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Original poster

Back to 1950s cuisine to cope with COL

164 replies

Bleachedjeans · 11/01/2026 21:18

I started a similar thread a while ago and I wonder if the responses are the same. I now make Sunday roasts with chicken followed by a meal of leftover chicken , veg etc on Monday. Homemade meat pie, egg and chips, stews, salads made with basics: lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber. Cut down massively on ‘fancy’ veg, herbs, spices. I’m really missing steak, asparagus etc. even my favourite ratatouille seems expensive these days and not the budget meal it used to be. I’m a keen cook but I’m now cooking like my grandma!
Still trying to maintain standards: no UPF, crappy pizzas, nuggets.
Anyone else?
Not really AIBU but I like AIBU 😊

OP posts:
Egglio · 11/01/2026 21:36

1950s? This is literally normal cooking for me! Along with growing my own.

Except we have wonderful sourdough pizzas and bread. And I make my own chicken nuggets when we fancy them. To me, 1950s cooking is meat and two veg, no reason not to be able to do that these days. It's just common sense to use up leftovers.

Octavia64 · 11/01/2026 21:36

I bought a load of cheap pots in b and m and got some compost and I’ve planted out some of the herbs that you can get in supermarkets in pots.

basil dies each year so I have to rebuy each spring but the rosemary, sage, camomile, mint, parsley and oregano are still going great two years on and it’s fresh out of the garden as well.

FourForksSake · 11/01/2026 21:35

Why would you eschew herbs and spices? Do you think such ingredients weren’t used in the 1950s?!

sewingstockings · 11/01/2026 21:35

You can grow a lot of your own herbs. I have bay bush too. Just bought last year. Most other stuff in pots. Shop own brand spice, cheaper than named brands. I chop and freeze a lot in the summer for winter. I still have frozen peppers that we grew in the summer.

Growlybear83 · 11/01/2026 21:34

BlackForestCake · 11/01/2026 21:26

Some do, and post on here saying they do.

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I can’t imagine having any meat left over for the next day from a normal sized chicken!

CarefullyCuratedFurniture · 11/01/2026 21:33

Herbs and spices aren't "fancy". They're expensive if you buy them in those mimsy little pots in the supermarket, but if you go in the world foods section or in the ethnic shops, spices are cheap and often, so are big bunches of herbs. You really don't have to eat like it's the 1950s to save money.

Catza · 11/01/2026 21:31

Sunday roast is pretty spenny though, even if you use the leftovers for another meal. I'd rather buy spices and "fancy" veg - whatever it is.
I try to grow as much of the food as my tiny garden allows. Peppers, courgettes, tomatoes, spinach, beets, peas, cavalo Nero, garlic...

LadyKenya · 11/01/2026 21:30

BlackForestCake · 11/01/2026 21:26

Some do, and post on here saying they do.

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Goodness, I don't know. Each to their own, but I am not wasting anything that I could get an extra meal out of, it is not free.🐔

BlackForestCake · 11/01/2026 21:26

LadyKenya · 11/01/2026 21:23

I can't believe that some people would do this, rather than make a meal with the leftovers.

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Some do, and post on here saying they do.

CapybarasAreJustGuineaBigs · 11/01/2026 21:26

Asparagus is vile at this time of year anyway so you're not missing much! One of the main things about eating 1950s style is to make the most of what's in season surely?

I often go straight to the till and get a couple of the Lidl £1.50 veg boxes first when I do the weekly shop. Then look at what I've got and write a quick meal plan and shopping list there and then before going round the whole shop. Last week we had caponata because there were aubergines and peppers in one box!

BlackForestCake · 11/01/2026 21:26

I'd never do without chilli and garlic to save money, as they can make a meal of cheap ingredients delicious.

LadyKenya · 11/01/2026 21:23

CheeseandFigs · 11/01/2026 21:21

Before your recent epiphany did you used to throw away the leftover chicken from your Sunday roasts?

I can't believe that some people would do this, rather than make a meal with the leftovers.

CheeseandFigs · 11/01/2026 21:21

Before your recent epiphany did you used to throw away the leftover chicken from your Sunday roasts?

Octavia64 · 11/01/2026 21:21

Egg and chips is food of the gods to be fair.
j’ve been eating a fry up quite a lot recently - couple of sausages and baked beans as well.