For a long time in the 1970’s I had either no money or very little money. In the early part of that decade we received “commodity foods,” basically surplus goods packaged by the government in generic black and white cans and boxes. It included dried eggs, canned tomatoes and a block of what Keb Mo the singer refers to as “government cheese.” His song is the only good thing about that block of plastic-like cheese.
But in the mid-1970’s the government found another way to support agriculture by issuing food stamps (they came through the Department of Agriculture.)These little coupons could be exchanged for food while gaining one the critical stares of customers using cash. Fortunately we ate very low on the hog already, so those noisy people could find nothing to complain about. (Steak? Cola? Potato Chips? How dare they?”) No, my basket was filled with ingredients for the extremely helpful recipe book pictured above. And central among them was canned mackerel.
I could buy a pound of the canned fish for 59 cents and make a variety of filling dishes thanks to the booklet. Looking through the pages this afternoon I see a check mark next to every dish I prepared. Baked Fish Loaf, Creamed Mackerel, Baked Mackerel with Lemon, Fish Cakes, Mackerel Puff, Mackerel Fritters, Mackerel Turnovers and Mackerel Roll. Our favorite, as I recall, was the roll, a mackerel mix wrapped up in biscuit dough. Hearty and cheap.
Eventually the government went to issuing plastic cards which look similar to credit cards. It is harder to judge other shoppers I hope. But by that time I was again employed and I was able to buy a wider variety of food. I haven’t eaten canned mackerel since, but I am forever grateful for its place in my life. It was nutritious, filling and nearly tasty!
Saved By Words 
Holy Mackerel! You didn’t lack for a knack to attack a mackerel and make the most of it. Well done!
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I love your Biden/Harris personality in full bloom and look forward to four more years of wit.
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We went through poor periods, and we ate a lot of tuna fish. Thankfully, we had relief from time to time, so we still eat tuna occasionally. I’ve never noticed canned mackerel on the supermarket shelf.
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I wonder if it is still sold.
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I meant to look for canned mackerel, but I forgot.
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I can’t image it being “nearly tasty,” but the recipes must have helped a lot.
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Most of those recipes tried to hide the actual mackerel.
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That’s kind of what I figured.
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You were right.
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“Nearly tasty” 😆
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Tuna was my el-cheapo go-to dish. It went into everything. Fortunately, I liked tuna and still do.
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I think I had too much of it to enjoy it any more.
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LOL. I’ve got some childhood dishes like that.
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Spam, for instance!
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I have never had mackerel. I love your salute the fish that pulled you through.
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I am grateful to that little red can for sure.
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🙂
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I like fresh mackerel, but I have never seen it canned. We also have it smoked here, which is nice with salad. It is also the only fish I have ever caught, on a boat trip I would sooner forget. After catching half a dozen or more on baited hooks run out on a line, I was so violently seasick, I spent the next few hours with my head over the side, and everyone else laughing hysterically at me.
Best wishes, Pete.
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I wouldn’t recognize a fresh mackerel if I bumped into one. I don’t get seasick easily. A good thing since we lived on the river for three years.
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Well done you for being stoical and managing on a very low budget
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Thanks. I was proud of myself looking back to write this post.
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And so you should have been
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We were poor in the 80s, and I remember lots and lots of rice, sardines and tomato salad. Mom would cut them open after cleaning them, roll them up in corn flour and fry them, and we’d squeeze a lemon on them before eating. Perks of living near the sea, sardines were ridiculous cheap. And now I miss them. Gotta get some next time I go shopping, for old times sake!
And I always find it… I don’t have the right word. Stupid? Infuriating? Not sure, that people resent recipients of government aid that’s pretty much barely enough for them not to starve when so much more money is spent on much less necessary things. That’s humans for ya, I guess.
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I am always amazed about how people will go to such lengths to feel superior to other people! I love that the sardines were so easily available fresh.
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So true! At the end of the day, we’re all the same! And it was great. Fond memories!
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I love canned mackerel in tomato sauce. I still buy the Jamaican brand off Amazon. 😆
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Too fun.
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Changes in life !
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Holy mackerel! That’s one fish I seem to have avoided eating! 😉
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Good line. Forgot it and should have used it as the title for the post.
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Some of my best ideas come AFTER I already posted my story! 😉
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I must admit I’m still quite frugal from my days of having to go through challenging financial times in my life.
Although Mackerel has never been on the menu here. I can still get several meals out of one roasting chicken for hubby & I though & do;
Roast Chicken with roast veggies
Sweet & sour chicken with rice
Butter chicken (curry) & veg with rice
Chicken mayo salad for sandwiches
Chicken tacos
Chicken noodle soup! 😀
Blessings,
Jennifer
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I do a lot with a whole chicken too. Glad to see we have those same frugal habits.
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Your mention of making mackerel wrapped in biscuit dough reminded me of a dish my mother made called Salmon in a Blanket. I think that she mixed canned salmon, mayonnaise, and parsley flakes together, and then wrapped it in a biscuit dough. I’m going to have to look for that recipe.
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Yes. Just like that. I used Bisquick.
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