50 Recipes from a 1950s Housewife- A Cultivated Nest (2024)

Delicious Vintage Recipes from the 50s.

Nowadays there’s a lot of talk about being a homemaker in the style of a 1950s housewife. But while there’s a lot of talk about how your grandma saved money or cleaned her home, there’s not as much talk about what people ate back in the 50s. As a big fan of food and anything vintage, I set out to find out what the average homemaker’s recipe binder contained back in the 1950s. And I found a lot of really awesome recipes! If you want to be like a 50s housewife, or are just curious to see how American eating habits have changed over time, check out these50 Recipes from a 1950s Housewife!

50 Recipes from a 1950s Housewife- A Cultivated Nest (1)

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The history of food is pretty interesting. In terms of 1950s food, many of the recipes below were American favorites even before the 50s, and are still family favorites today. Of course, I only included recipes that I, as a modern person, would actually want to eat. There are tons of other 50s recipes that I came across that to me sound completely unappetizing, but back in the 50s probably would have been my favorites. For example, the old cookbook Sour Cream: The Gourmet Touch to Everyday Cooking includes a recipe for Kiddiwiches (sandwiches for kids) that combines chopped peanuts (not peanut butter), sour cream, raisins, and other ingredients between slices of buttered bread. That just sounds like a crazy combo to me, but maybe if I was a kid in the 50s I’d be begging to eat it every day!

50 Recipes from a 1950s Housewife

All of these recipes from a 1950s housewife were foods made during the 50s, but some of the recipes may be a bit modernized. Many of the recipes below are people transcribing their mother’s or grandmother’s recipes to preserve on the Internet, but others are more like recreations of vintage recipes. But for those recreations, I tried to find the most authentic ones, using the typical pantry staples that a 1950s housewife would have had available. So while I can enjoy a healthy, low-fat, low-carb, and/or gluten free version of the recipes below as much as the next person, those kinds of terms didn’t really exist back in the 50s, and so aren’t included below. But these 1950s recipes are all so delicious, you won’t mind the extra calories!

1.French Onion Salisbury Steaks by Cinnamon Spice and Everything Nice

2.Old Fashioned Split Pea Soup with Hambone by Selene River Press

3. Honey Baked Apples by Bake Then Eat

4.Chocolate Strawberry Milkshakes by Confessions of a Cookbook Queen

5. Three Beans Baked Beans by Taste of Home

6. Classic Lasagna by A Family Feast

7. Old Fashioned Coleslaw by Gather for Bread

8.Chicken and Mushroom Casserole by The Seasoned Mom

9.Old Fashioned Potato Salad by Valerie’s Kitchen

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10.Old Fashioned Angel Food Cake by The Domestic Curator

11. Preacher Cake by South Your Mouth

12. Vintage Banana Cake by Happy Money Saver

13. Mango Gelatin Salad by Taste of Home

14.Chicken A La King by Can’t Stay Out of the Kitchen

15. Asparagus Soup by The Spruce Eats

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16.Old Fashioned Chicken Noodle Soup by Wanna Bite

17. Beef Vegetable Soup by Call Me PMC

18. Original Pineapple Upside Down Skillet Cake by King Arthur Flour

19. Oysters Rockefeller by Epicurious

20.Hot Milk Sponge Cake by Wives with Knives

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21. Classic Chicken Croquettes by Writes 4 Food

22.Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake by Spend with Pennies

23. Sidecar co*cktail by Serious Eats

24.Brownie and Candy Cane Ice Cream Baked Alaska by Completely Delicious

25. Old Fashioned Coconut Cream Pie by Oh My Goodness Chocolate Desserts

26.Grandma Marion’s Molasses Bars by The Kitchen Magpie

27. Baking Powder Biscuits by Prairie Gal Cookin’

28. Old Fashioned Pumpkin Pie by The Hungry Mouse

29. Pecan Sticky Buns by Cookies for England

30. Old Fashioned Tuna Noodle Casserole by Sweet Little Bluebird

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31.Old Fashioned Chicken Pot Pie by Dishes and Dust Bunnies

32.Good Old Meat Pie by Dan Poplawski on AllRecipes

33. Blueberry Muffins by A Cultivated Nest

34.Coconut Biscuits by Gorgeous with Attitude

35.Old Fashioned Griddlecakes by Edie Wadsworth (Life in Grace Blog)

36.Old School Pineapple Glazed Baked Ham by Deep South Dish

37. Grandmother’s Orange Salad by Taste of Home

38. Old Fashioned Meatloaf by The Kitchen Whisperer

39. Lemon Chiffon Pie by Tastes Better from Scratch

40. Tom Collins co*cktail by Inspired Taste

41. Crown Roast of Pork by Epicurious

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42. Grandma’s Old-Fashioned Peanut Butter Cookies by The Kitchen is My Playground

43. Old Fashioned Brownies by An Affair From the Heart

44.Old-Fashioned Molasses Sugar Cookies by My Sweet Mission

45.Old-Fashioned Sloppy Joes by The Heritage Cook

46.Old-Fashioned Apple Pie by Food and Wine

47.Easy Old-Fashioned Swedish Meatballs by Wildflour’s Cottage Kitchen

48. Classic Deviled Eggs by Add a Pinch

49. Lemon Tea Cookies by Taste of Home

50. Coffee Cake by Toot Sweet 4 Two

And there you have it- 50 vintage recipes from a 1950s housewife! If you want more vintage 1950s recipes, check out the booksRetro Recipes from the 50s and 60s and Betty Crocker’s Picture Cook Book!

Want to finally get your family’s favorite recipes organized?Click here to get our printable floral recipe binder!It contains 50+ printables (including covers and tabs)!

Do you have any vintage recipes (from mom, grandma, etc.) that you already make often?

50 Recipes from a 1950s Housewife- A Cultivated Nest (7)

You might also be interested in:10 Old Fashioned Frugal Recipes from Grandma

50 Recipes from a 1950s Housewife- A Cultivated Nest (9)

50 Recipes from a 1950s Housewife- A Cultivated Nest (2024)

FAQs

What were popular food dishes of the 1950s? ›

1950s Dinners

You'd find hearty main dishes like Salisbury steak, beef stroganoff and meat loaf on a '50s dinner menu, plus scrumptious sides. Casseroles were also popular, particularly those featuring seafood or ham.

What was the most popular food in 1954? ›

Here's the most popular food the year you were born:
  • 1930s: Creamed Chipped Beef. The Great Depression meant dinner could be pretty lean. ...
  • 1940s: Meat Loaf. ...
  • 1950: Tuna Casserole. ...
  • 1951: Baked Alaska. ...
  • 1952: Salisbury Steak. ...
  • 1953: Chicken Tetrazzini. ...
  • 1954: Deviled Eggs. ...
  • 1955: Green Bean Casserole.
Aug 31, 2017

What did 50s housewives do all day? ›

The publication also outlines daily tasks that one should complete each and every day, which include: Kitchen: Put away food, clean coffee grounds, wash dishes & sink, sweep, empty wastebasket. Bedrooms: Hang up night clothes, make beds, straighten & dust, dust/vacuum blinds.

How to be a vintage housewife? ›

How To Be A Good Wife (1950s Style)
  1. Have dinner ready. Plan ahead, even the night before, to have a delicious meal ready on time. ...
  2. Prepare yourself. ...
  3. Clear away the clutter. ...
  4. Prepare the children. ...
  5. Minimize all noise. ...
  6. Do not greet your husband with problems or complaints. ...
  7. Make him comfortable. ...
  8. Listen to him.

What was the most popular dish in the 1950s? ›

As you can see from the decade's top recipes, the 1950s were all about the intersection of comfort food and convenience—casseroles and quick dishes like Chicken a la King and Welsh rarebit reigned supreme.

What were the TV dinners in 1950? ›

Swanson, one of the pioneers in the industry, introduced the first-ever TV dinner in 1953, featuring a compartmentalized aluminum tray with sections for meat, vegetables, and dessert. This revolutionary concept soon gained popularity, and TV dinners became a convenient choice for busy households.

What was the favorite food in 1957? ›

1957's Three Most Often Requested Recipes Were Casseroles; Paella, Jambalaya, Chicken Marengo Topped List - The New York Times.

What was the most popular food in 1953? ›

In addition to Coronation Chicken, Chicken Tetrazzini.

What food came out in 1953? ›

The 1950s brought treats including the Hot Tamales candies in 1950, Eggo Waffles and Cheez Whiz in 1953 and Trix Cereal in 1954. In 1953, Kraft introduced Cheez Whiz, according to NPR.

Why were women's waists so small in the 50s? ›

Sure, there are other factors than can influence one's weight but for the purposes of this discussion, the average American woman in the 1950s was slimmer because she ate less and burned more calories in her daily activities.

How did 1950s housewives stay thin? ›

Women were naturally more active as 'helpful' modern technology hadn't kicked in quite yet and ongoing rationing meant people were eating plainer food and smaller portions. Fewer refined carbs and lower-sugar fruits meant women consumed on average 400 calories fewer a day than we do now.

Why were 1950s housewives unhappy? ›

She argues that these woman valued their role as wives and mothers but were often miserable because their husbands, and their societies, treated them badly. One women, Eileen Bailey, began suffering from depression after discovering her husband's “numerous extramarital relationships” soon after their marriage in 1943.

What time did 50s housewives wake up? ›

Wake up at 6:00 am and start preparing breakfast for the family. As a vintage housewife, waking up early is crucial for having enough time to get dressed, fix your hair and makeup, and still have time to prepare breakfast and get the children ready for school.

What was the ideal woman in the 1950s? ›

The image of American women in the 1950s was heavily shaped by popular culture: the ideal suburban housewife who cared for the home and children appeared frequently in women's magazines, in the movies and on television.

How do you dress like a 1950s housewife? ›

The 1950s dress that has become the iconic 1950s housewife dress is the button-down shirtwaist style dress. These simple dresses would have a modest high neckline, fitted bodice, defined waist, and circle skirt. It came in fun and colorful prints like polka dots, stripes, plaids, ginghams, and gorgeous florals.

What did diners serve in the 1950s? ›

As well as being quicker to make, dishes served at diners were cheaper, too. Items like pancakes, sausages, meatloaf, burgers, and sandwiches were standard on diner menus, and still are today.

What were the popular foods in the 1950s and 1960s? ›

Popular packaged foods included Kellogg's Frosted Flakes and Special K cereals, General Mills' Trix and Cocoa Puffs cereals, Star-Kist Tuna, Minute Rice, Eggo Waffles, Pepperidge Farm Cookies, Ruffles potato chips, Rice-A-Roni, Ramen Noodles, and Haagen-Dazs Ice Cream.

What did kids eat for lunch in the 1950s? ›

School lunches in the 50s were pretty much like the meat and two veg in diners at the time. There was only one lunch, no choice. Typically it would be a ham slice with pineapple, mashed potatoes and gravy amd green beans. Or turkey and dressing or Salisbury steak.

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