Better Homes and Garden’s Good Food on a Budget

Better Homes and Garden’s Good Food on a Budget was published in 1971, and I think that my copy is that old.  In 1971, the inflation rate in the US was 4.3%, the Dow closed the year at 890, the average cost of a new house was $25,250 and the average yearly income was $10,600.  The average monthly rent was $150 and gas cost 40¢ a gallon.  Those prices sound low today, but so was income, and over 4% overall inflation was a problem.  As a new housewife, I certainly worried about how to make ends meet, and I found a lot in this cook book to help me.  The last chapter in the book, More for Your Money, covered planning, a shopper’s checklist, food storage guide, common can size chart, how to buy, store and prepare meat, economical meat cuts and how to get 3 meals from a chicken, ham or arm pot roast.  The back cover has a unit price chart, and the front cover has a chart on “how much to buy” for 1, 2, 3 and 4 servings of dairy products, cereals, pasta, fruits and vegetables.
Myrna and I didn’t have any trouble finding recipes to make from this book, even though it is thin, with less than 100 pages.  I saw a copy of this at a church thrift shop today, where they were selling old cook books for 4 for $1.  A good buy for a book where all the recipes “work”, with nice, full color photos, minimal “convenience foods”, recipes for basics like pie crust and bread,  and lots of other useful information.

Some recipes from this book:

Orange Meringue Pie

Three Flour Bread

Mock Lasagna Casserole

Frank and Potato Bake

Cornmeal Batter Rolls

8 comments:

  1. Is there a recipe in that for a baked chicken and pineapple dish that calls for soy sauce? I used to make that for my boys, and I can't find the cookbook. If you have it, could you take a picture of the recipe or copy it and post it I would be most appreciative!

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  2. I believe this is your recipe:

    Fruited Chicken
    3/4 cup sifted all purpose flour
    1/4 teaspoon salt
    1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
    1/4 teaspoon celery salt
    1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
    2 chickens, 2 1/2 to 3 pounds each, cut up
    1/2 cup butter -- or margerine
    20 ounce can pineapple tidbits
    3 tablespoons all purpose flour
    1 tablespoon sugar
    1/3 cup soy sauce

    In a bag, mix 3/4 cup flour and seasonings. Add chicken pieces, a few at a time. Shake to coat.
    Brown chicken in butter or margarine. Place in a 13 1/2 x 8 3/4 x 1 3/4 inch baking dish, reserving drippings.
    Drain fruit, reserving 1 cup syrup.
    Arrange fruit over chicken. Stir 3 tablespoons flour and sugar into drippings. Add reserved syrup and soy; cook and stir till thickened and bubbly. Spoon over meat.
    Cover; bake at 350° for 1 hour. Serves 8

    "Better Homes and Gardens Good Food on a Budget page 14"

    Hope this is what you wanted...looks good!

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  3. That's it! Thank you so very much. What a wonderful "happening!" The boys will be thrilled!

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    Replies
    1. Great! It is so much fun when we can find a lost recipe for someone. Hope you all enjoy it.

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  4. I have that cookbook, but the page I want is torn! Do you have the recipe for Ham and Mac bake--I believe it is on page 61. Thanks very much in advance! Hope you are enjoying the book.

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    Replies
    1. I'm sorry to say I have passed on this cookbook and can't help you!

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    2. I have that page

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  5. Ha! Ha! When I was 11 years old I made this for my family (7 of us) unsupervised, and I misread the recipe using 1/4 cup of salt instead of 1/4 tsp. It looked beautiful coming out of the oven but it was totally uneatable. I learned a valuable lesson of the role of salt in a recipe that day. The joys of a beginner cook!

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