Depression Food

Not food from the Depression.
 
I'm eating a big bowl of oatmeal.  It's what I chose for dinner.
 
While eating it I it occurred to me that oatmeal is one of my comfort foods along with Kraft Macaroni and Cheese.  No, not at the same time.
 
Then I started to wonder if comfort foods are depression foods.
 
What are your go to foods?   I also love a bologna sandwich.

Mashed potatoes, made with cream cheese and milk, and served with a ridiculous amount of butter.
 
I also do the Kraft Mac & Cheese, but I add almost a whole 8oz. brick of cheddar to it.

Your mashed potatoes sound great but I'd want someone to make them for me.

I make a huge batch of them (like, 10 pounds of potatoes at a time), and stick them in Gladware containers in the freezer.

 Revelation!
 
I'm not sure that's a good thing for me to know.

Creamy rice pudding would be one.  Overindulgence of Reese's peanut butter cups or something similar is another. Anything chocolate. Cheesecake if nothing else. They really don't do anything for depression except convert it into guilt. I can manage with the guilt. 

mar52

Not food from the Depression.
I'm eating a big bowl of oatmeal.  It's what I chose for dinner.
While eating it I it occurred to me that oatmeal is one of my comfort foods along with Kraft Macaroni and Cheese.  No, not at the same time.
Then I started to wonder if comfort foods are depression foods.
What are your go to foods?   I also love a bologna sandwich.

These definitions kinda reinforce your Anti-Depression Theory:
Web definitions
Food that is simply prepared and gives a sense of wellbeing; typically food with a high sugar or carbohydrate content that is associated with childhood or with home cooking.
wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn
 
Certain foods that people associate with their formative years, or with “home”; frequently simple home-cooked style food. Food that one eats to feel comfort or alleviate stress rather than to receive nutrition

en.wiktionary.org/wiki/comfort_food

Pastina cooked in broth. Especially if it's homemade broth.

Usually there is a jar of peanut butter in the house. It's what I go for.

agnesrob


Pastina cooked in broth. Especially if it's homemade broth.

 
My mom used to cook pastina 'til thick, then add Italian sauce(gravy) and finely chopped left over meatballs. Still do that on occassion. It was a dish she served to infants, but we older kids loved it!! Loved it with Ronzoni spinach pastina(do they still maker that?) Add grated parm and it's the colors of the Italian flag.
 
   There are  also other threads here where I and others have posted some great authentic depression era  dishes!

leethebard

agnesrob


Pastina cooked in broth. Especially if it's homemade broth.

My mom used to cook pastina 'til thick, then add Italian sauce(gravy) and finely chopped left over meatballs. Still do that on occassion. It was a dish she served to infants, but we older kids loved it!! Loved it with Ronzoni spinach pastina(do they still maker that?) Add grated parm and it's the colors of the Italian flag.

  There are  also other threads here where I and others have posted some great authentic depression era  dishes!

Ronzoni, on their website, currently list a Ricotta & Spinach Tortelonni and a Spinach Fettuccine.  Their Pastina is listed as plain (no spinach).
http://ronzoni.newworldpasta.com/pasta_nutrition.cfm
 
However, on the SmartShopIt website, they picture a box of "Ronzoni Spinach Pastina-151 6.0 Oz.", so maybe it is still available somewhere.
http://www.smartshopit.com/pstatic/htmlitem/Ronzoni_Spinach_Pastina-151__60_Oz_1000077971.htm

---

I remember the spinach pastina too!  Pastina was always something my Mom would give us while recovering from an illness.  We weren't of Italian heritage(German & Irish) but when my parents were first married they lived in an appartment building with alot of Italian immigrants. My Mom gave one of the women in the building English lessons and as payment she taught my Mom lots of Italian dishes including homemadesauce using fresh tomatoes. Pastina in broth or with sauce, are, to me, so comforting!

If I feel like getting depressed, I think about having to eat anything by Chef Boyardee!

Yeah, Like FoodBme I would call these "Anti-Depression" foods, referring to the emotion rather than the Economic era.
1. Tapioca Pudding (remmeber calling it Fish-eye pudding to get sister to turn it away and leave it for me!) Seldom make it anymore and don't care for the overly sweet Jello-in-a-cup version.
2. Thick sliced Bacon Just munching a few semi-crispy slices, or on good bread with Mayo and some home-grown tomato restores my soul.
3. Dark Red Jello- Black Cherry or Raspberry. 2 boxes mixed and allowed to really set firmly, then strained thru my teeth as I consume it.
4. DANISH DESSERT- Some may remember the Junket Raspberry pudding, Stained everything it touched that beautiful red ! I loved it hot, as soon as I could get it in without burning myself too much. !
5. Cabbage- Usually the result of someone else doing a Corned Beef and extra's dinner. The Beef was ok, but I would take a large chunk of the Cabbage, add more butter to melt in it and chow down. I think it is a genetic-link to my Czech heritage, where for centuries this Cabbage was the basic survival food ! I do love it today.
Enough for now.

Excessive eating also comes in to play.
 
Wish food could conquer all.
 
It's my friend and it reverses the dieting results.
 
I liked the feel of the hot oatmeal last night.  It was hot going down and just felt good.  The butter and brown sugar didn't hurt.  Well it did.

6star

leethebard

agnesrob


Pastina cooked in broth. Especially if it's homemade broth.

My mom used to cook pastina 'til thick, then add Italian sauce(gravy) and finely chopped left over meatballs. Still do that on occassion. It was a dish she served to infants, but we older kids loved it!! Loved it with Ronzoni spinach pastina(do they still maker that?) Add grated parm and it's the colors of the Italian flag.

There are  also other threads here where I and others have posted some great authentic depression era  dishes!

Ronzoni, on their website, currently list a Ricotta & Spinach Tortelonni and a Spinach Fettuccine.  Their Pastina is listed as plain (no spinach).
http://ronzoni.newworldpasta.com/pasta_nutrition.cfm

However, on the SmartShopIt website, they picture a box of "Ronzoni Spinach Pastina-151 6.0 Oz.", so maybe it is still available somewhere.
http://www.smartshopit.com/pstatic/htmlitem/Ronzoni_Spinach_Pastina-151__60_Oz_1000077971.htm

---

This all having been said, Ronzoni made three pastina varieties: Egg, Spinach, and Carrot. Only see boxes labeled "pastina" now!

mayor al

Dark Red Jello- Black Cherry or Raspberry. 2 boxes mixed and allowed to really set firmly, then strained thru my teeth as I consume it. 

A true Jello Connoisseur!
Definition of a Jello Connoisseur - "One who knows the only way to properly eat Jello is to strain it thru your teeth!"
I still eat it that way!  
 
 
 

My first impression was that you meant food you eat when you're feeling really low and eat accordingly, like to show how little you take care of yourself...and on those times I head to the local cheap Chinese buffet. You know, the one that has pizza and tacos in the mix.

I'm currently eating cookies.

mar52


I'm currently eating cookies.

Today was not a good day. Eating Watermelon.

Ice Cream used to be my 'spirit-restorer', but lately the whole food thing has faded a bit . No particular reason, I just don't seem to focus as much on food and drink. Maybe I am growing up? 

My go to "depression" food is a broiled cheese open faced sandwich. Just a piece of white bread with a slice of amercan cheese on it( sometimes a slice of tomato) and put under the broiler til the cheese has started to develop a crust.Always makes me feel better-or certainly no worse!