Great Depression meal time

What’s for lunch? (in the Great Depression)

95 Comments

My latest release is From This Moment On: Two Kings Meadow Novellas. One of the stories is set in 1932, the other in 2015. While writing the first novella, Bible and a .44, I came across one really interesting food choice that was served during the Great Depression. See if it stands out to you in this post.

In the mountains of Idaho during the Great Depression, asking “What’s for lunch?” often brought a creative and resourceful response. Life was challenging, but in small towns like Kings Meadow that were surrounded by farms and cattle ranches, residents relied on ingenuity and the bounty from their own land to nourish their families.

Most meals centered around simplicity and frugality, staples harvested from gardens, preserved foods, and whatever livestock could provide. Potatoes (Hey, Idaho is famous for its potatoes or so say our license plates) became a cornerstone of nearly every meal. From hearty potato soups seasoned with wild herbs to simple potato pancakes fried in homemade lard, these versatile vegetables offered both comfort and sustenance.

Bread was another crucial staple, baked fresh at home and often stretched further through resourceful recipes. Sandwiches provided convenient midday meals and sometimes featured unusual but calorie-rich combinations. One such sandwich was peanut butter and mayonnaise. While it might sound odd today, peanut butter was valued for its protein, and mayonnaise added crucial fats and calories necessary for hard-working farmers and ranchers. Many locals, initially skeptical, grew fond of the creamy, savory-sweet combination.

Meat, when available, was typically used sparingly. Families often depended on small game like rabbits or squirrels, hunted by skilled family members, turning simple meats into stews, pies, and casseroles stretched with vegetables and grains. Occasionally, a rancher might share beef, transforming tougher cuts into nourishing soups and stews, cooked slowly over hours to tenderize the meat. Wild foods, too, became essential, with families foraging for berries, mushrooms, and edible greens like dandelions and nettles to supplement their diets. Wild blackberries and huckleberries picked in late summer were treasures, turned into preserves that brightened meals throughout colder months.

Today, looking back at those Depression-era lunches in small towns offers more than a historical snapshot—it reveals powerful lessons in resilience, creativity, and the enduring value of community. And yes, it even makes us reconsider the humble peanut butter and mayonnaise sandwich with newfound respect.


This blog post was originally part of the spring 2025 Christian Fiction Scavenger Hunt.

95 Comments

  2. Like others have said, I enjoy being introduced to new authors and the types of books they write. We all know what appeals to us, so it makes it easier to learn if an author is going to suit your taste or if you need to move on to someone else.

    1. This is my first scavenger hunt and really enjoying finding some new authors I wouldn’t have known about before.

  10. I enjoy scavenger hunts!! I love that you all take the time to put them together for us. <3

  16. I love seeing what authors are participating and sometimes finding new books to add to my tbr.

  17. My dad introduced me to peanut butter and mayonnaise sandwiches when I was a kid. It was interesting reading about their “energy” value. I loved them.

  19. I haven’t read any of your The British are Coming series. Thanks for taking a part in the scavenger hunt and sharing with us.

  20. My mum loved PB&M sandwiches, while for my dad it was PB&B(anana). And I love connecting with new-to-me authors, such as yourself! Thank you for the opportunity!

  21. I love the rich history you provide in each of your stories. Thank you for your research and well developed characters. Your books are a joy to read.

  23. The chance to win some great books! And discovering new books to add to my TBR

  24. Scavenger Hunts are fun, as I always learn about authors “new to me” and current books or background about the titles in the hunt. Thank you for the opportunity!

  25. I already subscribe to your newsletter. I love these Scavenger Hunts because I love meeting new Authors & finding new books to read!

  26. I’m not sure I’m quite on board with the peanut butter and mayonnaise combo. Hmm. maybe my kids will try it!

  27. I enjoy reading and am very thankful for Christian authors and the books they write. Blessings from Jesus on you all!

  32. I enjoy learning about different and new to me authors during these scavenger hunts. Plus, finding new books to read is wonderful!

  34. I love these scavenger hunts because they allow me to discover new authors and books!

  35. This scavenger hunt is like looking for treasure to me. The treasure is finding a new author, finding a new book to add to my TBR and finding chances to possibly win free books 🙂

  37. My great grandmother had a recipe published in a cookbook called Dining During the Depression. It was her Four Generation Dressing. The recipes were interesting and inventive.

  40. I love to see all the new books that the authors are coming out with. And adding a new author or two to my favorites list.

  44. I love these types of scavenger hunts. I always learn so much about the authors and why they write the books that they do. I love all the history tidbits and random facts everyone shares!

  46. I can’t stand mayonnaise, so mayo and peanut butter sandwiches sound disgusting to me! Maybe my mom would enjoy it more…

  47. Love the covers. I’ve not had a mayo peanut butter sandwich, but I’ve tried a mock apple pie. You use crackers instead of apples. And the seasonings and after baking it tastes like an apple pie.

  49. So excited to have found you through the scavenger hunt! We do a women’s book bingo event at our church and I am looking forward to be able to include your books!

  51. I like meeting the different authors, some I already know, others I’m just finding new-to-me. And I like reading about their new works. But what I really like about scavenger hunts — finding the clues and making sense of them.

  53. I like finding new authors and reading about what all of you are working on. I especially love reading about the research aspect of your books! I don’t think I could handle pb & mayo, but I love pb & butter!

  55. I’m enjoyinh meting all sorts of new authors. I’m also loving the hisory in some of the author’s pages.

  58. Your book I’ll Be Seeing You was delightful! I really enjoyed reading it last year. I love WWII and Historical Fiction.

  60. The thing I like most about these scavenger hunts is learning about new books and having the chance to win some great books or swag.

  63. I have enjoyed learning about new authors, and also fun facts behind their stories.

  65. I loved the information about foods people ate during The Depression. I don’t know if I am ready for peanut butter and mayonnaise, yet!

  67. Interesting to hear about foods eaten during the depression. Idahoans are resourceful. I’ve heard of peanut butter and banana and peanut butter and marshmallow fluff, but the peanut butter and mayonnaise combination was surprising.

  69. thanks for participating, this is such a fun event, I’m a new reader and can’t wait to get started on my new tbr list 🙂

  70. Even though I don’t often have time to read so many interesting blog posts and articles, I really enjoy these scavenger hunts and try to carve out some time to follow the clues. There’s always many interesting historical tidbits!

    Thanks for participating.
    ~CutePolarBear

  71. Scavenger hunts can be so much fun because you learn to unravel clues while exploring your surroundings. It’s fun to have a partner that will support you and help with the clues.

  72. I think the mayonnaise and peanut butter sounds disgusting! But, I have a friend who dips her French fries in her vanilla shakes. I thought that sounded disgusting, too, but I actually tried it and it tastes okay. Maybe peanut butter and mayonnaise would be the same?

  73. My family has always eaten BLTs with mayo on one slice of bread and peanut butter on the other, with bacon, lettuce, and tomato sandwiched between. And toasted. So this combo doesn’t sound TOO far off for me. 🙂

  74. I love finding new authors that I can start to read. It helps that I know for a fact all of these authors write clean novels. I can’t wait to get started!

  75. I enjoy peanutbutter and jelly sandwiches but have never even thought about peanutbutter and mayo! I think I’ll pass on that.

    1. I also love getting to know about all of the new Christian fiction each spring.

  77. I know a lot of the authors that participate in these scavenger hunts, but I feel like I learn something or come across a newer to me author, and I really love that!

  79. I love reading each authors blog along the scavenger hunt & learning more about them. And sometimes some history to boot!
    Thank you for participating & the extra giveaway chance!

  81. I most enjoy learning about upcoming and recent book releases from the participating authors, so I know what I want to add to my TBR list.

    1. Cause they’re fun and insightful! (Oops, posted comment before doing giveaway).
      Thanks!

  83. These scavenger hunts are alot of fun, you know when my 3 grandchildren were little early school age, I would do Easter scavenger hunts for them, I would get have their basket or buckets and put a hint in it letting them know where to find their stuffed bunny and where they found their stuffed bunny I would put another hint to where they could find their next little gift I would keep putting notes after they found something else until their baskets or buckets were full, they had so much fun and my grandaughter would always ask me if I could do that again the following Easter, she is now 18 and in College he brother is in 11th grade and my youngest grandson is in 8th grade. We had so much fun. Thank you for the chance.

  85. I love reading about both new and familiar authors and their books during the scavenger hunts

  86. I love these scavenger hunts because I always discover new authors and books. I also find the blogs really interesting. 🙂

  88. These hunts always inform me of the newest releases and books to add to my TBR pile.

Comments are closed.