A practical little vintage cookbook bundle with strong mid-century kitchen energy.
This set pairs quick family meal ideas from Shortcut Cooking with old-school freezer guidance from Montgomery Ward’s Home Freezing.
Not fancy, not fussy — just the kind of kitchen booklets that helped people get supper on the table and food tucked away for later.
Quick Specs
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Genre: Vintage Cookbooks, Mid-Century Cooking, Home Economics, Food Preservation
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Author: Shortcut Cooking — Meredith Corporation; Home Freezing / Freezing Foods at Home — Shirley Rolfs, Home Economist
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Publisher: Meredith Corporation; Montgomery Ward / Foshay Tower, Minneapolis, Minnesota
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Year: Shortcut Cooking — 1968; Home Freezing / Freezing Foods at Home — Revised Edition 1949
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Edition: Shortcut Cooking — First Printing; Home Freezing / Freezing Foods at Home — Revised Edition 1949
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Format: Paperback / softcover booklet bundle
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Dust Jacket: No
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Pages: Shortcut Cooking — 47 pages; Home Freezing — 79 pages
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Dimensions: Shortcut Cooking — 10 x 7 in.; Home Freezing — 8 x 6 in.
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Cover: Both have blue-toned paper covers; Shortcut Cooking has a color food photo cover, and Home Freezing has a simple blue Montgomery Ward cover
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Special Features: Color food photography, quick meal recipes, broiler meals, salads, desserts, company meals, home freezer instructions, packaging materials, meat/game freezing guidance, fruit desserts, and ingredient substitution chart
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ISBN: Pre-ISBN era
Condition Grade: Good
Notes: Two vintage paperback cookbooks/booklets with visible age and handling wear. Shortcut Cooking has a bright color cover with rubbing, edge wear, corner wear, and light surface wear. Interior pages are readable with age toning; color food photos remain bright. Home Freezing has rubbing, scuffing, creasing along the spine area, corner and edge wear, and light spotting/age marks visible on the title page area. Interior pages are readable with age toning. Both books appear complete from the provided photos and are sold together as pictured.
See all photos for detail — sold as pictured.
Condition Grade Key:
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Near Fine: Almost perfect. Very minor signs of age only.
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Very Good: Shows light use. Sound and attractive with minor flaws.
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Good: Complete and intact. Noticeable wear consistent with age and use.
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Fair: Shows significant wear. Readable and collectible but clearly used.
Collector’s Notes
This bundle is a fun little snapshot of practical home cooking across two eras.
Home Freezing brings the 1940s preservation mindset: freezer packaging, meats, game, fruits, vegetables, and “how do I keep this usable later?” common sense.
Shortcut Cooking has that late-1960s supper-table feel, with broiler meals, hamburger stroganoff, glazed ham, Aloha burgers, and colorful food photos doing their very best.
A good fit for vintage cookbook collectors, retro kitchen displays, home economics fans, or anyone who appreciates practical cookbooks with a little personality around the edges.
A useful, quirky vintage cookbook bundle for the cook who likes old kitchen wisdom with a side of mid-century charm.
Shipping + Trust (Reading Vintage standards)
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Disclaimer
All items are vintage and may show signs of age, wear, or use consistent with their history. Photos show the exact condition of each piece—please review them carefully, as they are part of the description.
Care and Handling:
Handle with clean, dry hands. Store upright, out of direct sunlight, at about 68°F and 40–50% relative humidity. Avoid damp areas and extreme temperature swings. Please note: If you have any questions
