NEW YORK (JTA) — With Sukkot approaching, I see the wisdom of simple fare. What could be more satisfying on cool autumn nights than the comfort foods of the last century?

Sukkot is a homey holiday rooted in our agricultural past. During ancient times, the Israelites traveled to Jerusalem to give thanks for the year's fruits and grains. They lived in makeshift huts, a precursor to today's sukkahs whose walls are decorated with the bounty of the season. Like lattice work, sukkah roofs welcome fresh air and a peek at the sky.

Piping hot stews and casseroles full of vegetables and meat simmered in sauces became popular at Sukkot over the centuries, especially among those who follow tradition by eating their meals inside sukkahs.

Jewish homemakers gravitated to basic casseroles and stews because they were easy to transport, they were tasty and they called for small portions of inexpensive cuts of meat.

With the shaky economy, everything old is new again. People are clipping coupons, albeit more often from online sources than from newspapers. Home cooking is up; restaurant dining is down.

Yesterday's foods are a practical way to feed the family and friends likely to gather inside of the sukkah for eight nights. What else has a chance of staying warm in an outdoor hut in mid-October, when the holiday falls this year?

For centuries, the stew pot has been a staple in Jewish households, often used on Shabbat. However, in America, stew recipes changed accents when introduced to ketchup, canned pineapple, cranberries, oatmeal and the sauces: tomato, Worcestershire, chili and barbecue.

The Campbell's Soup company was right there to spruce up hot dishes with canned soups that could double for sauces. To make sure the public was aware of this modern convenience, in 1916 the company issued a recipe booklet that changed the course of gravy history. Like other American women, Jewish housewives flavored their cooking with these tasty new ingredients.

In my grandmother's day, all of these filling recipes contained beef. As I tweaked them, however, I added a couple of poultry options because people don't eat that way anymore night after night.

Yet I suspect stick-to-your-ribs foods, prepared with tight budgets in mind, will be a big hit this Sukkot.