Grew up poor, didn’t know it. Lots of Mac 'n Cheese w/ hotdogs and canned vegetables. I remember the first time I had a fresh green bean, I was put off by the texture. Wasn’t used to vegetables with structure.
Comment on Great Depression: Part Deux
TranscendentalEmpire@lemmy.today 1 day agoSorry, but this is like one of the many litmus tests for people who think they grew up in the middle class and then actually find out they grew up poorer than they initially thought.
Another good one was having canned mixed vegetables more than a couple times a week.
thinkercharmercoderfarmer@slrpnk.net 1 day ago
TranscendentalEmpire@lemmy.today 1 day ago
Haha, I had a similar experience because of canned mix veggies. For a long time I didn’t think I liked beans because I always hated the texture of the canned lima beans. I also thought all veggies would taste the same because canned mix veggies all adopt an odd homogeneous taste.
thinkercharmercoderfarmer@slrpnk.net 1 day ago
Wow, I had forgotten how much I used to detest lima beans. Don’t think I’ve had them since I was a kid. I wonder if I’ll like them now.
thesystemisdown@lemmy.world 1 day ago
If you cook them until they’re mush with plenty of oil/butter, a bit more salt than I’d like to admit, pepper, dill, and a few drops of hickory smoke flavor, they’re amazing.
jballs@sh.itjust.works 1 day ago
Wasn’t used to vegetables with structure.
Lol this just perfectly described my experience perfectly. I grew up eating mostly canned vegetables. When I started cooking as an adult, I didn’t think I liked vegetables. Until I followed recipes cooking with fresh veggies. The “structure” is totally different! And delicious.
Qkall@lemmy.ml 1 day ago
oh god, i did most of the cooking at one point and hamburger helper was my entry to cooking. at like 12.
IrateAnteater@sh.itjust.works 1 day ago
It could still be very much middle class. Parents make it out of nostalgia from when they were kids, instead of making it out of necessity.
curbstickle@anarchist.nexus 1 day ago
My grandma used to make depression era meals for my dad (they were also poor), my dad made them for me (not as poor then solidly middle income), and I would love to eat them for nostalgia reasons. Can’t because of gluten, but I’ve been trying out various gluten free bread recipes to see if I can get something that works.
A reeeeeaaallly long way of agreeing and saying yeah, nostalgia plays a role.
TranscendentalEmpire@lemmy.today 1 day ago
Mac and cheese and hot dogs are probably less reliable than the canned mixed veggies. I don’t think anyone gets nostalgia for soaked mushie veggies .
protist@mander.xyz 1 day ago
I really disagree with this. My parents grew up in the 50s and just thought this kind of highly processed food was normal and easy. There were also commercials that constantly reminded them to buy it. We could 100% afford better food, this is just what they wanted 🤢
prole@lemmy.blahaj.zone 1 day ago
Yeah same. They had to spend that money on more important things. Like church.
lagoon8622@sh.itjust.works 1 day ago
Gotta buy that ticket to heaven
sp3ctr4l@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 day ago
I figured out we were poor once I hit middle school, and me asking about this and further realizing the truth of it… well of course that sent Republican dad further into an insecurity/rage/alcoholism loop.
Being honest would have been too difficult, I guess.
Droggelbecher@lemmy.world 1 day ago
Middle class isnt a clear cut distinction anyway. It mostly serves to divide those of us who live off of labour rather than ownership so we go after one another instead of the capitalists.
Seleni@lemmy.world 1 day ago
I mean, maybe, but in my case I’m sure a good part of it was neither of my parents were good cooks lol
If I didn’t watch them make it, it was pretty hard to tell if the veggies were canned or not; they boiled fresh veggies to the same consistency as the canned ones.
Nollij@sopuli.xyz 1 day ago
You’re overlooking an important detail - kids love that cheap, shitty food. It was also quick and easy to make, so their tired, overworked parents were easily persuaded to make it.
Naturally there’s a line where it becomes too much, but even rich kids love hot dogs and Mac & cheese.
kate@lemmy.uhhoh.com 43 minutes ago
i am from the uk and sometimes i pay $5/box to get kraft imported from america yum
TranscendentalEmpire@lemmy.today 1 day ago
I don’t think anyone loves eating canned mixed veggies… But I admit, every once in a while I’ll make a fancy version of Mac and cheese and hotdogs.
Nollij@sopuli.xyz 1 day ago
Again, kid logic. Plus, many young parents don’t know (or care) how to properly cook veggies anyway. It’s a choice between canned (and usually salted) veggies, or similarly mushy, over-microwaved fresh/frozen veggies with little seasoning or flavor. It’s not like the green beans are roasted with olive oil, garlic, and balsamic vinegar.
Brutticus@midwest.social 1 day ago
You could probably mix some frozen broccoli or a diced red onion in there. Its still pretty affordable. I know I do that some Kraft. I also sometimes mix in hotdogs or shredded chicken.
tomenzgg@midwest.social 1 day ago
Cutting up pickles with boxed Mac. and Cheese was one of my favorite go-tos, in grad. school. If not pickles then I used to put canned tuna in; also quite good.