAP, WIC, school nutrition programs, senior nutrition programs. Food pantries and soup kitchens are good, but they cannot feed everyone in need.

Have you ever been to a food pantry? Do you know how they work?

I know people that have had to rely on food pantries and I can tell you for fact, the food is mostly expired.
The truck or van goes around to various supermarkets and they get whatever the store will donate. The fruit will go bad in 3 days, the vegetables have mold on them, the bread is only good for 2 days (they load you up on bread btw) unless they hurry up and freeze it. If you get a package of any kind of meat, you've scored gold. If you have small children or are retired, they fill them up on cakes and pies. Pure sugar. Nothing to drink. No milk or juice. No butter, eggs, flour, sugar or basics.
SNAP, will only help if you can get your boss or previous employers to send them paperwork to prove you have crap for an income. And that takes up to 30 days. So when someone is sitting in their home with no food, they don't care. But if you look at the filing paperwork for SNAP, you will see that if you are here in this country illegally, you get IMMEDIATE assistance. Look it up. BTW, There are no food pantries or soup kitchens in the country sides. We have more country than cities in America.

A person is only allowed to get food from the pantry once every 14 days. The food may last about 5 days if they are lucky.

The School nutrition program is a load of garbage. This would be Michelle Obamas deal. The one that schools have thrown out, because the kids would not eat the bland, tasteless, no calorie food.

In regards to the Senior Program, you do realize it's one hot meal a day. They do not take these people out shopping. Social security on average gives a Senior Citizen less than $1000 a month, some less than $800, and they cannot afford cars or are too old to drive. There are millions of Seniors living out in the country completely reliant on their neighbors because there is no programs to help them.

[oldgraylady]

Aug 19, 2016 7:25:12 GMT -5 @kelliers said:

Aug 19, 2016 0:20:22 GMT -5 oldgraylady said:

The NPR article referred to food in Depression "Relief Boxes" made purposely bland in order to discourage recipients from becoming too comfortable with the assistance. That was interesting and some might consider that idea appropriate today. Really, though, the goal is for needy people to have the opportunity to eat nutritious, palatable food--not to punish them for being poor.

Let me guess... you're a psychiatrist with a make-believe 'mentor' who always knows what's best for other people. You are also the smartest person in the room except when your 'mentor' stinks up the place.

That is not true, Fred.

[oldgraylady]

Aug 19, 2016 9:15:45 GMT -5 Coaltrain said:

Aug 16, 2016 22:12:13 GMT -5 oldgraylady said:

Good stories. It pains me to think of children and seniors going hungry or having food that is not fresh/nutritious. So thankful for government nutrition programs--SNAP, WIC, school nutrition programs, senior nutrition programs. Food pantries and soup kitchens are good, but they cannot feed everyone in need.

Have you ever been to a food pantry? Do you know how they work?

I know people that have had to rely on food pantries and I can tell you for fact, the food is mostly expired.
The truck or van goes around to various supermarkets and they get whatever the store will donate. The fruit will go bad in 3 days, the vegetables have mold on them, the bread is only good for 2 days (they load you up on bread btw) unless they hurry up and freeze it. If you get a package of any kind of meat, you've scored gold. If you have small children or are retired, they fill them up on cakes and pies. Pure sugar. Nothing to drink. No milk or juice. No butter, eggs, flour, sugar or basics.
SNAP, will only help if you can get your boss or previous employers to send them paperwork to prove you have crap for an income. And that takes up to 30 days. So when someone is sitting in their home with no food, they don't care. But if you lo
ok at the filing paperwork for SNAP, you will see that if you are here in this country illegally, you get IMMEDIATE assistance. Look it up. BTW, There are no food pantries or soup kitchens in the country sides. We have more country than cities in America.

A person is only allowed to get food from the pantry once every 14 days. The food may last about 5 days if they are lucky.

The School nutrition program is a load of garbage. This would be Michelle Obamas deal. The one that schools have thrown out, because the kids would not eat the bland, tasteless, no calorie food.

In regards to the Senior Program, you do realize it's one hot meal a day. They do not take these people out shopping. Social security on average gives a Senior Citizen less than $1000 a month, some less than $800, and they cannot afford cars or are too old to drive. There are millions of Seniors living out in the country completely reliant on their neighbors because there is no programs to help them.

Churches and volunteer organizations run most of the food pantries in my community. They provide food from grocery store donations , non-perishable food drives, and the local food bank. A local volunteer agency serves breakfast and lunch daily, except Sunday and local churches often serve Sunday lunch. Our mass transit system provides door to door service for elderly and disabled persons . Community Development Block Grants fund free transportation for low-income residents and Meals On Wheels delivers lunch to
homebound elderly and disabled residents. It is true that some needy residents will "fall through the cracks" and that there is not much help for underserved rural poor. Hopefully, somehow they will find some help through volunteers, churches, etc.

Some SNAP applicants are eligible for emergency/expedited benefits. In that case, applicants can receive benefits within seven days. Our community response system is not perfect, but it does provide a safety net for many people.

[Deleted]

Aug 19, 2016 9:15:45 GMT -5 Coaltrain said:

Aug 16, 2016 22:12:13 GMT -5 oldgraylady said:

Good stories. It pains me to think of children and seniors going hungry or having food that is not fresh/nutritious. So thankful for government nutrition programs--SNAP, WIC, school nutrition programs, senior nutrition programs. Food pantries and soup kitchens are good, but they cannot feed everyone in need.

Have you ever been to a food pantry? Do you know how they work?

I know people that have had to rely on food pantries and I can tell you for fact, the food is mostly expired.
The truck or van goes around to various supermarkets and they get whatever the store will donate. The fruit will go bad in 3 days, the vegetables have mold on them, the bread is only good for 2 days (they load you up on bread btw) unless they hurry up and freeze it. If you get a package of any kind of meat, you've scored gold. If you have small children or are retired, they fill them up on cakes and pies. Pure sugar. Nothing to drink. No milk or juice. No butter, eggs, flour, sugar or basics.
SNAP, will only help if you can get your boss or previous employers to send them paperwork to prove you have crap for an income. And that takes up to 30 days. So when someone is sitting in their home with no food, they don't care. But if you look at the filing paperwork for SNAP, you will see that if you are here in this country illegally, you get IMMEDIATE assistance. Look it up. BTW, There are no food pantries or soup kitchens in the country sides. We have more country than cities in America.

A person is only allowed to get food from the pantry once every 14 days. The food may last about 5 days if they are lucky.

The School nutrition program is a load of garbage. This would be Michelle Obamas deal. The one that schools have thrown out, because the kids would not eat the bland, tasteless, no calorie food.

In regards to the Senior Program, you do realize it's one hot meal a day. They do not take these people out shopping. Social security on average gives a Senior Citizen less than $1000 a month, some less than $800, and they cannot afford cars or are too old to drive. There are millions of Seniors living out in the country completely reliant on their neighbors because there is no programs to help them.

?? But I thought President Obama deeply cares about our black folk, elderly, children and disabled veterans?? How can this be? Michelle and Barack would set right all the wrongs. Are you telling me they have not done that as promised??

[cyberobb99]

Getting away from the direction this has gone..... there is an interesting story about the origins of food services on passenger trains. At the beginning of the industrial age Central Virginia was a major East coast passenger train hub. These trains went through the region at the rate of 2 or 3 an hour on two tracks. Now, at this time passenger trains were essentially cargo trains with seats and windows.....nothing more. Gordonsville, in Orange County, had a large train station, and local black women...some of whom were still slaves....realized that passengers on these trains needed food, drinks and supplies. They began to develop a business of carrying great baskets of home-fried chicken to the trains to sell to hungry passengers. Before long the reputation of these ladies grew to the point that travelers would sometimes plan on taking trains through Gordonsville in order to get chicken, biscuits, pies and other delicious foods skillfully prepared by the "carrier-waiter" ladies. Some of the women who were still slaves made enough money off of their hard work to buy their own freedom. Gordonsville became known as the "Fried Chicken Capital of the World". However, the railroads took notice of the demand for trains going through this region, and by the end of the 19th century had begun to put dining cars on trains. The ladies' business dried up and fewer trains went through Gordonsville, but they still claim the title and hold a fried chicken festival in May each year.