The Surprising Origins Of Zucchini Bread

Data from the USDA indicates that grocery price increases are on the way, and it's got some folks turning to Great Depression era recipes to cope. Poor Man's Meal and Water Pie were classics of the Greatest Generation that got their families through tough times. Frugal recipes have been passed down over the century, and they're coming in handy once again with the classic zucchini bread.

Squash is indigenous to the Americas, but zucchini has a special history. Early 16th-century colonists took squash from the New World back to Europe, where zucchini became a staple vegetable for several Italians. Centuries later, in the early 1900s, Italian immigrants brought zucchini to the United States. It was easy to grow as it became a key part of many families' home vegetable gardens during and after the Depression.

During WWII, the U.S. government promoted growing food at home in a "victory gardens" initiative. Victory gardens were a means of easing the strain on the supply chain so that large food producers could ship food to soldiers in the war effort. With several households growing their own produce, zucchini bread was a natural way to make the most use of the crops.

In times of economic hardship, home cooks had to make the most of their ingredients. Zucchini bread was a creative way of using common kitchen staples like flour, baking soda, eggs, sugar, and vegetable oil. A lot of food during the Depression era was centered around food scraps that could be chopped up and cooked or baked together in a single dish, e.g. casseroles. Doing the most with the least is an idea we can still follow today.

With the cost of produce expected to increase, now is an opportune time to try growing your own vegetables at home. Zucchini is a more apartment-friendly crop that you don't need a backyard to cultivate, just a couple feet of space on the balcony or by a sunlight-facing window indoors. You can purchase a pack of seeds for under $5 on Amazon or check the nearest garden supply store. Zucchini has always been a tasty upgrade to any type of quick bread.