Lessons from the Great Depression

This delightful lady gives us some cooking lessons and stories from the Great Depression. 

It can be difficult for our kids to understand just how severe the Depression was (and I hope and pray that they won't have to learn the hard way).   This gives one a taste of the experience. 

Even without being in a Depression, learning to cook on the cheap frugally can be of great value.  We will often figure the cost of a meal, or perhaps the number of meals that can be made with one purchase ( a turkey or a ham, for instance).  Let your kids contrast the cost of feeding the family at home with the cost of feeding the crew at a restaurant.  For our family, a trip to a restaurant is a rarity - in part due to financial considerations, in part because we generally produce better meals than most restaurants (I hate spending $60 - $80 bucks to feed the crew just to be disappointed with the meal). 

So, learn to be frugal, use everything you can (eh, I don't use the gizzards), let your kids learn that some terrific meals can be made from very little.  An eight dollar turkey can provide a Thanksgiving feast, sandwiches for the weekend games, and that turkey carcass can join a few veggies and some rice to make enough soup to last several meals.

Click the link above to visit Clara's YouTube page for more videos; better yet, visit her web site and buy the book and DVD!