1. Jell-O Meatloaf
Back in the ‘70s, Jell-O wasn’t just for dessert. Some brave restaurants decided to pair the sweet gelatin with savory meats. One of the most bizarre creations was Jell-O meatloaf, which involved mixing ground beef with gelatin for a textured twist. The result? A wobbly, gelatinous loaf of meat that no one could ever quite figure out. While this dish might have sounded avant-garde at the time, it’s hard to imagine enjoying a bite of Jell-O and beef together now. The whole concept seems like an experiment gone terribly wrong. Today, you’ll probably just find this dish listed under “what not to do with gelatin.” But in its day, it was a unique, albeit questionable, attempt at innovation.
Jell-O meatloaf symbolized the era’s obsession with novelty ingredients and combining things that simply didn’t belong together. While the dish may have been a hit at some dinner parties, it’s more of a conversation starter today than a main course. If you ever come across a vintage menu that features this, just be thankful it’s a relic from the past and not the present.
2. Tuna Noodle Casserole with Potato Chips
While casseroles were a beloved dish in many households during the ‘70s, some combinations just didn’t age well. Tuna noodle casserole was a staple, but some versions of it came with an unexpected topping: crumbled potato chips. At first glance, it might seem like a decent idea—salty chips atop creamy tuna and noodles. But, the texture clash between the crunchy chips and the soft casserole didn’t quite hit the mark. After sitting in the oven, the chips became soggy, leaving diners with a soggy, salty mess rather than the intended crunch.
Looking back, it’s hard to see how potato chips ever became the “go-to” garnish for a casserole. Today, we’d probably stick with breadcrumbs or a crispy topping made from real ingredients, but in the ‘70s, it was all about convenience. The combination of tuna, noodles, and chips might have felt like comfort food back then, but now it’s more of a mystery in a dish.
3. Shrimp Cocktail with Pre-Made Sauce
In the ‘70s, shrimp cocktail was considered an upscale appetizer, but the dipping sauce was often far from gourmet. Instead of a tangy homemade cocktail sauce, many menus featured the dreaded pre-made sauce from a bottle. This sauce was often a mix of ketchup, horseradish, and not much else. It lacked the depth and complexity that homemade versions would later come to offer.
At the time, the concept of shrimp cocktail itself seemed glamorous, and the bottled sauce was convenient for busy restaurants. However, looking at this dish now, it seems a bit lazy. The simplicity of shrimp dunked in a flavorless, store-bought sauce just doesn’t hit the same as the fresh, zesty versions we enjoy today. It’s a reminder of how food trends evolve, and how sometimes, simplicity can backfire.
4. Beef Wellington with Instant Mashed Potatoes
Beef Wellington, a dish often associated with high-end dining, had a moment in the ‘70s when it was paired with instant mashed potatoes. Restaurants, eager to serve up an elegant entrée, opted to cut corners by serving the delicate beef wrapped in puff pastry alongside a mound of powdered mashed potatoes. While the beef was the star of the dish, the instant potatoes never quite complemented it in the way they were intended to.
Today, we might use freshly mashed potatoes with butter and cream to accompany such a fancy dish, but in the ‘70s, convenience won over quality. The instant mashed potatoes made for a strange pairing with the richness of Beef Wellington. If anything, it cheapened the dish, making it seem less luxurious than it truly was. Looking back, it’s clear this was an attempt to marry class with convenience—one that didn’t quite work out.
5. Fondue with Processed Cheese
Fondue was all the rage in the ‘70s, and while the idea of dipping bread into warm cheese sounds tempting, the reality was often less than savory. Many fondue recipes called for processed cheese instead of a blend of high-quality cheeses. The result? A thick, goopy dip that lacked the depth of flavor we now associate with fondue.
Processed cheese doesn’t melt as smoothly as its natural counterparts, so the fondue often turned into a gooey mess that left diners disappointed. Today, fondue has been redefined with carefully selected cheeses that melt to perfection. The pre-packaged, artificial cheese fondue of the ‘70s, however, has long been forgotten as a culinary blunder. It’s a testament to how food trends evolve toward better quality, and how processed ingredients don’t always make the grade.
6. Chicken a la King
Chicken a la King, a once-popular dish, was frequently found on ‘70s restaurant menus, often served over a bed of white rice or in a puff pastry shell. The dish, typically made with chicken, cream, and vegetables, was heavy and rich. But the real problem was that many restaurants served it with a sauce that was thickened by canned cream of mushroom soup. While this shortcut saved time, it didn’t do much for the dish’s flavor.
What was supposed to be a creamy, savory treat often ended up as a cloying, too-rich mess. Over time, we’ve learned that fresh ingredients and homemade sauces elevate a dish, something that the ‘70s didn’t always embrace. The canned soup base of Chicken a la King now feels like a culinary cop-out, and it’s hard to see why this dish was ever considered a treat.
7. Chopped Liver on Toast
Chopped liver, a dish that’s been around for centuries, was a common item on many ‘70s menus, often served on toast. While this might seem like a classic offering, it had a strange revival during this era. The version served in the ‘70s was often prepared with too much fat and served as a heavy, greasy spread on toast.
Despite its popularity at the time, it’s hard to imagine anyone ordering chopped liver today, especially in such a heavy-handed form. It’s not that the dish itself is inherently unappealing, but rather the execution in the ‘70s was just off. The greasy texture and overly rich flavor left a lot to be desired. In today’s world, lighter, fresher spreads would be the way to go—something that’s a little less “fattening” on the palate.
8. Beef Stroganoff with Overcooked Mushrooms
Beef Stroganoff, a Russian classic, made its way to restaurant menus in the ‘70s, but often in a less-than-ideal form. The beef was usually tender, but the mushrooms were often overcooked to the point of mushiness. The creamy sauce, while comforting, frequently tasted too much like sour cream or mayonnaise and lacked the richness of a properly made Stroganoff.
What was meant to be a luxurious dish became a soggy, bland experience. The mushrooms, once sautéed to bring out their earthy flavor, were reduced to unappetizing lumps. In today’s culinary world, Beef Stroganoff is made with a more balanced approach, keeping mushrooms tender and flavorful without compromising the sauce. The ‘70s version, however, was far from a success.
9. Pineapple and Ham Pizza
In the ‘70s, the pizza landscape was quite different, and one of the most puzzling combinations that gained popularity was pineapple and ham pizza. While the combination of sweet and savory has a place in many dishes, this particular pairing felt like a strange anomaly. The sweetness of the pineapple clashed with the salty ham, making each bite feel more like a confused experiment than a satisfying meal.
Pizza, traditionally a savory dish, just didn’t seem to work well with the addition of fruit in the ‘70s. Today, pineapple on pizza has a dedicated fanbase, but in the ‘70s, it was a culinary trend that didn’t quite make sense. The odd pairing, often paired with a doughy crust, was a far cry from the pizza perfection we enjoy today.
10. Frozen TV Dinners
While TV dinners were a convenient option for a meal, they were often less than appetizing, especially in the ‘70s. The frozen meals were full of bland, processed foods that lacked flavor and texture. The mashed potatoes often had a strange, rubbery consistency, and the meat was frequently dry and bland. Vegetables came out of a can, offering little to no freshness.
Despite the convenience of TV dinners, they were not a great example of the era’s culinary achievements. Today, we have better frozen meal options that are healthier and more flavorful. The once-popular TV dinners of the ‘70s now seem more like a sad relic of convenience over quality. It’s hard to imagine anyone still choosing them over a fresh meal.
11. Spaghetti with Meatballs and Canned Tomato Sauce
In the ‘70s, many restaurants served spaghetti with meatballs, but the tomato sauce was often a bland, canned variety. The meatballs themselves, while made with ground beef, were sometimes dry and lacked the juicy tenderness you’d expect from this dish.
Canned tomato sauce, often overly sweet or salty, didn’t offer the depth or richness that a fresh sauce could provide. As a result, this classic Italian dish lost some of its charm. Today, most people would opt for homemade sauce made with fresh tomatoes, garlic, and herbs, which provides a much more authentic flavor.
12. Baked Alaska
Baked Alaska, an extravagant dessert from the ‘70s, sounds like it should be a treat. But in reality, it often fell short of expectations. While the meringue and ice cream were undeniably decadent, the cake beneath was frequently dry and unremarkable. To make matters worse, the meringue often turned out too stiff, making it hard to enjoy.
Baked Alaska may have been the showstopper dessert for special occasions, but it’s hard to imagine anyone craving it today. The over-the-top presentation couldn’t disguise the lackluster flavor of the cake and the overly-dramatic, yet underwhelming, meringue. It was a dessert best left in the past, where it can remain as a quirky example of ‘70s dining.