We forgot how to cook! Not good for Depression-like times.

Culinary skills were commonplace when wartime rations stretched consumers' kitchen skills considerably. But now, as the stock market rises and falls at a nauseating rate, many modern consumers are seeking quick fixes and are filling their homes with conveniently pre-made foods rather than getting creative in the kitchen.

CBC reports that convenience foods like Campell's soups financial stock rose as the economy teetered on Sept. 29 — the one stock in the S&P Index that rose as 499 others fell. In October, U.K.-based Marks & Spencer reported sales of bread and butter pudding increased 15 per cent while sticky toffee pudding sales rose 10 per cent.

According to British celebrity chef Jamie Oliver, this phenomenon in part reflects the larger issue that many people simply don't know how to cook. In early November, Oliver appeared before a committee of MPs and called for more government investment in food education. He noted in the past when the economy receded, families knew how to prepare nutritious but inexpensive meals. But today, he warned, the U.K. could soon be facing a health crisis as more and more families become reliant on takeaway fast food.

I have written blogs on this before. Cooking can be fun, if you actually try. During War and Depression, people had a much better grasp on culinary knowledge. Now consumers are more encouraged to buy pre-prepared rather then making it themselves, which could cause problems during the hard financial times we face ahead.

As I've proclaimed before, as long as you know how to shop, it can be cheaper then buying a week's worth of pre-made foods, a way healthier too.

Here's a simple cooking tip for the new depression. If you have any leftovers from last night's dinner, i.e. chicken, leftover veggies, rice, etc. just dump them into hot water and spice it up. Voila! Soup du jour. If you have no problem buying chicken and veg. rice soup in a can, then your homemade version can't be any worse. It just takes practice.

Click here for tips on how to shop for yourself and your family durin those troubling financial times.