How The Great Depression Turned Meatloaf Into An American Staple

Meatloaf is a classic, all-American food along with hot dogs, burgers, and apple pie. However, precursors of the iconic comfort food date back as far as a 1st century Roman ground meat recipe with bread and spices, with various versions spread across Europe over the centuries. The first recorded American-style meatloaf recipe appeared in late 1870s New England. At the time, it was a blend of chopped beef, onion, egg, and milk-soaked bread which was eaten for breakfast. But it was the Great Depression five decades later that really transformed meatloaf into an American staple.

As Americans struggled during the economic depression ushered in by the 1929 stock market crash, housewives found creative ways to feed their families with the little money they had. They scrimped with recipes like surprisingly tasty Hoover stew and water pie, a simple dessert that's like a magic trick. Meatloaf was an ideal and easy way to stretch whatever meat people could afford with bread, grains, and vegetables. The savings also came from the meat itself, as cheap butcher scraps and other tough cuts made ground beef relatively affordable. Meat grinders had become common in home kitchens since their mid-19th century invention, making it much easier to turn low-grade meat into ground beef.

Meatloaf's popularity as an affordable but substantial meal was boosted by Depression-era recipes on soup cans, cereal labels, and ketchup bottles. Entire meatloaf cookbooks were published with different recipes for this customizable dish.

After the decade-long Great Depression saw meatloaf become a staple in the United States, its status was cemented during World War Two. Meat was one of the many foods rationed during the war, so families again needed to extend the meat they were allowed. Rationing went away when the war ended in 1945, but people kept eating meatloaf. By the 1950s, it had become an American mainstay where it continues to be in the dinner rotation for families across the country. Recipes are passed down between generations and family-style restaurants often have meatloaf on their menus.

The basic ingredients for making meatloaf are ground meat, eggs, some type of grain, a liquid, and seasonings. You can make different combinations for a change of pace from your usual recipe (including with these underrated ingredients for meatloaf). Ground beef is standard, but you can try pork, veal, lamb, turkey, or chicken; or a blend of two or three. Try different breads, grains, and crackers and soak them in the liquid — commonly milk, stock, or water. (If you're using fine dry breadcrumbs, the liquid can be added to the meatloaf mix itself.) Including minced onion is traditional, but you can also add sauteed vegetables like carrots, peppers, and mushrooms.

Flavor the meatloaf with seasonings, sauces, spices, or herbs that you like. Then finish it with an iconic ketchup glaze or use other toppings like BBQ sauce, chili sauce, or steak sauce. For a show-stopping, flavor-packed crunch, wrap the meatloaf in bacon strips.