Hard Times ~ Meals To Eat When You’re Broke || From Someone Who ACTUALLY Grew Up Poor

[@SouthernFrugalMomma]

Meals to Eat When You’re Broke || From Someone Who Actually Grew Up Poor kzbin.info/www/bejne/Z6LVYnluqcSihZo

[@christineschafer8214]

This is just a good lunch kids enjoy

[@estherlosoya9353]

Thank you for sharing h[w to fix up egg noodles good to know just for basic

[@susanlanderos5232]

😊😊😊 BROOKE WAS YOU SUPPOSED TO HAVE BAKING POWDER??? ON DUTCH BABY PATTY CAKE...😂😅

[@B_Bodziak]

​@@susanlanderos5232she used self rising flour

[@tarramullins9679]

I really love your videos! The food looks delicious!

[@nancyadamson286]

I did not know I was a poor, inner-city kid until my brother told me that we were poor growing up years later in our adult life. Looking back, yeah, we were poor: second hand clothes/shoes from my Mom's sister's family, no school trips- knew not to even ask, us in one bedroom, both mom and dad working custodial jobs, no invites to the school kids' houses when we knew they were throwing birthday parties. Huh, who knew. Shunned for being poor. But proud to be always cleaned, scrubbed, fed with a bed. Thank you, Mom, Dad and my loyal brother.

[@lyndalaury5060]

I remember the hand me downs

[@aishamohammad]

Life seems pretty normal if people do not keep reminding that we are poor (comapred to rich people). Hands down clothes all the time, even shoes, sometimes we only ate rice (we are asean) or porridge with soy sauce, both parents worked as rubber tapper, we helped after school, had to walk to and from school .. not once we were told that we were poor. Our parents never said anything about us being poor and I thought my childhood life was pretty awesome. Never want to change a thing.

[@kellywoskett7211]

That's so sad to not invite a kid to a party cause they from a poor family.but u was loved so that makes u a loved family u can't get better than that as you didn't even know u was poor.x

[@FluffyMarshmallow-x6r]

That's really sad about the birthday party invites and no school trips.

[@arraybabe8514]

Amen! We had a few other low income families who had kids our age, so luckily we didn't go without for birthday parties as each family would " bring a dish" to each kid's birthday and we were all appreciative and knew how to have a good time without the posh trimmings! The irony is that all of us "poor" folks all ended up busting our butts and being financially comfortable in our older years, while many of the rich kids are in ruin now.

[@Faith1931]

You have nice children. I can tell they respect their momma.

[@tanyadiedrich7851]

When Mommas can cook...you NEVER know that you're poor ❤❤❤

[@honestwithmywordshughes3783]

I know that's right !!!!!

[@SuperMel81-j5l]

My mom can cook and I knew we were poor because I hated it.

[@jlcarter1975]

I grew up poor, but I didn't realize it until another kid called me poor in the third grade. I'm so glad I don't feel entitled to everything being handed to me. I'll take poor over the way some people were raised any day.

[@debbiechaney6607]

That's for sure. Some entitled kids are mean and selfish.🙏👍💞🏡

[@lizh1988]

And sometimes the more well off they are the more they think they need things they really don't, or don't know how to do basic things.

[@843Drewww]

💯

[@sandy-pf9bb]

Dutch baby: did you need self-rising flour? Please stop saying you are lame. You are sweet and funny and an inspiration to those of us who are too repressed. Please don't change. You are loved just exactly as you are. Thank you for saying, "Let others be happy." That's so important. Some people just can't seem to let others be in peace.

[@debbiechaney6607]

I agree...you are the best!!🙏👍💞🏡

[@sengasengana]

Possible if it's a dutch recipe, not possible if it's a German recipe since we dont use self-rising flour in Germany.

[@sandy-pf9bb]

@@sengasengana That's really interesting. Do you make your own mix instead?

[@sengasengana]

@@sandy-pf9bb We don't make a mix either. We just make the batter from scratch every time since it's only three ingredients plus a pinch of salt. I posted the recipe for swabian pancakes in the comments a couple of minutes ago. They are very different from American pancakes but really good. Comparable to crepes but much more simple and also cheaper.

[@dorischaron1887]

So true

[@mimismegalife4976]

I am a widow and live alone. I appreciate all these ideas. Brooke you are entertaining ❤ I am cheered up watching you and hearing your stories. You husband and sons are great!!! God bless all of you 💕

[@janpetsch620]

Yes. I am fairly recently divorced 71 and alone. Struggling mentally. Brooke you are wonderful ❤

[@nimmofish8299]

Macaroni and cheese with sliced hotdogs was one of our struggle meals I still eat it today

[@laurettespann3951]

I thought that was just a regular dinner for my kids. They also got tuna in Mac and cheese with a can of peas thrown it.

[@maryk446]

@@laurettespann3951 Tuna in mac and cheese is essentially a tuna casserole, isn't it?

[@janet1744]

I did not know that was a struggle meal. 😊 I think I made that before I had stomach issues.

[@PurpleReign1401]

I never thought of it as a struggle meal. I still make it today the kids like it. I like mine with Tuna no one else does so I take mine out before adding the hotdogs.

[@PurpleReign1401]

​@@maryk446it could be but I don't make my (my moms) Tuna casserole with cheese.

[@debimorsette1685]

Frugality is not a fault; it’s a gift. 👍. Debi in Vicksburg, MS. 🥰🥰

[@sandraking9650]

Yep ,a blessing of intelligence!

[@bethpowell6466]

Agreed. Beth in Lincoln NE

[@janpetsch620]

True. My folks were depression babies. Mom used to say we were better off than rich folk cause we knew how to live poor and could live rich but it would be hard for rich folk to live poor.

[@lovelife0413]

We grew up poor as well Brooke. I thank God now that we weren't so spoiled as people are today. My young life made me strong and thankful for what we have today. Nothing was just handed to us, we had to work for it. Even tho we were poor as kids, we were loved, fed, and raised to feel just as good as all the other kids, right? TFS Love ya girl.

[@normamcclary7700]

I grew up poor too! But, w/out any love, just food😢

[@lovelife0413]

@@normamcclary7700 I'm so sorry. How are you doing today? Any children or grandchildren?

[@normamcclary7700]

@lovelife0413 I'm doing very well, thank you for asking! I too, enjoy all the dollar-friendly Brooks meals are!!

[@AngelaSchaefer-c5n]

I am so very sorry.

[@danielleterry2331]

I didn’t grow up poor but once on my own since 17 I have lived poor and struggled, back then there was no one showing anything as way b4 internet and cell phones 🤣 here I am 60 and love watching new ideas as I still am poor and struggling. Thanks for the vid

[@ohiofarmgirl3384]

Dad was an alcoholic and Mom did her best but there wasn’t much food to feed us 5 kids. We’d make homemade “pizza” using bread from the day old store, slathering it with ketchup and topping with slice of the plastic cheese. Mom made a lot of spaghetti, no meat, and only using one jar of Ragu and stretching it by adding water. Well over 40 years later, I rarely make spaghetti and I have definitely never bought Ragu sauce. I really hate that this childhood experience has shaped me into a person who is constantly (needlessly) worried about food insecurity. Fortunately, since being married I’ve never had to worry about money but frugality is still a big part of my life.

[@AnnaJones-r7i]

Coming up poor gives me a since of pride and security in having a well stocked pantry. When I shopped and set up my pantry I would have the kids come look and say "where stocked for the winter". I wanted them to know there will be food

[@judithwest4183]

I just saw your post today and it reminded me of my mother, who is 91 at present day, but she grew up poor and on the tail end of the depression and she always had a lack mentality and wouldn’t even get a Whopper, which she loved, unless she had a coupon. My dad would tease her and say we can afford it, but she was always frugal and saving a dollar. Not a bad thing!

[@Sharon-Carrell]

My husband grew up dirt poor and still, after 49 years of marriage, he still hides and hordes food. I find it everywhere and I still think it’s sad. 😔

[@deeferry6520]

I remember one meal I loved as a child. My mum would use leftover mashed potatoes, leftover brussel sprouts or cabbage, (you can use any veg as long as its mashed) mash them well together and fry them in the skillet with beef dripping. We ate them with baked beans and sometimes an egg. I still make it when I have any leftover potatoes & veg. I'm Scottish and we didn't call it anything in particular but in England they call it bubble and squeak.

[@agemoth]

i remember it well, so darn yummy!

[@FluffyMarshmallow-x6r]

That sounds delicious

[@AnnaJones-r7i]

When my kids were young, I always made lots of potatoes. They were filling and cheap. Leftover mash became potato cake(latkes). Extra packed potatoes were sliced or cubed for home frys

[@sylviaivie7047]

Sounds more like Irish colcanon.

[@Roethles]

Sounds good. But Beef dripping? Is that lard?

[@im7mommy]

My daughter and I were talking the other day and she said she thought her friends did better because their parents were more well off. We weren’t poor, but some treated us like we were. My kids were well fed and no one was ever hungry. I didn’t tell people my food budget because they’d always be crazy shocked. My mother told me once that her father said her mother could stretch a dollar farther than anyone he knew. She would know as she fed a family of 7 during the Great Depression years. My husband has said the same of me. Perhaps some of us have tighter budgets because other people wouldn’t be able to do the magic that we could. 🤷🏼‍♀️ I’ve only watched the two videos in this series and you seem so friendly. I’m going to sub to give you some support. I like your warm personality.

[@darlenem4940]

I run a food pantry (karma box) and the hunger is real. I have really nice people donate food, and mostly at night people come shop. Everything is free. It's a "give what you can, take what you need " I've been running it for 2 years next month. It's a blessing to so many in my community. I love these dinners you post about. You are a blessing sweet lady. Looking forward to more

[@debbiechaney6607]

God Bless you for helping all those people who I am sure depend on it and appreciate it so much.💞👍🙏

[@AnnaJones-r7i]

I've found seven such boxes in my area. I love them. If I have a can or two to donate I don't have to hold them for food drives. When the Lord bless me with extra money I try to donate a days worth of food for a family of four.

[@joycef8443]

Good point about not worrying about vegetables when you are hungry. There’s lots of time another day for veg when all you have is a can of green beans. I mean it’s great when you have all the ingredients every day for balanced meals but that is not real life for many people.

[@lisamarx9835]

There was 7 of us we were poor but always had something to eat. I always said i can always make something out of anything because of how i grew up. It taught me how to be frugal.

[@juttadestiny6810]

Iv told my adult children always have some pasta/noodles and rice in the pantry and you ll never go hungry 💚🍜 you can make many things with leftover vegies etc to add to ❤️🇦🇺

[@nancycarney]

Hard times have taught me a lot. My Dad is from the depression. I have to say I am so excited about this weeks meat cost for one week for 3 people. (Shrieking with excitement) 10 lb bag of leg quarters for $6.99. 15 leg quarters. Cut backs away from each one and put in bags for 2 additional meals. 15 leg quarters for 3 adults = 5 meals. YEP! 7 meals for $6.99. 1 lb Williams sausage for $1.99. 2 - 12 oz pkg of Jimmy Dean Bacon $1.99 ea. I pkg John Morrel bologna for 57c. All digital coupons. Cooking for 1 week for $13.53 for meat. WooHoo! I know I could have cut the leg quarters apart and made more meals but The guys love their chicken. Piggly Wiggly/Reed's Meat Market Olive Branch Mississippi

[@Sophia-gu4me]

That's pretty amazing! Happy for you!

[@jillgott6567]

Good Job !

[@charlieann456]

You did well! I was excited to find ground beef for $1.99lb.

[@Myfavorites877]

My sister used to live there!

[@AnnaJones-r7i]

While packing chicken for later I trim off backs and skin flaps. Those trims are the meat for making perlough

[@britgal8940]

I have the opposite situation- I went from "riches to rags" (riches in my childhood) and now have to budget for everything. Your videos are very helpful- thanks!

[@zz-ic6vy]

Same here!

[@user-vx5rq9lt2m]

It happens like that sometimes

[@kenyonbissett3512]

We also grew up poor. We lived below the property level. My dad worked full time. My mom provided daycare for neighborhood kids, waitressed nights and sold Avon. The first 10 or 11 yrs of my life. I got my first new clothes (except under wear) when I was 10, my grandmother bought them. Previously, everything came from thrift stores. Thrift clothes were not as nice as they are now. People did hand me downs until no one else wanted them, that’s what ended up in the thrift stores. It was well used. Even then we had 2 outfits for school and she washed clothes everyday to keep us clothed. Clothes were hung on a line to dry outside, so neighbors would see holes in our underwear, my mom would say “they were Holy underwear worn by her angels.” We would smile, laugh or look down depending on that days behavior, lol. She tried to make light of it. We missed many a meal. And some meals might be fried potatoes in bacon grease with canned peas or egg and toast with 1/2 slice of bacon. My mom picked up bread 4 loaves for $0.99, must buy 4. She froze 3 loaves to eat later. Later, I realized money that could have fed us went to my dad’s drinking alcohol. Unfortunately, that was common behavior at the time and going to a food bank would embarrass him so he forbade it and we never went. Also common back then.

[@relax2dream164]

I’m so sorry you had to struggle like that. I’m sure mom did her best to keep you clothed and fed. Luckily for me, we were far from rich, wore hand me downs (4th child so always well used), shopped church rummage sales etc. but food was always plentiful, thank god.

[@kenyonbissett3512]

@@relax2dream164 I really didn’t know any different. It just was what it was. And it certainly made us grateful for everything we did get 😃. And, we survived. We all have medical issues related to poor nutrition 55 yrs later, unfortunately. It certainly gave me great compassion for children who are hungry. It’s why I love our backpacks 🎒 for education food that goes directly home not reliant on SNAP or access to transportation to get to a food bank.

[@vanessadagenet457]

Your mom sounds amazing

[@stacylgh]

Alcoholism is awful. My Mom and stepdad both were alcoholics. I got mad in middle school and poured the new bottle of rum out. We'd went a whole winter in a 100 year old house that had 1 gas heater in the kitchen and no hot water. We ate a lot of beans, cornbread, biscuits. My meal I'd fix after school was ketchup sandwiches.

[@vanessadagenet457]

@@stacylgh I bet that got you in trouble! I know that was a hard chilhood but the best thing you can do for yourself is to forgive them

[@Implied_Confessions]

OH MY GOSH! LOL I grew up poor also. Disabled Vet Dad and Mom couldn't work outside the home due to 8 kids. We had a huge garden and Mom hunted to provide meat for us in addition to having chickens and beef cows. We often ate the meals you are showing in your videos. I consider myself fortunate to have grown up with parents that had to stretch their pennies until they snapped. The funny thing is that I didn't even realize how poor we were until I was around 30 years old. LOL My parents were masters at making sure we had what we needed. I still eat many of the meals from back in the day. They're comfort food for me.

[@geraldinelucas3143]

My mother said she asked her dad when she was little if they were poor. His response was yes they were poor. Due to that if we ever struggled with food insecurity we never knew it because it was hard for her to understand as a child they were poor. My mother is now 100.

[@babydoll22855]

My momma used to make mashed potatoes with browned ground beef and cream of mushroom soup on top. If she had frozen broccoli she added that to the mixture. I didn't realize it was because we were poor. It was so good I thought we were lucky. 😁

[@jenpink4298]

❤

[@brendabeelee]

That sounds yummy!

[@sheilaf5732]

My favorite struggle meal is a sandwich with mayo and tomato on plain white bread. As a kid our most made struggle meal was fried potatoes served along side great northern beans.

[@DisabledandPrepping]

I just had one of the tomato sandwiches yesterday.😊

[@canbencheco]

I have always loved tomato sandwiches. I'd take 1 to school for lunch almost every day for 12 yrs. Nowadays my taste is much more elevated, so instead of salt, pepper, and a tiny swipe of mayo I now put Italian dressing on my sandwich. Still have them about 2x a week. Yum!

[@AnnaJones-r7i]

Tomato sandwich in toast🤤

[@CharleysMom2]

I’ve made a bunch of fried potato sandwiches

[@nedheadwyoming]

We had dill pickle sandwiches! I thought they were awesome!

[@kimvenablevenable4656]

Back in the 60's and early 70's, grandma would make us kids pancakes and would put butter on top and then sprinkle sugar. Mom always put butter and Caro Syrup on our pancakes.

[@janetfisher3091]

I never like soggy food so I use butter and sprinkle brown sugar on top. My husband now asks for brown sugar for his pancakes even if we're out at a cafe.

[@melissasmith3134]

We used Karo syrup as well, still do! So good.

[@itsjustme7487]

​@melissasmith3134 I haven't thought of Karo syrup in decades. We always had it on hand, growing up.

[@theREmissionary]

I grew up in the days when we had "commodities" instead of food stamps. We were extremely poor. I had never even heard of pepper jack cheese - but we did have some really good cheddar cheese in those commodities! We also got some MAJORLY yucky powdered milk and powdered eggs. My mother would make taters, soup beans, and cornbread for supper, and biscuits & gravy for breakfast, along with those awful powdered eggs. First time I had quesadillas was in college! They're now one of our favorite snacks.

[@terryowens8563]

Powdered eggs … you couldn’t mask itLOL😹…oh meat in the can🤪

[@itsjustme7487]

We had "government surplus"food. Powdered milk, eggs, cornmeal, meat in a can, dried beans, etc. This was back in the 1950s.

[@theREmissionary]

@@itsjustme7487 yup, that's when I grew up. In my area they were called commodities, but the same thing. Or...maybe it was just my family that called them that. LOL

[@nylenyap3933]

i just love how sweet and respectful your boys all are…great job momma (and dad)! ❤❤❤

[@christinechance7663]

Omg your kids are amazing!!!!I'm sooo poor now I grew up ok went threw life pretty good but a man I fell in love with destroyed my finances, heart,self etc,I'm really really struggling I ate toothpaste bc I was sooooo hungry and had nothing as EMBARRASSING AS THAT IS ITS TRUE!!!!!,I'm so happy I stumbled upon you only bc the state gave me a phone!!!!!,!👌👍👋💋💋💚💓💜🤗🤩THANK YOU YOULL NEVER KNOW WHAT YOU DID FOR ME!!!!!!

[@geraldinelucas3143]

There has to be food give aways thru churches, food banks etc. you can draw from. I work as a volunteer at two different sites and not a member of either. Never feel bad about a handout because what we have left goes into a dumpster.

[@christinechance7663]

@@geraldinelucas3143 I'm really seriously struggling I've never ever had these issues I returned cans just to get food I feel hopeless

[@christinechance7663]

Also you watch u tube and all these people do is eat an insanely amount of food in 20 minutes to be awarded a shirt when I could litterly live off it fir a month I cry I cant watch

[@anitam.924]

@Christinechance....now yours is the saddest story so far, to have had to eat toothpaste, because of a NG man who destroyed your finances. May God bless you from this day forward. 💐🌹♥️

[@B_Bodziak]

​@@geraldinelucas3143 The place where you volunteer should consider partnering with Doordash to have pantry boxes delivered to folks who don't have transportation or are shut-in!

[@barbladner1263]

Brook, I'm 57. I'll remember all those t v shows that you're talking about what you had Black & white, TV and eventually colored TV. And those were the days you had to get up and turn the dial. The TV you had to get up. And turn the dial, these kids don't know that these Days ha ha lots of love

[@Sassacadassa65]

NBC had an ad around 1971 that said Now in Living Color! I think most tv shows went to color after 1965? Something like that.

[@sheilaf5732]

And at least one of the kids had to stand outside and adjust the antenna

[@Sophia-gu4me]

My go-to for lean days is to fry thin slices of potatoes in a just a little bit of oil and then throw in a couple of eggs to fry with the potatoes after they're cooked through. Filling. Thanks for another wonderful video Brooke!

[@larryblocher3583]

One of my favs growing up- comfort food!

[@joycef8443]

Lean days? Heck, I fix that for dinner if I am by myself. I pan grill some frozen onion bits, too. Yummy!

[@cynthiajudkins2250]

I'm so so on the runny eggs, some days I like it and some days I don't 😊

[@angelicamichelle1646]

You put that in the tortilla and they call that papas con huevos

[@nylenyap3933]

we serve our dutch baby with lemon zest, lemon juice and powdered sugar (because a little powdered sugar goes a long way and cheap).

[@karenwingfield5872]

I love how your son laughed about "when color TV came out". I have two teenage sons who joke with me because I am an "old momma". I had my sons in my late 30's. Love your channel! You are such an inspiration!!

[@pamelaclark6694]

I had my two boys when I was 38 and 42! They are 13 and 19! I’m always afraid someone will think I’m their gramma lol

[@Nesie1965]

I used to try and keep quesadillas and shredded cheese on hand because my son loved making quesadillas in the microwave. It was his favorite after school snack....his best friend was over and discovered Aaron could make them.....he was shocked. LOL. There is no telling how many they ate....it was especially good if we had left over tacobell sauce in the fridge.

[@charlieann456]

Scrambled eggs with cheese served in a tortilla are my favorite!

[@lyndalaury5060]

When you grow up poor ,, my mom was Navajo and taught us how to make homemade bread and tortillas, and food lines 😀 were a big deal 5 kids to feed and I thank God for providing amen!!

[@alishajennings2013]

"I didn't even taste it, burnt off all my taste buds." I have been there so many times

[@glendastump5701]

One of our struggle meals were boxed mac n cheese with tomato soup added in or boxed mac n cheese with tuna and a can of peas.

[@PeriwinkleBluetag]

I love macaroni and cheese soup.

[@BelovedLeah]

Mother bought bread at discount store and snack for school lunches. Bought eggs from farmer next door so, fried potatoes, cut up hot dogs, then put scrambled and fried all together. This carried us for many meals.

[@MrsCelesteB]

I love your videos!!! I'm from canada, indigenous cree woman. I've seen my fair share of hardships. Hello! from my family to yours!!

[@nancyadamson286]

Love them too. Just an ordinary person from Ontario 🇨🇦.

[@tenthousanddaysofgratitude]

Hello to you and all your relations from an uninvited settler on the traditional lands of the Musqueam people!

[@penelopegrier5073]

I didn’t grow up poor. We were upper middle class. Now that I’m married with 5 kids from 18 years to 14 months, life is hard. I’m living that poor life now and LOVE your videos.

[@gracekennelly8534]

I loooove your channel Brooke 🎉!! I have depression and fibromyalgia etc. I don’t have any family close by, and your videos really cheer me! I love watching your interactions with your boys…. Please don’t stop. Don’t listen to any nonsense that people put up!! I don’t cook a lot, so your easy meals are a big help!! 💛🙋‍♀️🙏🐕

[@pamelaclark6694]

I hope you are feeling ok today ❤ I love her videos too.

[@PerilousRainbow]

I grew up poor too and it’s kinda fantastic because of everything going on now. Like other people I know will say how they can’t do whatever, and I’m over here doing those things and then some on a budget having a great time. An example is I know people who had to cut down on family get together meals/cookouts but my extended family is huge so everyone contributes something in the form of a dish or beverages or cleanup or paper goods. Keeps it super cheap for everyone and a great time. Also way less stressful to not have to do everything yourself.

[@commentater4448]

I also turn to those struggle meals when I'm too tired to cook

[@bettymontes4272]

We ate rice, butter and sugar for breakfast. What we didn't know was that was when we didn't have anything else to have for breakfast before school. We loved it

[@darlenehoover6577]

Spent alot of my childhood eating fried potatoes, beanie weenies or beans, rice and cornbread. Sometimes it was just bisquits and apple butter. That was pre ramen era. 😁

[@DisabledandPrepping]

Oh I love apple butter.

[@lindabeard488]

Do more of these. They are so useful. I live day to day from your videos. ❤❤❤

[@heathersmeather]

I remember my groceries being a small bag of potatoes, eggs, bologna, margarine, sandwich bread, and the cheapest cheese (sometimes squeeze cheese). Not my favorite I could make 2-3 meals for myself a day for the week. Egg sandwiches, bologna sandwiches, baked potatoes w/cheese, etc. Things were even better if I had mustard and mayo on hand. Then my bologna sandwich was better and I could make a egg salad sandwich. So times potato salad.

[@robertadunaway7030]

28 yrs ago when I was pregnant I had a microwaved potatoe with cheddar cheese OR a toasted bagel with cheddar cheese for my lunch.

[@pamelaj25]

We grew up poor. One of the things I remember eating was cooked cold rice with milk, sugar and cinnamon. Another meal that I still make today is baked bean sandwiches. We love them. Simply take mayonnaise bread and top with either pork and beans or canned baked beans. I top with some ketchup and hot sauce. Every time I make this I always think, Why don't we have this more often. It is absolutely delicious!

[@jerrieanderson2245]

Had this plenty of times as a child. Still love leftover rice for breakfast. Also love baked beans on a baked potato, so tasty and filling!

[@charlieann456]

My grandfather was so happy when he got a factory job. The lunchroom was so hot, the sandwiches would spoil if they were made from meat. My grandma made baked beans. (no meat) He had baked bean sandwiches every day during the summer. When visiting my grand parents, we would have bean sandwiches. Delicious!

[@suzybailey-koubti8342]

I’m 67 and still love rice, a little small dash of cinnamon and milk. My mama got commodities from the government which had powdered milk in the box. She would fix it for us to use in rice, biscuits, gravy. We never had cereal. The government cheese in large blocks was the best cheese in the world!

[@suzybailey-koubti8342]

We ate a lot of Vienna sausages and Armour potted meat, Treet(which was really the poor man’s meat). Every now and then we had a large can of Spam. Lord only knows what was in the tuna we had. We had one can a month but Mama made the best tuna salad in the world! We ate beans every day of our lives. My granddad would buy a 25 lb of pinto beans on the first of the month. We all ate from those beans. We received sugar, cornmeal, flour, coffee, lard from the government. West Virginia late 1950’s - 1960’s. Everyone was poor! We didn’t know it .😢 We were blessed though.

[@jacquelinejamesx5049]

​@@suzybailey-koubti8342omg the government cheese was absolutely the best ever

[@jillgott6567]

We also were poor when I was young but had food to eat, nutritious meals or maybe I was so young I did not know different. I am frugal having watched my mom [ frugal isn't always poor ] and practice what I learned. I saved $17.40 today @ the grocery store and am proud of myself. A manager's special on meat saved $1.00, twenty pouches of cat food on clearance @ $.37 each saved me $7.24, $2.89 in store rewards, and $5.95 left on a gift card the store had given me when I reported a poor customer service experience.

[@DebBrown931]

Raising my 3 kiddos after I divorced and wasn’t receiving child support was rough. We would have meat only 2-3 times a week. Some of our meals were biscuits and gravy (without sausage) fried potatoes and maybe a hot dog, macaroni and cheese, pancakes, breakfast for supper.

[@TheBryants2-mf1gw]

Lord honey, I just love your channel, I came across it and you took me down my childhood memory lane… if we didn’t have garden it would have been worse but we were so poor I can remember a couple times that I was around 7-8 years that we had sheet we had to bring home telling what we ate for dinner and I remember having to lie on it… but like you said it makes you who you are… bless you honey for channel I Love It!!!

[@mollyswanner1607]

Brooke I've commented before on this, but I had 3 boys too! Love watching your channel and those sons of yours are so much fun to watch! My own struggle meal for my family was hamburger mixed with a box of macaroni and cheese. My husband and I still have it sometimes!

[@nimmofish8299]

I still eat it that way

[@amandasnailtasticnails9657]

Mine too. I’d ask mom if we could have cheap hamburger helper. Now days it would cast more to make it that way over a regular box of hamburger helper. We made it with hamburger, cream of mushroom, and mac n cheese.

[@mollyswanner1607]

@@amandasnailtasticnails9657 I will try the mushroom soup next time!

[@angelicamichelle1646]

One time we had hamburger macaroni and cheese not with the milk and everything but we put in a can of ranch style beans and we added cottage cheese and believe it or not that stuff was good and you don't have milk and butter throwing a can of ranch style beans if you out from the house cottage cheese for some reason it makes it yummy looks terrible but it's good

[@cindylu6959]

I did this all the time when I was raising my daughter. I called it the Poor Mans Hamburger Helper

[@janispeterson6381]

May I ask how your sister passed? She was young?!? So sorry. Events like that do change your life! Love your channel! I like how you are bubbly and humorous.!!your channel always lifts my mood. 🙂

[@coloringjenn1975]

Lord, I was so hungry one time as a child, I made my sister and me a kraut sandwich! We ate it and it was good! White bread, mayo, and a can of sauerkraut! Times were definitely hard growing up! My mom worked so hard to provide for us, these are not sad memories for me!

[@nedheadwyoming]

That reminds me of when we'd have dill pickle sandwiches...

[@chercharliescrafts736]

You have the greatest kids. Down to earth and appreciative,don’t say “oooohhh “ they know good food and happy they have a great mama!

[@bethpowell6466]

My Mom used to do this when we were overseas and the exchange rate killed us so she could not buy food. She used to homeschool us so she had a film projector and cool science movies. She would pop a huge bowl of popcorn and season it with herbs butter and cheapie Kraft Parmesan cheese. Movie and popcorn who needed dinner?😊

[@charlenemock333]

I can stretch a Dollar cuz I was raised in the Hollar!!!! 😱👍

[@tao831]

You make a difference in my life ❤

[@nancyadamson286]

Mine too. 🌹🌹

[@KathleenGoodwin-t4m]

I just want to say your kids are adorable and you and Dusty make such a cute couple. You are truly blessed.

[@thriftyandniftyideas4902]

My struggle meal when I was 18 living with a worthless boyfriend was to cook up ground beef and add seasoned salt to it, a can of drained corn and shred up some cheddar cheese to put on top. It was delicious and filling and would make me two meals. Beefaroni was my second go-to meal.

[@lynnettawilliams2138]

I grew up eating alot of what my dad did and fish sticks and mac cheese and ceral and icecream sandwhiches

[@staycalminthestorm]

All of these are struggle meals I still eat today :)

[@danadyd59]

We always had a garden in the summer. Nothing better than a mess of fresh green beans, onions, taters, and bacon. Yum!

[@wannabevan3697]

That was wonderful! I recall being so broke I would try anything to make things taste good. And they did! I am no longer broke but I never forget those days.

[@nancybrewer8494]

Flour tortilla, refried beans right out of the can, cheese, salsa, microwave, rollup into burrito, and eat!

[@hbennett5640]

Yummy...thanks❤

[@lutricamorgan8807]

My Mom made what she called fried bread. It was self rising flour and water. Fried in a skillet. It was thick. Lil crunchy on the outside and soft inside. We ate it with milk gravy over it or sliced garden tomatoes inside it. Or With eggs. I love it still.

[@candyeolney30]

Love your struggle meals. We’d mix corn flakes, peanut butter and sugar and eat it for a snack.

[@SouthernFrugalMomma]

That sounds great! I might do that later lol

[@mollyswanner1607]

I've been making peanut butter ,oats, honey and mini chocolate chips and making them into balls and refrigerate. They are actually pretty healthy and are fantastic when your hangry! ( a local fancy shop carries these and sells 2 of them for 4 $. It's where I got the idea)

[@candyeolney30]

@@mollyswanner1607 that sounds good!

[@mollyswanner1607]

@@candyeolney30 thanks! Yes and you can use dark chocolate for better health. I used chunky peanut butter last time and was really good too

[@mariamorales81]

I totally understand being poor. It was not usual for us to not have running water or electricity because we could not pay it. I thank God everyday that my parents taught us to appreciate having what little we did. Fast forward my own kids have told us they never felt poor…but we were. We made a conscience decision to educate ourselves and our kids. Often enough I remind our sons to do the same for their kids. Teach them to do without. Learn to appreciate the simple things in life.

[@AuraJack9]

Toasted scrambled egg sandwhiches with mayonnaise and salt and pepper!❤

[@CarolNelson-s5s]

Love your family. Your boys seem like very polite young guys. Thanks for the great meals. I will definitely try them all. ❤

[@perrycountyoffice7580]

i make the potatoes like this all the time, i put broccoli on the side and call it a meal on our meatless night. cheese has lots of protein!

[@sharonpeta2390]

We grew up on stews cause that all my granny could afford. My parents would take us there for supper nearly every night, it is nice to think about it. Our bonus was she had naval orange, Mandarin, Mulberry, Normal orange trees, some mango trees and a peach tree so we got to eat fruit as our snacks, I often would think why do I love fruit so much but that’s why. ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤ Pizza Dutch Baby lol

[@Alittlesomething_byMelissa]

I paused the video and made the potatoes in the microwave dish…. Omg! Soooo good! Everyone loved it!

[@kamicrum4408]

Hey!, ive know peopke who have counted ketchup as a veggie,they alowed one of their children to be that picky,me mine were ravenouse veggie eaters from starting solids,I gave them strait from the big people table soft carrots, mashed, peas,green beans asparagas ect, what ever the adults ate the chikdrenwere offered & encouraged to try.😊

[@meanhe8702]

You took the hardship of growing up with food insecurity to blessing people’s lives in these hard times, thanks for that.

[@4pcmiknugget852]

Hey Brooke! Maybe you need baking powder?! It looks yummy none the less! We eat the quesadillas now, and I still cook a potato in the microwave like that if it’s just me eating! I know these may be ‘struggle’ meals, but they’re also comfort meals! Some of my favorites from my childhood are Miracle whip and plastic cheese sandwiches (that I ate into my early adulthood!) Saltine crackers and butter, tortilla chips with cheese in the microwave, club crackers with a marshmallow in the microwave, a slice of cheese melted on a pc of bread in the microwave, plain old bread and butter. Pancakes with peanut butter or just white sugar, when we didn’t have syrup, Mac and cheese with hamburger (homemade hamburger helper). Spaghetti noodles with salt, pepper and butter! And sometimes if we didn’t have bread, just a peanut butter spoon. 😋 I found you this past year and I really enjoy your content. You are relatable in so many ways, and I love that you are putting such kindness into the world! Keep up the good work! 💜

[@orleysmith4852]

How about boxed Mac n cheese, add a little bit of sugar and a dab of milk to make it creamy. Then add what you have, especially if it's a little bit of leftover something that you need to use up. A little chicken, a few peas, a little ham or spam, whatever

[@qwaychou8561]

We grew up poor too! I just love watching your videos a d esp your sons, they are just a hoot. So much character. Keep up the great work!!

[@JulieShramm-b6p]

i grow up poor as well making do with what you have does not mean it has to taste bad as always much love and God bless

[@pamelarepec8]

I just adore you! You are so cute, funny, genuine & wise. A real woman is well rounded, she knows how to be a “lady” when the situation calls for it but also knows how to just enjoy life in each moment. From one well rounded woman to another, You’re Awesome Girl!

[@donnaspindler5933]

My situation is rags to repaired rags! It was livable when I had a job, but now I'm on disability/SS, after bills are paid, and God willing, nothing major comes up, this month was the ignition switch for my heater, $578, we might get to do something special once a month, otherwise everything is budgeted, especially food! You are a blessing and a half! Love you and your family! God bless ya'll !! 🐢🐢💚💚💞💞

[@marjoriebouwens6000]

At the beginning of the video I remembered making potatoes with plastic cheese. I made them with leftover boiled potatoes that I put lots of butter on and heated in the microwave. Then put a slice of 2 of plastic cheese and melted that. That was so good!! I'll have to make extra potatoes some Tim and try it again and see if I still like it. This was a fun video. Thanks for sharing.

[@vickibeaver3441]

You're very creative! Everything looks yummy!! Your boys are very cute!!

[@Missi-Forensic-Astrology]

Potato soup is one of my favorites 5 lb of potatoes cut into 2 inch piece, big chunks One large onion cut into rings and broken Put it in a pot and cover with water + 2 in water above the vegetables Boil until potatoes are fork tender If I don't have heavy whipping cream I use milk In that instance I remove about four cups of water and add 4 cups milk After the vegetables are cooked If I have heavy whipping cream I will just add one cup And I won't strain off water or use any milk I'll add about a half a stick of butter Salt and pepper to taste Serve with cornbread For toppings I'll put some shredded cheddar If I have some bacon left over from breakfast I'll chop that up and use it as a topping If I have some green onions I'll chop some of those up and use it for topping If I want to thicken the soup I'll just remove some potatoes and mash them and put them back in There have been times in my life where that meal would sustain me for 3 or 4 days in a row And that's all I would have to eat I'm 54 now so I made it 😂

[@BergenholtzChannel]

I grew up poor, too. I am glad we are now have enough to have a well balanced meal to give our kids. 😊

[@lindabeck3412]

Our "struggle" meals looked some different than yours as I grew up on a farm. In summer there was always fresh vegetables from garden to eat. As a kid I am pretty sure parents went to the grocery about once a month. There was always basic pantry goods for making pastas, & noodles. Always was eggs from the chickens & always meat in the freezers. In winter the veggies were canned or frozen as was fruits. Potato 🥔 was a mainstay! We always baked cookies cakes pies! We didn't have microwave until the 70s. You can do a lot with a little!

[@carrieragsdale8797]

Being frugal is smart!❤

[@mel_k713]

Just now seeing this, & that intro was not lame! I love it!! 🤣🤣😻

[@kelseyfarmer1473]

My favorite “struggle meal” was when my momma would cut up hot dogs and cabbage and cook it together. So good, maybe gross but we topped it with mustard. One of my favorite. That or pizza toast. I used to think pizza toast was a delicacy. Times changed significantly by the time I was in high school but I would still ask for those meals.

[@darciecrowe4179]

Girl I use to make that same meal when i was a kid but I did eat all the butter 😅 and it was amazing

[@cherilewis2899]

I like your frugal meals and all the comments from others, grew up poor too but learned alot from my mother thanks 😊

[@SauerPatchGardening]

I make the micro potato thing but I add ketchup and steak sauce or Worcestershire and it's a pretend steak dinner. It was a struggle meal I made when I was a young mom...i still make it today. 40 years later...love it. Especially when i want a quick comfort food.

[@slivi2455]

I really enjoy how the Family interacts with You, during the episodes...makes it more enjoyable.

[@denisedieter9004]

Brooke, are you sure that you used self-rising flour and not regular flour? It still looked good to me. Thank you for sharing these types of recipes with us to help us get us through at the end of the month!

[@Pamzollman]

I was going to ask the same thing.

[@nylenyap3933]

i don’t use self rising flour for my dutch babies and it still puffs up with regular flour. i’ve had this happen when my egg ratio was greater (like she was eluding to). just my experience ❤

[@britgirlRN1973]

You and your boys are so funny and adorable! You’re raising awesome young men Mama💕 Your meals and ideas are inspiring me. Thank you!

[@wyshnbug212]

first time watching you.. I love it!! I love you! ty for showing us these little treasures..my husband wants the chicken casserole with some broccoli in it..and the pepper jack quesadillas.....thats football food honey....keep it up..your fun and great to watch!

[@charlenemock333]

Let me tell you what else is really good! I make a Scrambled Egg Sandwich With Mayo And Then Texas Pete Hot Sauce Shaken All on Top Of The Scrambled Eggs! Talk about Heaven On Earth!!! Shoot Yeah Girl! But Texas Pete is my Favorite Kind Because IT Has Flavor With The Heat!!!! I'm Craving One Now!!! Lol!

[@createwithlinda5181]

Your a rock star…..we had a lot of go toos like this growing up…they were the best things…❤

[@jeanettemclaughlin4296]

Ohhh! That's another thing I did! Pasta with butter, bacon bits and parmasagn cheese!

[@christinalanden9952]

Sometimes those poverty meals hit different. Some of my favorite's over the years (from my childhood and in later yesrs my children's are friend eggs and potatoes....fried egg sandwiches. Making a pot of hot tea and a bowl of popcorn for my kids at night as part of our bed time routine. Teaching my kids how to make ice cream out of fresh snow.... saltines with butter and honey deizzled on top. Galletas (Cuban crackers, the name literally means cracker) but they were unexplainably good and nothing like the ones in the US. My family is from Havana. We would spread butter on them and it would almost be a meal. Or what my Norwegian stepfather called Lefse. It was basically a tortilla spread with butter and sprinkled with sugar and microwaved til it was a buttery sugary melty mess. As I got older and explored food more i realized that wasn't "true" lefse but it was what we had available and it was dirt cheap and I got ro know him through the foods he grew up on.