1940s Summer Meals and Recipes

Get ready for summer with these 1940s summer meals and recipes! It comes from a real 1940s meal plan and is a fun look into the past.

Finding inspiration for meals over and over again can be a pain. Especially these days when so many of the recipes on Pinterest and Google end up being AI slop.

I did start a Pinterest board with other creators to share AI-free recipes so that’s one place I now look for real recipes but another place I look for AI-free inspiration is in vintage homemaking magazines.

I have found there are often not just recipes in these magazines but also vintage meal plans that can help you come up with full meal ideas.

Today I want to share a 1940s meal plan I found that has some interesting recipes included. Now of course just like now, homemakers took inspiration from these menus and likely didn’t use them just as is, so don’t feel like you have to make the full meals or can’t change things up.

And a great way to use these meal planning ideas is by using my retro meal planner, so you can stay organized and make meal planning a lot easier!

1940s Summer Meals and Recipes

This summer meal plan comes from a 1945 issue of Better Homes and Gardens that I was recently reading. Some things that I’m taking inspiration from is making more savory waffles. I’ve made creamed ham and cheese waffles in the past and they were great!

I also want to try the pink cream whip. It sounds very interesting. Don’t worry I will share if I do try it but if you don’t want to wait you can get the recipe now as part of the Retro Homemaker’s Club.

Now let’s take a look at this vintage meal plan and get some inspiration for our own!

Monday

• Corned Beef Hash Loaf
• New Green Peas
• Sliced Tomatoes & Ripe Olives
• Strawberry Shortcakes, Pink Cream Whip*

Tuesday

• Chicken a la King on Crisp Waffles
• Garden Asparagus
• Chef’s Salad Bowl*
• Red Raspberry Donut Ringers

Wednesday

• Quick Baked Beans with Crusty Pork-Ham Slices*
• Sweat-Sour Cabbage*
• Golden Corn Muffins
• Green Onions and Crisp Radishes
• Fresh Rhubarb Tarts

Thursday

• Frankfurt-Roni Platter*
• Whole Green Beans
• Bran Muffins
• Lettuce Wedges with Thousand Island Dressing
• Lemon Rice Pudding* and Raisin Gingerbread Bars

Friday

• Vegetable Noodle Soup
• Baked Fish Fillets
• Potatoes in a Casserole*
• Sweet Corn
• Yeast Rolls
• Cabbage-Pepper Slaw*
• Strawberry Ice Cream and Vanilla Wafers

Saturday

• Macaroni and Cheese Dinner
• Hot Bolagna Slices
• Pennsylvania Dutch Spinach*
• Tiny Pickled Beets
• Rye Bread
• Cake Squares
• Coffee or Cocoa

*These recipes can be found in the printable version of the Summer 1940s Meal Plan available to Retro Homemaker’s Club members. 

Printable 1940s Summer Meals and Recipes

If you want more of the vintage recipes included in the 1940s summer meal plan you can get a free printable meal plan with 9 of the recipes shown above, join the Retro Homemaker’s Club today!

Each month members get a new vintage meal plan printable with the full meal plan and any recipes that were included in the original meal plan, generally at least 6 recipes.

More Vintage Meal Plans

Looking for more vintage meal plans? These are some additional ones you will find on the site that are perfect for fall.

• 1950s Summer Meal Plan
• 1930s Summer Meal Plan
• 1950s Meal Plans for a Crowd