What would YOUR 1900 grocery list look like????

**MRAHoffman** · 02-06-2009, 12:15 PM

After reading the back to basics thread, I was wondering what a 1900 grocery list might have looked like (very basic, no frills) and I couldn't find one online so I am asking you, if you were to have lived in 1900 what would YOU need on your grocery list to be able to cook/bake? Thanks and take care and God bless.

**imagine** · 02-06-2009, 12:25 PM

Not exactly what you were looking for but I found this list of brands interesting.

* 1872, Blackjack chewing gum
* 1876, Premium soda crackers (later Saltines)
* 1881, Pillsbury flour
* 1886, Coca-Cola
* 1887, Ball-Mason jars
* 1888, Log Cabin syrup
* 1889, Aunt Jemima pancake mix
* 1889, Calumet Baking Powder
* 1889, McCormick Spices
* 1889, Pabst Brewing Company
* 1890, Knox gelatine
* 1890, Libby introduces keys to canned meat
* 1890, Lipton tea
* 1891, Del Monte
* 1891, Fig Newton
* 1891, Quaker Oats Company
* 1893, Cream of Wheat
* 1893, Good & Plenty
* 1893, Juicy Fruit gum
* 1894, Chili powder
* 1895, Shredded coconut
* 1895, Triscuits
* 1896, Cracker Jack
* 1896, Michelob beer
* 1896, S&W canned foods
* 1896, Tootsie Roll
* 1897, Campbell’s condensed soup
* 1897, Campbell’s tomato soup
* 1897, Grape Nuts
* 1897, Jell-O
* 1898, Nabisco graham crackers
* 1898, Shredded Wheat cereal
* 1899, Wesson Oil
http://www.brandlandusa.com/2008/10/...rocery-brands/

Didn't know some of them have been around that long.

Sure makes my 1915 home not seem so old fashioned. I guess when I think 1900 I think more of Little house on the Prairie.

**Debbie-cat** · 02-06-2009, 12:43 PM

Cool! Thanks for sharing. I had nooooo idea some of those products are that old!

**Contrary Housewife** · 02-06-2009, 01:06 PM

My guess would include:

flour
sugar
butter *
eggs*
milk*
salt
molasses
spices: cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves
vinegar
brandy or sherry for cooking
vanilla
bacon or lard
walnuts or pecans
tea and coffee

(* might be produced at home)

basic fruit and vegetables (remember a lot of things were regional or seasonal, no refrigerator transport):

potatoes
onions
turnips
cabbage
carrots
greens
tomatoes
celery
apples
grapes
peaches
pears

A lot of people grew at least some of their own vegetables, majority of the population lived in the country.

Here's a cookbook that was published in 1900: http://ublib.buffalo.edu/libraries/e...ipe/index.html

**joyofsix** · 02-06-2009, 01:22 PM

Flour
leavening (baking soda or powder)
sugar
coffee
salt
cornmeal
yeast
spices
maybe an occasional treat of candy

According to my dad they made or raised in the 30's
meat
lard
butter
eggs
milk,cream
veggies
fruit
gathered nuts

**Gunny_Frost** · 02-06-2009, 01:27 PM

I can imagine that all of the meat products would be gotten through the raising of livestock, hunting or fishing.

I was reading somewhere that it was around that time that ice-boxes were gaining in popularity to allow consumers to buy "fresh" produce, and meats. Most folks in the country though could not understand the need for such extravagance as that.

Cheers,

**sunshine** · 02-06-2009, 06:21 PM

My grandparents were born in the early 1900's. . . I don't think they ever purchased flour either. . . they grew wheat, then took it to the mill and had it made into flour. . . same with cornmeal.

Sugar
coffee
tea
salt
baking powder
vinegar (sometimes they made their own, but mostly purchased in kegs)
spices
paraffin (for waxing homemade jams and jellies)

Pretty much else they raised, foraged or did without. They used honey for sweetening when they could, but did buy sugar for some things. I know I used to make honey, whole wheat bread for gifts for my grandfather, as he said it brought back memories of the good old days

**frugal-fannie** · 02-06-2009, 10:34 PM

coffee
tea
Sugar
flour
salt
baking powder and soda
yeast
pectin
Lye
borax
everything else could be made

**Luv2BeFrugal** · 02-08-2009, 01:06 AM

Oil for lamps? Wax to make candles?

I can't think of anything to add to the grocery lists... This is a neat thread!

**sunshine** · 02-08-2009, 08:00 AM

Originally Posted by frugal-fannie

coffee
tea
Sugar
flour
salt
baking powder and soda
yeast
pectin
Lye
borax
everything else could be made

yeast - was mostly sour dough, and started from potato water

pectin - can be homemade from apples

Lye -homemade from wood ashes

**jamie79** · 02-08-2009, 08:49 AM

Do you think most people had a smoke house to smoke their meats like on the Waltons?

**frugal-fannie** · 02-08-2009, 09:10 AM

Originally Posted by jamie79

Do you think most people had a smoke house to smoke their meats like on the Waltons?

A lot of the old farms in Ohio had a smoke house, a summer kitchen and a spring house. The spring house worked like the fridge. I think they would put the milk cans in the water to keep it cool. I toured a plantation when my daughters soccer team went to VA and they were saying the meat would have mold on the outside in the smoke house.eww

**frugal-fannie** · 02-08-2009, 09:17 AM

Originally Posted by sunshine

yeast - was mostly sour dough, and started from potato water

pectin - can be homemade from apples

Lye -homemade from wood ashes

Thanks, I knew about the Lye from ashes, and that apple came from pectin but no Idea that you could make sourdough from potato water.

I figured they carried a bunch of starter dough around all the time-like friendship bread. Do you know how to start your cheese from scratch with out buying the starter? I need some homestead challenges.

**sunshine** · 02-08-2009, 09:31 AM

That's how some of the miner's got the name "sour doughs" they carried their starters with them on their bodies to keep it warm. They constantly smelled of sour dough starter.

**frugal-fannie** · 02-08-2009, 09:37 AM

Originally Posted by sunshine

That's how some of the miner's got the name "sour doughs" they carried their starters with them on their bodies to keep it warm. They constantly smelled of sour dough starter.

Without ziplock bags that would be creative. LOL