Indulge in the charm of the 1940s with these authentic 1940s Christmas dinner meal plans. Step back in time and savor the flavors of a bygone era with these curated menus from the 1940s.
If you’ve been reading for a while you likely know I love looking at vintage meal plans. Today I have some for you from a Better Homes and Gardens magazine. These are for Christmas meals and there are a few different ones.
I love looking at these Christmas meal plans because even though they were the ideal type of holiday meal plan, not what every actual family was following, they still offer a look inside a 1940s Christmas.
When I share these meal plans I do my best to find recipes in case you want to try to recreate one of these meals. I also often remake old recipes to share so if there is one you want me to try out be sure to leave a comment for me to add it to my list.
1940s Christmas Dinner Meal Plans
This Christmas meal plan guide shared seven different Christmas menus with different products and dishes. They gave a classic turkey option but also said to not be afraid of branching out with other main dishes.
Christmas Meal Plan- Turkey
- Roast Turkey
- Parsley Stuffing
- Giblet Gravy
- Whipped Potatoes
- Dixie Onions
- Cranberry Pineapple Salad
- Butterhorn Rolls
- Frosted Mince Pie
- Coffee
Optional appetizers: Consomme and Hot Cider
Christmas Meal Plan- Chicken
- Roast Chicken
- Bacon Curls
- Mashed Potatoes
- Peas
- Red and White Salad
- Hot Biscuits
- Cranberry Sherbet
- Fruitcake Slices
Optional appetizers: Hot Tomato Juice and Stuffed Dates
Christmas Meal Plan- Pork Loin
- Roast Pork Loin
- Rosy Apples
- Browned Potatoes
- Company Carrots
- Old-Fashioned Cabbage Salad
- Rye Rolls
- Chilled Fresh Pears
- Cheese and Crackers
- Black Coffee
Optional appetizers: Salted Nuts and Candied Orange Peels
Christmas Meal Plan- Ham
- Christmas Ham
- Whole Spiced Peaches
- Sweet Potato Puffs
- Vegetable Platter
- Endive Salad Bowl
- Brown Bread Slices
- Pears Aflame
- Pecan Crisps
Optional appetizers: Pineapple Juice and Santa Specialties*
*For Santa Specialties there are no photos and I have to say this is a recipe I don’t want to remake. It appears they were bread fried in fat with different sandwich spreads on each point.
Christmas Meal Plan- Chicken Pot Pie
- Chicken Pot Pie
- Green Beans
- Relish Tray- Celery, Olives, Preserved Sweet Pickles
- Eggnog Ice Cream
- Yule Cookies
Optional appetizers: Minted Fruit Cocktail*, Bonbons, and Coffee
*Minted fruit cocktail is another one I don’t think sounds great. You just open a can of fruit cocktail, add 1/2 cup of after-dinner mints, and let it chill overnight.
Christmas Dinner- Roast Duck
- Roast Duck
- Glazed Kumquats
- Brown Rice
- Broccoli
- Kriss Kringle Wreath Salad*
- Plum Pudding
- Yellow Foamy Sauce
Optional appetizers: Bottled Cranberry Juice Cocktail and Coffee
*Kriss Kringle salad seems to just be basically a lemon Jello shaped like a wreath.
Christmas Meal Plan- Pot Roast
- Pot Roast
- Baked Potatoes
- Mashed Rutabagas
- Grapefruit Salad
- Pomegranate Seeds
- Hot Rolls
- Fruitcake
- Hard Sauce
Optional appetizers: Celery Soup
While many of the actual recipes are different the basic structure of the meals is similar to how a lot of people still celebrate. Meat, potatoes, veggies, bread, and dessert. It’s interesting to see not only how different the menus are but also how alike they are a the same time.
If you have tried any of these dishes and have a favorite recipe be sure to share it in the comments or email me and share. I love to hear about vintage recipes, especially family favorites.
GIULIA LOMBARDO says
Interesting, thanks for sharing!!!