There are a lot of Depression era throwback foods that are actually pretty good. Both my parents were born in the early Depression years and pretty much grew up in it, if you consider WWII part of the Depression. Most who experienced it do.
Wild greens like Creasies (wild watercress), Poke Salad (young shoots only, fully grown are toxic), Dandelion greens can be very nice in mixed green salads, sort of peppery tasting.
Creative use of leftovers, making them into something a little different that still tastes good, was a Depression era art. Make extra mashed potatoes. Refrigerate the leftovers. For breakfast, mix in chopped onion, form patties, flip them in flour and fry them up in bacon grease. Awesome, better than hash browns. Meat loaf sandwiches are good, collard sandwiches grilled in a skillet with butter are good. All manner of things.
We don’t know what we missed, when food was really appreciated. We have it too easy, I think.
My mom grew up on a farm during the depression...They didn’t hurt for food...
Mom, though, was jealous that some of the kids at her school that had money got “store bought” cereal for breakfast and all she got was home cooked eggs, ham or sausage, and biscuits and gravy...*LOL*