Meet Andrea
Welcome to Simply Old-Fashioned, a place to find simple, everyday, & from scratch recipes and ideas inspired by the past to nurture your home, hearth, & homestead.

Hey Homemakers!
I’m Andrea, wife, mom, homemaker & educator living in Virginia.
Come along with me as I explore modern homemaking inspired by homemakers throughout history. Be inspired by old-fashioned recipes, tips, & know-how to simplify your life!
Let the past inspire your today!
“when the bread rises in the oven, the heart of the housewife rises with it,”
– Frederika Bremer
Flavors of the Past

One common thread through time is food. It is something we all need, enjoy, and look forward to. It is the glue that bonds us together and the foundations our homes. By looking at the past, we can find inspiration in our kitchens today!
Whether you are just beginning your homemaking journey or are just looking for new ideas, I’m glad you are here! Come along with me as I share simple, old-fashioned, and every day recipes and ideas to help you grow, harvest, preserve, cook, and create a happy home.
May your recipe box grow as you try foods from the past, twists on classics, and discover the food history behind them. May new ideas for your home help you on your journey to live more simply, increase your self reliance, and create the homestead you’ve always envisioned.
Old-Fashioned Ways

While teaching US History, specifically Virginia State History, I became fascinated with how people lived through different time periods. I was intrigued by how everyday people from the past created a home, put food on the table, and found joy in their lives and families.
Call it what you like, homemaker, housekeeper, homesteader, housewife, home cook, or home economist, the name changes overtime, but the idea of managing a home remains constant.
Homemakers from the past created natural, simple, and from scratch recipes and items to use in their daily lives out of necessity. I appreciate how they relied on what they could produce more than what they could buy.
The more I learned from the mavens of the past, the more I saw how we can still use and implement old-fashioned ways for the modern home, hearth, and homestead. I’m simply an old-fashioned girl who just wants to live a simple life. How about you?