"<RJ>" > wrote in message
...
>
> I was skimming a Better Homes & Gardens Cookbook ca 1962
> when I found a recipe suitable for "Mockery & Derision"
>
> "15 Minute Banquet"
>
> Cut Can of SPAM into 12 slices
> stud with cloves, brown in fry pan.
>
> Add 1 X 11oz can of yams, drained
> sprinkle with salt !
>
> Spoon 1/3 c pineapple jam over meat & yams
>
> Heat uncovered, basting often.
>
> Serves 4
>
> People really ate like that 40 years ago ?
> SPAM and a small can of yams to feed four ?
>
> Amazing !

We ate that way all the time in the 60s. When I was in first grade, our
cafeteria served all kinds of quickie dishes that were tossed together and
baked. Spam was on the menu often and we loved it. We'd get a slice of
browned Spam, a piece of bread, a pat of butter, a half-pint of milk and
half an apple. I never recall ever going hungry. As I recall breakfast was
equally quick and light. We only had things like pancakes on weekends.
Weekdays we just had a small bowl of corn flakes with no sugar.

I have an old BC cookbook from he early 60s called
"Cooking for Two" and it is full of recipes that would turn the nose of
pretty much anyone today. Two pork chops (not each, two - one for each),
some applesauce and boiled broccoli is one dinner for two I remember from
that book. Small portions, simple food, good and fresh ingredients.
Nothing much pre-processed at all.
And the portions were quite small compared to today. Now we have fast food
corporations setting up shop in school cafeterias serving double bacon
cheese burgers with supersized fries and a 64 ounce Coke and obesity and
diabetes is an epidemic they just can't explain.

People eat a lot more food than they used to and they eat a lot more
pre-processed foods than ever before.

Paul