Although this artefact may easily be overlooked by many, and its face value isn’t an enormous number, it serves a unique purpose within today’s society. The purpose it serves today differs vastly from the purpose it was intended to serve in the 1930’s. Today this cook booklet is a piece of culinary ephemera through which assumptions on concepts such as gender, economy, class, and even the lifestyle of the average middle class consumer in the 1930’s can be made. It’s historical significance is something that is very diverse, as a cook booklet can uncover a lot more about the life of the consumer in the 1930’s than you may realize.

This artefact held entertainment value throughout its life as it displays a list of times and CBC stations where Carnation’s “Contented Hour” could be heard across North America. It also held an emotional value to its owners as it was extremely patriotic, making them feel as if they were part of a community by using the recipes within the cook booklet, or tuning into the Carnation radio station.

Overall this artefact allows us to examine advertisement trends, gender roles, economic states, and the everyday life of a middle class family during the Great Depression. It gives clues and acts as evidence towards the values of those living within the worst economic state to date. It does this through the images of women and children, the description of the product, and the colourful yet simple advertisements and coupons found within.

This cookbooklet is a great resource when trying to explore more into the culinary and economic aspects of life during the Great Depression of the 1930’s. Not only can you get a glimpse of what people were eating, but it also shows just how important it was to save money for families living in this time, especially with children. Carnation’s canned milk was a great way to save money, and feed your children a nutrient dense meal without worrying about expiration dates or the expensive pricing of fresh imported goods such as milk.