Check Out These Disgusting Recipes From The Glory Days Of Jell-O (2024)

Table of Contents
This salad calls for pineapple, lime or lemon-flavored Jell-O, vinegar, onion, pepper and one to two cups of your favorite veggies. The red roll seen below contains tomato and vinegar, while the green one is mint and pineapple. They're advertised as the perfect complement to a fine steak dinner. This delicacy is called "Ring Around the Tuna." It contains chunks of tuna, pimientos, and cucumbers all molded into lime Jell-O. Here Jell-O is used as a creative serving dish for crab salad. Your guests can even take part of the bowl! Here's a beautiful "Tomato Aspic" recipe that ran in McCall's magazine. It calls for lemon Jell-O, tomato juice, hot sauce and vinegar. You can show off your artistic skills with this peach Jell-O upside-down cake from the "Joys of Jell-O" cookbook. This recipe card says you can "fish for compliments" with this salad. It calls for cutting vegetables like cucumbers and carrots into fish shapes and molding into lime Jell-O. The finishing touch? Layers of Hellman's mayonnaise. This coffee Jell-O is supposed to impress guests at a fine dinner party. This is a "perfection salad," which calls for lemon Jell-O, cabbage, cucumbers, tomatoes, carrots, onions and vinegar. The veggies are artfully set as you serve to guests. Here's the Crested Tomato Salad, which calls for lemon or orange Jell-O, tomatoes and cucumbers. Set in this artful mold to impress your lunch party guests. Jell-O made a big push toward salads in the 1960's. This salad in an advertisem*nt featured lime jello and ham coldcuts. It also boasts that Jell-O brings out the best in everything from olives to fish to chicken. Here's a Bavarian Pie. Instead of using real strawberries and cream, you can mold strawberry Jell-O and CoolWhip into a beautiful form. Here's a seasonal souffle salad. You start with a lime Jell-O base and then add walnuts, grapes and mayonnaise. Garnish with more mayo on top. Jell-O saw it fit to lead off an entire section of a 1960's cookbook with these dishes. The top one, "sea dream," involves setting your shrimp co*cktail in lime Jell-O. The other is a vegetable trio with a colorful array of carrots, cucumbers and spinach. Want to serve something classier? These are the 12 most expensive foods on the planet > FAQs References

Executive Lifestyle

Written by Ashley Lutz

2012-05-24T17:26:00Z

Check Out These Disgusting Recipes From The Glory Days Of Jell-O (1)

Charm and Poise on Flickr

Fruit Jell-O is a staple at family picnics and hospitals everywhere.

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But 50 years ago,Jell-O aspired to take over your entire dinner table.

Sharon Becker is a college professor from Baltimore who is obsessed with all things vintage. She uploaded pages from oldJell-O cookbooks to Flickr and was kind enough to share the images with us.

FromJell-O and shrimp to an entire salad set in the substance to the wonders of mayonnaise, here are some of the grosser recipes we found.

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This salad calls for pineapple, lime or lemon-flavored Jell-O, vinegar, onion, pepper and one to two cups of your favorite veggies.

Check Out These Disgusting Recipes From The Glory Days Of Jell-O (2)

Charm and Poise on Flickr

Source: Charm and Poise on Flickr

The red roll seen below contains tomato and vinegar, while the green one is mint and pineapple. They're advertised as the perfect complement to a fine steak dinner.

Check Out These Disgusting Recipes From The Glory Days Of Jell-O (3)

Charm and Poise on Flickr

Source: Charm and Poise on Flickr

This delicacy is called "Ring Around the Tuna." It contains chunks of tuna, pimientos, and cucumbers all molded into lime Jell-O.

Check Out These Disgusting Recipes From The Glory Days Of Jell-O (4)

Charm and Poise on Flickr

Source: Charm and Poise on Flickr

Here Jell-O is used as a creative serving dish for crab salad. Your guests can even take part of the bowl!

Check Out These Disgusting Recipes From The Glory Days Of Jell-O (5)

Charm and Poise on Flickr

Source: Charm and Poise on Flickr

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Here's a beautiful "Tomato Aspic" recipe that ran in McCall's magazine. It calls for lemon Jell-O, tomato juice, hot sauce and vinegar.

Check Out These Disgusting Recipes From The Glory Days Of Jell-O (6)

Charm and Poise on Flickr

Source: Charm and Poise on Flickr

You can show off your artistic skills with this peach Jell-O upside-down cake from the "Joys of Jell-O" cookbook.

Check Out These Disgusting Recipes From The Glory Days Of Jell-O (7)

Charm and Poise on Flickr

Source: Charm and Poise on Flickr

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This recipe card says you can "fish for compliments" with this salad. It calls for cutting vegetables like cucumbers and carrots into fish shapes and molding into lime Jell-O. The finishing touch? Layers of Hellman's mayonnaise.

Check Out These Disgusting Recipes From The Glory Days Of Jell-O (8)

Charm and Poise on Flickr

Source: Charm and Poise on Flickr

This coffee Jell-O is supposed to impress guests at a fine dinner party.

Check Out These Disgusting Recipes From The Glory Days Of Jell-O (9)

Charm and Poise on Flickr

Source: Charm and Poise on Flickr

Advertisem*nt

This is a "perfection salad," which calls for lemon Jell-O, cabbage, cucumbers, tomatoes, carrots, onions and vinegar. The veggies are artfully set as you serve to guests.

Check Out These Disgusting Recipes From The Glory Days Of Jell-O (10)

Charm and Poise on Flickr

Source: Charm and Poise on Flickr

Here's the Crested Tomato Salad, which calls for lemon or orange Jell-O, tomatoes and cucumbers. Set in this artful mold to impress your lunch party guests.

Check Out These Disgusting Recipes From The Glory Days Of Jell-O (11)

Charm and Poise on Flickr

Source: Charm and Poise on Flickr

Advertisem*nt

Jell-O made a big push toward salads in the 1960's. This salad in an advertisem*nt featured lime jello and ham coldcuts. It also boasts that Jell-O brings out the best in everything from olives to fish to chicken.

Check Out These Disgusting Recipes From The Glory Days Of Jell-O (12)

Charm and Poise on Flickr

Source: Charm and Poise on Flickr

Here's a Bavarian Pie. Instead of using real strawberries and cream, you can mold strawberry Jell-O and CoolWhip into a beautiful form.

Check Out These Disgusting Recipes From The Glory Days Of Jell-O (13)

Charm and Poise on Flickr

Source: Charm and Poise on Flickr

Advertisem*nt

Here's a seasonal souffle salad. You start with a lime Jell-O base and then add walnuts, grapes and mayonnaise. Garnish with more mayo on top.

Check Out These Disgusting Recipes From The Glory Days Of Jell-O (14)

Charm and Poise on Flickr

Source: Charm and Poise on Flickr

Jell-O saw it fit to lead off an entire section of a 1960's cookbook with these dishes. The top one, "sea dream," involves setting your shrimp co*cktail in lime Jell-O. The other is a vegetable trio with a colorful array of carrots, cucumbers and spinach.

Check Out These Disgusting Recipes From The Glory Days Of Jell-O (15)

Charm and Poise on Flickr

Source: Charm and Poise on Flickr

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Want to serve something classier?

Check Out These Disgusting Recipes From The Glory Days Of Jell-O (16)

AP Images

These are the 12 most expensive foods on the planet >

Ashley Lutz

Creative Director

Ashley Lutz was Business Insider's creative director. Ashley joined BI as a retail reporter in 2012. Her work led to Abercrombie adding plus sizes and Lululemon changing its policy of banning customers who tried to resell clothing online. She was previously a retail reporter at Bloomberg News. Ashley has a Bachelor's of Science degree from Ohio University. Follow her on Twitter @AshleyLutz.

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FAQs

Why is Jell-O no longer popular? ›

Jell-O shifted to single-serve cups and more convenient options as competition for snacks and desserts grew. Kraft in the early 2000's shifted the focus of Jell-O's advertising away from kids and toward adults. It pitched sugar-free Jell-O, for example, as a treat for Atkins dieters.

Why did the Genesee food Company put an ad about Jell-O in the Ladies Home Journal? ›

Beginning in 1902, to raise awareness, Woodward's Genesee Pure Food Company placed advertisem*nts in the Ladies' Home Journal proclaiming Jell-O to be "America's Most Famous Dessert." Jell-O was a minor success until 1904, when Genesee Pure Food Company sent armies of salesmen into the field to distribute free Jell-O ...

What is the food of the gods Jell-O? ›

Ambrosia is a consumable created by the Greek pantheon. It is known to mortals as the Food of the Gods or the Nectar of the Gods, as it can appear both as a solid jelly-like fruit or a liquid. When consumed, it has the power to revive a recently dead mortal, or to turn a healthy mortal into a deity.

Why did people in the 50s eat so much Jell-O? ›

After World War II, when food shortages and rationing ended, gelatin became a creative kitchen tool, as well as a shortcut. Congealed molded dishes quickly earned a place at the table as impressive salads. According to Clark, mid-century meals had more courses than we serve at home today.

Why do hospitals always serve Jell-O? ›

Why do hospitals serve so much Jell-O? There are a few reasons: Jell-O is easy to swallow and digest, making it suitable for patients who have difficulty eating solid foods or have digestive issues.

What state uses the most Jell-O? ›

Utah eats more Jell-O than any other state

The people in Utah love their Jell-O! The state has an entire holiday week dedicated to the jiggly treat, and it's even Utah's official state food.

Does anyone eat Jell-O anymore? ›

While Jell-O products are still very popular as snacks and desserts, the Jell-O salad—particularly in its savory forms—had fallen from culinary favor by the early 1980s.

Does Jell-O have pork in it? ›

Is Jell-O Made out of Pig Skin? The gelatin used to make Jell-O can be made from pig skin. Gelatin is sourced from the skin, bones and other connective tissues of pigs, cows and other farmed animals. Gelatin production can get smelly for people who live near gelatin processing plants.

Is Jell-O healthy? ›

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) Is Jello considered a healthy snack? Though Jello is low in fat, it has a high sugar content, making it high in calories. While occasionally having it in as a treat may not cause harm, in the broader picture, it does not make for a nourishing, healthy snack option.

Can Jews eat Jell-O? ›

Their conclusion was that Jell-O was kosher. Indeed, Jell-O Co. vigorously marketed its products to the Jewish community.

What animal is Jell-O? ›

What animal is gelatin made of? Gelatin is usually extracted from the skin and bones of cows and pigs, and less commonly, from fish scales or skin. However, it can also be produced from chicken, birds, ducks, or even insects.

Do vegans eat Jell-O? ›

Why are Starbursts, marshmallows, and Jell-O not vegan? These seemingly innocent products contain gelatin. The use of this ingredient means these foods and others are not only unsuitable for vegans, but prohibited for vegetarians as well.

Why do elderly eat Jell-O? ›

The protein and amino acids in gelatin can help the body build more collagen, a vital element in healthy skin. As people age, their natural collagen levels drop. This can lead to skin losing elasticity and the development of wrinkles.

What did kids eat for breakfast in the 50s? ›

But what did people eat for breakfast in the '50s? A full-fledged meal with bacon, eggs and toast was a common occurrence, even on weekdays. Mornings included grabbing a cup of coffee and perusing the paper before rushing out the door for school or work. Life was a little simpler, that's for sure.

What was the downfall of Jell-O? ›

But in the decades after World War II ended, the problems that JELL-O had initially solved went away. Cheap food items did not impress a wealth-building American society, and wartime staples became repellant. In the 1970s, JELL-O languished as a children's snack and hospital dessert.

Why has Jell-O fallen out of favor? ›

Jell-O began to fall out of favor in the 1960s, when Julia Child was popularizing exotic Continental flavors (like oregano), and people began ridiculing molded “salads” as unsophisticated. As a result, in the 1990s Jell-O was advertised as a food for children, like in the Bill Cosby “Jell-O jigglers” ad campaign.

Why is Jell-O in short supply? ›

Since China is one of the exporters of Gelatin to the USA, the turnaround in some production units for maintenance has caused a low output, hindered supplies, and disrupted trading activities of the products.

References

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