Frugal Friends Podcast

Episode: She Followed a 1950's Grocery List and it DID NOT Go as Expected

Hosts: Jen Smith & Jill Sirianni
Date: September 12, 2025

Episode Overview

In this episode, Jen takes on an intriguing experiment: living off a typical 1950s grocery list and meal plan for one week. The goal? To see if our nostalgia for “the golden age of frugality” holds up to modern reality, and to glean practical lessons for today’s budget-conscious households. Alongside laughs and plenty of practical insights, the hosts compare grocery prices, eating habits, and food prep routines from the 1950s to today—revealing what’s changed, what’s stayed the same, and how we can integrate the best frugal habits from both eras into modern life.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Why Try a 1950s Grocery List?

[06:05] Jen: "This is what people want...People are always looking for extreme frugality. Extreme. How can I save as much and be as, you know, stingy as possible?...So I wanted to see, like, how can we integrate the best of both worlds from the 50s, from this modern age and what can be done, if any."

• Trend Origins: Interest in 1950s homemaking (sewing, cooking, routines) is rising, thanks partly to YouTube and Tradwife culture.
• Virtue of Frugality: Frugality as a celebrated virtue peaked in mid-century America.
• Modern Relevance: Experiment seeks practical crossover from past to present—without "extreme" influencer gimmicks.

2. What Was a 'Typical' 1950s Grocery Shop?

[08:14] Jill:

• 1950 Average Grocery Bill: ~$25-30/week for a family of four (~$300-350 today)
• Dining Out: 15-20% of food costs, ~$2-4 per week then ($90-120 today)
• Home Cooking: 75% of meals eaten at home, much cooked by stay-at-home moms
• Comparison: Today, we spend about the same on groceries but eat out more and waste more food.

3. The 1950s Grocery List Breakdown

[12:44] Jen:

• Meat & Protein: Ground beef, whole chicken (substituted with breasts), pork chops/tenderloin, bacon, eggs, cheese
• Dairy: Gallon of milk, butter, cottage cheese (no evaporated/powdered milk)
• Bread & Pantry: White sandwich bread, tortillas (modern sub), flour, sugar, oats, rice, pasta, crackers, coffee, baking essentials
• Produce: Potatoes, onions, carrots, apples/bananas, lettuce/sauerkraut, frozen veg (modern sub for canned), bag salad mix
• Miscellaneous: No home baking or preserving; used digital lists and Walmart delivery (modern adaptations)
• Simple But Effective: "This list does feel very simple. It does feel very 1950s housewife." – Jill [13:51]

4. Shopping & Cooking Routines: Then vs. Now

[16:44] Jen:

• Shopping frequency: Once a week vs. several times now
• Modern Shortcuts: Pre-chopped frozen veg; grocery delivery
• Home Skills: Baking and preserving were common then—less so now
• Convenience Balance: "People want to be perfect and be like, cut your own carrots, it's even cheaper. But...if it comes down to that or eating out, I'm eating out." [28:15]

5. Actual Meals: Tradition Meets Adaptation

Breakfasts:

• 1950s: Scrambled eggs, toast, oatmeal/cereal, coffee/milk
• Jen: Overnight oats (with protein/choc chips), egg bake casserole with sausage, sweet potato & spinach

  “Same idea, just different way to cook it.” – Jen [22:22]

Lunches:

• 1950s: Lots of sandwiches (tuna, grilled cheese, egg, meat), PB&J, “deconstructed” sandwich/charcuterie
• Jen: Turkey wraps or spicy chicken wraps using salad mix and light ranch dressing

  “What I did is I did two different kinds of wraps...that was my lunch, yum yum." [23:31]

Dinners:

• 1950s: Meatloaf, mashed potatoes, baked chicken, pork chops, spaghetti/meat sauce, hamburgers, fish/tuna casserole
• Jen:
  • Substituted beef cottage cheese bowls with hot honey & sweet potatoes (viral TikTok recipe!)
  • Chicken fried rice (with Japanese BBQ sauce and pre-chopped veg)
  • Pork tenderloin instead of pork chops, simple spaghetti, turkey burgers with fig jam & brie
  • Skipped fish cakes/tuna casserole

  “It was something I would have made anyway.” [28:07]

Desserts:

• 1950s: Jell-O, cake, pudding, cocoa
• Jen: Skipped traditional baking, used Ninja Creami for custom high-protein treats

  “We all sit there and we share the pint between the four of us...it is really adorable.” [38:06]

6. Lessons Learned & Surprising Realizations

[28:15] Jen:

• "What surprised me the most was how people put so much emphasis on the good old days...But I think people have not changed."
• Modern Convenience > Perfection: Pre-chopped veggies and simple meal prep are not "cheating"—they're enablers for realistic frugality.
• Options Empower Us: We now have as many (if not more) ways to save as in the past; we’re just less “forced.”
• Dining Out—Always There: Eating out wasn’t demonized in the 1950s, even if rare.

  "Eating out is so villainized...and it's always been done, even when frugality was a virtue." – Jen [31:21]

• Simplicity & Ingredient Reuse: Both eras reuse ingredients and keep meals simple—frugal gold.

7. Lightning Round: Favorites and (Not So) Favorites

[35:31] Jill:

• Most Loved: The nostalgic idea of a community butcher/baker/fishmonger and neighborhood connections

  "It feels very in the neighborhood having someone to go to and be able to get your community aspect of it. I love that." [36:19]

• Least Loved: Overreliance on Jello, macaroni, casseroles

[37:14] Jen:

• Most Loved: Emphasis on desserts (“They didn't villainize sugar”)
• Least Loved: The concept of “fish cakes” or tuna casseroles

  "Something about tuna casserole, tuna cake, tuna macaroni...I hated that. The sound of it." [38:46]

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On Frugality:

  “We overcomplicate our grocery lists a lot. And I think that’s where some overspending comes in.” – Jen [14:09]

• On Modern vs. Old-School Shopping:

  “I’m not one of these extreme YouTubers or influencers that’s going to go extreme for show. I’m just not going to do it because this is my life and I want to live it how I want to live it.” – Jen [16:44]

• On Dessert Discipline:

  "I don't do it because I have no self-control. And if the dessert is there, I will eat it. I will not wait." – Jen [16:00]

• Surprisingly Similar:

  “This meal plan looks shockingly similar to what I do every week already...We just got different spices and cooking methods and combinations of side dishes.” – Jen [21:15]

Suggested Resources & Actions

• Get the Grocery List & Meal Plan:
  Sign up for the Friend Letter at frugalfriendspodcast.com. [02:27]
• Try the Frugal Friends Meal Planner:
  Includes recipes, trackers, and a free copy of Jen's book! Discount for newsletter subscribers.

Recap for Non-Listeners

Jen’s experiment with a 1950s grocery list proves both how little and how much has changed. The core tenets of cooking at home, reusing ingredients, and keeping things simple are timeless—while pre-chopped veggies, wraps instead of sandwiches, and digital grocery lists show we can be modern and still frugal. Most importantly, Jen and Jill bust the myth that the “good old days” were magically easier or cheaper, and encourage listeners to find what works without striving for perfection.

Key Takeaway:
Frugality isn’t about perfection or nostalgia—it’s about adapting smart habits to your real life, embracing simplicity, and ditching the guilt about using modern conveniences if they help you stay (happily) on budget.

More from Frugal Friends

• Read Jen & Jill’s Book: Buy What You Love Without Going Broke
• Subscribe & Review: Leave your thoughts on YouTube, Spotify, Apple, or Amazon!
• Meal planning help: Frugal Friends Meal Planner

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Why do a 1950s grocery challenge? [06:05]
• Historical price comparison & eating habits [08:14]
• The 1950s grocery list breakdown [12:44]
• Modern adaptations to old-school routines [16:44]
• Sample weekly meal plan discussion [21:15]
• Reflections & lessons learned [28:15]
• Lightning Round (best and worst parts) [35:31]

End of summary.