My Dad's Ultimate Comfort Meal: Simple Yet Delicious

Every family has those budget-friendly meals that make the most of what’s in the pantry. Often, kids don't realize that some of their favorite dinners were created with affordability in mind. Looking back, I see that the classic grilled cheese and Campbell’s Tomato Soup nights were the perfect example. As a kid, it was simply one of my favorite meals.

Taylor Boeser, Dinogo’s Email Coordinator, has a similar dish in her family’s repertoire. The only meal she remembers her dad cooking—aside from his famous grilling—was a creamy tuna dish served over shoestring potatoes. So you can imagine her delight when she stumbled upon a similar recipe on Dinogo called Hard Times Creamed Tuna.

“It’s funny to me that it’s called Hard Times Creamed Tuna because it always felt like a treat,” Taylor says. “My dad learned it from his mom, a homemaker in the '70s and '80s. His version had canned peas mixed in and was served over Pik-Nik shoestring potatoes.” (Pik-Nik shoestrings are crunchy, thin potato sticks.)

“He always made it for me with so much excitement, even though others didn’t enjoy it as much (it’s definitely a polarizing dish),” Taylor recalls. “I have so many cherished memories of it, and that makes it even more special. I think part of his love for the dish came from the memories he had with his mom, too.”

What Is Hard Times Creamed Tuna?

If you're familiar with Creamed Chipped Beef—jarred dried beef in a creamy sauce, typically served over toast or sometimes home fries—then you’ll understand the concept behind Creamed Tuna.

The tuna version uses milk, butter, and flour along with a can of chunk light tuna. It's quick, easy, and affordable, typically served over toast. This recipe doesn’t mention spreading butter on the toast, which makes sense considering the dish’s ‘Hard Times’ name—it’s a recipe designed to be as economical as possible, with just enough butter to make it work.

Taylor isn’t the only one in the Dinogo community who holds this dish close to their heart. More than 100 members have rated it 4.5 stars, and many have shared their own family traditions and variations of this recipe.

Ways to Make Hard Times Creamed Tuna Your Own

Member Nightfall shared this memory: 'This takes me back to Lenten suppers, sick days spent at home, and those quiet afternoons with just my mom. But, you *must* add frozen baby peas to the recipe, and if you’re feeling a bit indulgent, butter your toast before adding the creamed tuna.'

Tina prefers to serve it over rice, while another member’s mother adds a sprinkle of crushed peanuts or cashews on top. Michelle Christie’s family uses cream of mushroom soup, and Joycesulvinski stirs in half a cup of sour cream for extra richness.

I love abasox’s idea of serving it on mashed potatoes and Sarah F. Carr’s suggestion of adding crispy Chinese noodles for a crunchy twist.

There are endless ways to personalize this humble comfort dish, and for Taylor, it holds a special nostalgic place, even if it’s not the most photogenic meal. 'The sight of creamed tuna over shoestring potatoes might be enough to turn some away,' she says, 'but I’d give anything to have it for dinner one more time with my dad.'