Though my mom wasn’t born until long after the Great Depression, it did hit her farming family pretty hard. By the time she came around in the 1950s, the family was still relying on the meager funds they could scrape together.

Luckily, my grandpa was a skilled farmer who could grow most of their groceries, and my grandma knew how to stretch one meal out into enough dishes for a whole week. That meant a lot of stews, fresh bread, and even having all nine kids take turns churning their own butter. It wasn’t easy, but they always found a way to transform even the most simple dishes into a yummy family favorite.

In fact, all of the economical Depression era recipes below are so scrumptious, many should still be regular staples today. I know I always request the potato soup when I’m home visiting my mom!