Woman's Day
Australian dinners have come a long way in the past 100 years. From hearty slow-cooked stews and shepherd pies, to juicy grilled steak and crumbed chicken schnitzels, we’re certainly a nation of meat-lovers. We’ve pulled together some of the most common family dishes from each decade, with spaghetti bolognese and homemade nachos still making a regular appearance on our dinner tables. Do you still eat some of these? Flick through our gallery to take a trip down (food) memory lane.
01
1910s
The 1910s: Roast Lamb with Baked Potatoes. This was a typical family dinner 100 years ago, which many of us still enjoy on Sundays with our families.
02
1920s
The 1920s: Simple Beef Stew. Times were tough after the war, so cheap meat cuts like chuck steak and gravy beef were often cooked with root vegetables to make a hearty stew or soup.
03
1930s
The 1930s: Rabbit Stew. Food was rationed during the Depression throughout the war. A lot of rabbit was eaten as this was a cheap cut of meat. However with better quality produce, this stew would still make a brilliant winter dish.
04
1940s
The 1940s: The Mixed Grill. As the war ended and the Depression started getting better in the late 1940s, a mixed grill was a popular family dinner. This usually involved sausages, kidneys, lamb chops, grilled tomatoes and/or bacon – a real meat-fest!
05
1950s
The 1950s: Shepherds Pie. This is a proper, traditional shepherd’s pie recipe, made with chopped, cooked lamb rather than mince. One of the original waste-not-want-not meals.
06
1960s
The 1960s: Creamy chicken casseroles with rice or pasta. Similar to the French dish chicken a la king, the 1960s saw Australian dinners going for cream-based casserole dishes, with chicken becoming a popular meat of choice.
07
1970s
The 1970s: Schnitzel with mashed potatoes and lemon. Anything crumbed was very trendy in the ’70s. Things like schnitzel and kiev became a key dish on many Aussie dinner tables.
08
1980s
The 1980s: Beef Stroganoff and Fettucine This hearty, creamy dish was commonly served over pasta or rice, and became a family favourite in many Australian homes.
09
1990s
The 1990s: Homemade Nachos. Aussies started becoming obsessed with quick, tasty finger food like this traditional Mexican favourite. The dish was usually made with kidney beans or minced meat.
10
2000s
The 2000s: Spaghetti bolognese. You’d be hard-pressed to find someone that doesn’t swear their family’s recipe is the best. This hearty, Italian-style pasta dish has taken the country by storm and continues to be a dinner favourite today.
11
2010s
The 2010s: Steak with various salads. In the modern day, the most popular family dinner eaten is a grilled piece of steak with a homemade salad. For some salad inspiration, check out our tasty salad recipes here.
