Cooking Vegetables Like a 1950s Housewife + Vintage Vegetable Recipes - Retro Housewife Goes Green (2024)

Learn all about cooking vegetables like a 1950s housewife. There are a lot of classic and unique vintage vegetable recipes you can try today as well.

Homemakers of the 1950s were also concerned about their health and the health of their families. They got a lot wrong those days, should we talk about smoking and lead in the 1950s? But not all of their advice is no longer valid and the general struggle of making sure their family had nutritious food is something we share.

A quick look at suggested meal plans from 1950s magazines and books will show a lot of vegetables. Many of the books and magazines from the time were still encouraging homemakers to grow their own vegetables. Better Homes and Garden had a lot of articles about eating seasonal produce from your own garden, something we are seeing make a comeback.

I looked through some vintage magazines and found an article sharing tips for cooking frozen or canned vegetables and also found a lot of recipes suggested for “making vegetables more delicious.” I have searched and found similar recipes online so they are a bit easier to follow than the recipes from the 1950s which sometimes left a lot of guessing, especially the ones found on recipe cards from someone’s grandma.

Enjoy this look at cooking vegetables in the 1950s!

Cooking Vegetables Tips & Tricks

Cooking Frozen Vegetables

This is the way some 1950s homemakers recommended cooking frozen vegetables for more flavor. I would suggest adding more seasoning than just salt. A little butter can also go a long way. For a lot of vegetables, I also like to add a bit of freshly grated parmesan on top.

1. Heat water to boiling.
2. Add frozen vegetables to boiling, salted water.
3. Cook the vegetables in a covered pan.
4. When the water returns to a boil, separate frozen pieces with a fork.
5. Reduce the heat to simmer until the vegetables are done. Don’t overcook them.

Cooking Canned Vegetables

According to a 1950s homemaking article cooking canned vegetables like this is better for “eating and health.”

1. Pour liquid from canned vegetables into a saucepan.
2. Simmer liquid down to one-half. This will give the vegetables a delicious flavor, and save minerals and vitamins for extra health. You will not half to drain off any excess liquid after cooking.
3. Add vegetables to liquid. Season with salt and pepper, and add butter.
4. Heat only until the butter is melted. Canned vegetables are already cooked so you need only heat them through. Serve quickly.

More Vintage Recipes