Challenge:FRUGAL Vegetarian in 1950..

**Amycvcc** · 08-10-2005, 04:13 PM

Ok, not sure what made me think of this but here it is..It is 1950 and you are a vegetarian(you eat eggs and dairy) with a very limited budget. You live in the suburbs so no farms or anything like that close by. Just your basic run of the mill grocery store. What do you buy since there are not the specialty veggie things they have now...What are your ideas?
Amy

**forestdale** · 08-10-2005, 04:23 PM

I never buy special vegetarian foods or anything pre-made.

In winter I eat lots of soups - pea, vegetable and barley, bean and tomato, spinach, leek and potato, pumpkin etc, I also eat whatever is in my garden, for instance last night we had new potatoes and swiss chard (eaten within 2 hours of being dug up and picked), with poached eggs from our hens. It was absolutely delicious.
In summer we eat a lot of salads, fruit juices, quiches, pizza - all homemade.
If you have rice, couscous or pasta in your pantry, you can cook almost anything with it, depening on what's in your fridge.

**Englishlady** · 08-10-2005, 05:19 PM

Pulses, grains that kind of thing, from which I would make a number of interesting meals, by adding a few herbs/spices and such.

I make all kinds of things with beans and pulses, I just play around with them until I find I like something, that way I have made "Beany Burgers and pate and all sorts

I experiment with food like I do with other things around the house and 98% of the time, it is great, on the odd occaision it maybe doesn't turn out right, then I haven't lost much cos these things are so cheap to start with!

I wouldn't be able to use the eggs or dairy though 'cos I am one of those weird Vegans

Karen

**Goodi2shooz** · 08-10-2005, 06:15 PM

Amy, you didn't say whether your subject lived in a house or apartment. If it was a house, one could make a backyard garden.
I've been having to live on a mostly vegetarian diet for the last few days due to health problems. I made a huge pot of veggie soup (heavy on the veggies) and have been living mostly off of that, plus fruits, chicken and tuna. I imagine in the 50's it would be a lot of fresh fruits, veggies either straight or in casseroles or soups, plus rice, noodles, beans, and grains.

**Amycvcc** · 08-10-2005, 06:40 PM

Thanks guys..Great ideas. I guess this appealed to me is because in the past when I was a vegetarian I used alot of the specialty expensive veg foods.. I like to see the ideas on being healthy and frugal. I wish I knew how to garden..

And how to keep pest out without using chemicals(ie an organic garden).
Amy

**forestdale** · 08-10-2005, 08:39 PM

Amy, if you have room for a garden we have many new gardeners having a go at vegie gardening here at FV. We have threads on how to start gardening, what tools to use etc. Many of us are organic gardeners. As moderator of the garden forum, I extend a special invitation to you to join the frugal gardeners.

I'll see you over the back fence later!

**Amycvcc** · 08-10-2005, 09:14 PM

Thanks Rhonda!!

I will check it out. Thanks for the invite!

Amy

**geniebird** · 08-11-2005, 03:05 PM

Originally posted by Amycvcc
I guess this appealed to me is because in the past when I was a vegetarian I used alot of the specialty expensive veg foods..Amy

I'm guess you're talking about all the soy meat "substitutes" we now have from companies like Boca and Morningstar Farms. I heard a doctor on TV recently saying that even vegetarians don't eat enough fruit and veggies. The person interviewing him thought that was really strange. But my guess is many fall into the trap of relying heavily on grains and the soy products. We were vegetarians for three years and I know I did.  Of course we started in November and I said I couldn't afford to buy fresh stuff out of season (we live in Nebraska so everything is shipped in during the winter). But if you remember that you are replacing meat (beef, chicken, fish, etc.) and compare the prices to that (even out of season) it's not that bad.

I still use the Morningstar Farms Sausage Crumbles (I call it soysage) in my "stuffed cabbage soup." It gives it a better flavor than just hamburger. We eat some beef, chicken, fish and lamb, but still no pork -- so "real" sausage is out of the question. You have to wait till the very end to add it -- cooking the soy too long tends to take the flavor out.

I think it's okay to use the soy products occasionally. It is believed that soy is beneficial for hormonal problems in women. Just so you don't go overboad and neglect the fresh stuff. There are coupons available at for Boca and Morningstar Farms and maybe the other brands to help offset the cost. Wild Oats now has their own brand and I'm sure Whole Foods Market and others probably do as well.

We are currently loosely following the new FDA food guidelines -- the ones that replaced the "Food Pyramid" that replaced the "4 Food Groups". Heavy on fruits and veggies, a few whole grains and we try to eat no more than 4 oz. of meat a day -- that is 1/4 lb.

There are also a wide variety of fruits and vegetables available today so there is a lot of choose from. I'm trying to pick up something I've never heard of or at least never eaten before on each shopping trip.

Sorry, this go so long. This is something I really believe in so I tend to get "on my soapbox" when this type of topic comes up.

**dndylfe** · 08-11-2005, 04:18 PM

What kind of vegetables do you think are available in a 1950's supermarket? Bok choy? Eggplant? Or more basic like potatoes, carrots, celery, turnips?

Or how many kinds of fruit would they offer? I was reading once that there were only 2500 different items for sale in 1950's grocery stores as compared to 22000 today. So suddenly, there would only be one kind of refried bean in a can --- no vegetarian and what kind of fat would you use to cook with?

Hmmm....just some thoughts.

**Goodi2shooz** · 08-11-2005, 05:54 PM

They'd definitely have just the basics in the 50's... and probably no refried beans at all since that would be "exotic" ethnic food..
In the 50's women were using Crisco and butter to cook with as well as vegetable oil. Country cooks were probably using lard.

**Amycvcc** · 08-11-2005, 11:28 PM

There are a lot of interesting things to consider when thinking about this such as what was available. Maybe there is one of us on here that did grocery shop in the 50's or that remembers what they ate as a child in the 50's. If so I am sure we would have more insight!!

I have nothing against soy products. It is just that it is easy to rely on them. And veggie cheese and veggie butter and already baked tofu. Those are the things I bought a lot of. And we probably spent about $250 a week for 2 people.. Now I try to spend less than that in a month!!

Amy