This era was obsessed with condensing random foods into loaves Well, this is probably the dish that put an end to that adoration.
This “salad loaf” is pretty much a hollowed-out slab of bologna, stuffed with the dynamic duo- gelatin and mayonnaise of course, along with smashed peas, and other gross canned veggies. This is the kind of dinner that makes you realize how blessed you weren’t around to “enjoy” all of these great delicacies.
Stovetop Baked Beans
This makes sense. During a period of great poverty, a cheap can of baked beans was a popular choice for many struggling Americans.
Throw it on a stove and serve it with some bread, and you have a warm hearty meal on your table. Not the tastiest, but your belly would be full.
Mayonnaise with Jello
One of the challenges of using leftovers for other meals was the attempt to make dishes look as "attractive" as possible. While our food aesthetic has drastically changed since the 30s, a favored trick was stuffing things into gelatinous goops.
By doing this all the scraps would be hidden into big colorful molds. It almost didn't matter how it tasted as long as it looked big and festive.
Cherry Coconut Treats
This perhaps sounds a tad decadent for a great depression-era recipe but the internet tells us that this recipe has been around for over 100 years, so we're pretty sure folks in the 30s were chowing these down.
With some red and green maraschino cherries, this sweet treat is literally the cherry (and coconut) on top of any meal.
Potato Doughnuts
When you're in desperate need of dessert but all you have in the house are potatoes. No, we're not describing a frat house, but rather a typical home during the great depression. If that was the case, then sweet potato doughnuts were the solution.
And for all you sweet-toothed folks out there with nothing in the fridge, you could definitely try this one out too.