DCL
My mother grew up in the Depression, but her family was one of the lucky ones because my grandfather had a job. He didn't make much, but it was enough. They lived in walking distance to all of their extended family and they visited back and forth frequently. My grandmother never thought anything of family dropping in and her having extra mouths to feed for dinner. They never had much meat, but she'd just add a few more potatoes to the pot. If that wasn't enough, there was always a pot of soup going on the back of the stove.
Now that hard economic times have arrived once again, we have to start rethinking our dinner menus. People who used to dine out frequently are finding they are having to brush up on their culinary basics. Having company for dinner may now mean adding another potato to the pot rather than serving esoteric, expensive ingredients meant to impress.
Everybody likes to save money and the kitchen is actually a pretty easy place to start. You can begin by choosing healthy, inexpensive forms of protein such as legumes. Cut down on the amount of meat you eat, and buy cheaper cuts when you do. Think about braising in a crock pot rather than roasting. Increase the number of vegetables you eat, and buy locally rather than expensive fruits and vegetables from other places. Use what you buy, rather than letting it languish in the back of your refrigerator. Food waste is total waste.
