Beef Wellington
Today, a beef wellington is something you only eat at restaurants—frankly, because most of us just don’t have the time to make such a complex, delicate dish. However, its complexity is what made it a favourite of housewives in the 50s.
Tuna Casserole
An American classic, Tuna Casserole is easy to make and almost universally loved. It was the dinner mom made when she was exhausted after a long day of taking care of the kids. While people in the suburbs still make this casserole, it has more or less disappeared everywhere else.
Beef Stroganoff
For many, Beef Stroganoff was the first thing they ever learned to cook. It was a warm mushroom dish that felt like a loving hug on a cold winter evening. While you can still find recipes for it online, it’s no longer popular enough to be sold in restaurants and stores.
Creamed Chipped Beef
Unlike some other entries on this list, there’s nothing fancy about a chipped beef sandwich. It's fried strips of beef coated in a Béchamel sauce and served with a slice of toast—an invention of the Second World War that many boomers sustained on growing up.
Round Steak
It’s one of the cheapest cuts of meat one can find, so it's not surprising that it was really popular post-WW2 when boomers were growing up. However, as the economy recovered and people could afford better meat, round steak fell off the dinner menu rotation.
Chicken a La King
Going across the pond for a bit, Chicken a la King was a staple in British homes in the 60s and 70s. It even jumped the pond, being sold in restaurants across America. And why wouldn’t it? Who could say no to a creamy Béchamel and gravy sauce served with warm rice?
Organ Meat
Ok, if you’ve been on the carnivore diet side of TikTok, you’ll find a whole list of people telling you to eat livers, hearts, and other organ meats. It wasn’t so unusual to eat these back in the '50s and '60s. Today, if you want to eat organ meat, you need to go to a specialty butcher.
Tapioca Pudding
These were so popular that you could find pre-made versions on grocery store shelves. It was a creamy pudding made with milk, containing tiny tapioca pearls. Today, the extent of our tapioca consumption is limited to expensive Boba Tea drinks, and this American classic is all but extinct.
Liver and Onions
Ok, livers aren’t everyone’s cup of tea, but for those who did like it growing up, not being able to find decent liver and onions today is a huge pain. Not only was the dish complex in flavour, but it was also nutritionally diverse.
Ambrosia Salad
Once the main attraction at every potluck and Tupperware party, Ambrosia Salad is not really a salad but more of a fruit, nut, and marshmallow fiesta. Sadly, most Gen-Z today don’t even know it exists.
Pineapple Upside-Down Cake
This cake was almost inescapable at family gatherings during the 60s. Made with sweet and tart pineapples and cherries, its charm was in the stunning visual appeal of the cake. Unlike other baked goods, you didn’t need to work too hard to get a pretty and tasty product.
Space Food Sticks
Space Food Sticks were the original energy bar, initially made under a government contract for astronauts. They became wildly popular in the 70s but have now lost their footing to other, more innovative energy bar brands.
Lime Green Jello Salad
Another “not really a salad” salad, Jello salads, especially lime green ones, were all the rage in the 50s since they were seen as innovations in modern cooking. While there is an element of nostalgia linked with it for some, many others are grateful for not having to eat Jello with carrots and marshmallows.
Macaroni and Tomatoes
In the days of al-dente cheese wheel pasta, this dish might seem simple, but that’s exactly why it’s a classic that needs to come back. Born of the Great Depression, its recipe is pretty straightforward—elbow pasta boiled and served with a buttery tomato stew.
Hamburger Helper
Unlike the name suggests, this isn’t just meant for hamburgers. The Hamburger Helper was a line of boxed meals that people dug into in the '60s and '70s. While they’re still in circulation today, other, more recent brands have taken their top spot.
Baked Alaska
A dish that had been famous pretty much since the late 1800s, the Baked Alaska was made by layering ice cream and cake, topping it with a layer of meringue, and baking it till it was slightly golden. Today, we have no dearth of options when it comes to desserts, so it’s no wonder that this isn’t a recipe many people reach for.
Ham Steak With Pineapple Rings
Ham and pineapple? Really? It sounds worse than pineapple on pizza, right? But no, actually, it was a really popular mid-century dish that managed to find the perfect balance between the saltiness of the ham and tartness of the pineapple.
Oyster Stew
If you grew up in the New England area, there’s a chance you might have heard about this creamy soup. Made with milk and fresh oysters, it was similar to chowder in many ways. Although the latter remains a popular home recipe, oyster stew has lost its fans in the past few decades.
Stuffed Green Peppers
This was the dinner that was made when you had leftovers from previous meals lying around. It’s as simple as it sounds—stuffing green peppers with rice, ground beef, and tomato sauce, and baking them in the oven until cooked through.
Salmon Patties
Another easy dinner recipe back in the day involved mixing canned salmon with breadcrumbs and eggs to form a moldable mixture that could then be shallow-fried in a pan. To add more heft, it could also be made into a sandwich. While it’s not super popular today, this one’s definitely worth a revival.
Chicken Croquettes
These were like the salmon patties, but with chicken, made by using shredded chicken and binding it with flour and a creamy sauce. Chicken croquettes were an incredibly popular finger food in the 50s, usually served at large family gatherings.
Deviled Ham Spread
Another popular finger food item back in the day was this spread made by mixing ground ham with mayo and spices, and often eaten with crackers or toast. It’s easy to make, inexpensive, and a guaranteed crowd pleaser.
Sloppy Joe Casserole
We still eat sloppy joes, but have you ever had one as a casserole? Turns out they were wildly popular back in the 70s, because they were familiar, affordable, and easy to make. For mothers who were increasingly entering the workforce in the 70s, it was one of the best ways to keep the kids fed.
Chicken Divan
Originating at the Divan Parision Restaurant in New York, Chicken Divan went on to become a staple in home kitchens across the United States. Made with chicken, broccoli, and a creamy white sauce, it gained popularity in the 50s as an elegant yet easy party or buffet dish.
Cabbage Rolls
A Polish dish that spread far beyond the American Polish community, cabbage rolls are made by stuffing cabbage leaves with spiced meat and rice, and boiling them in a tomato sauce. Quite honestly, they’re probably not as popular anymore because of the amount of time and energy they take to make.
Swiss Steak
Another recipe that we’ve lost to the instant gratification culture, Swiss Steak is just a round steak dredged in flour, tenderised by pounding, seared, and cooked in a spiced tomato gravy. Despite the name, the dish is a uniquely American classic that we need to bring back.
Shrimp Newburg
Another coastal classic, the Shrimp Newburg is almost disgustingly decadent in its flavour. Made by cooking fresh shrimp in a sauce made using butter, milk or cream, mushrooms, sherry, and some flavouring agents, this seafood classic is usually served with rice.
Tomato Aspic
Another luncheon classic, the Tomato Aspic, gained popularity among housewives in the 50s as a “fancy” molded salad. Made by congealing tomato puree using unflavoured gelatin, this dish might be an argument as to why we should retire all gelatin-based savory foods. It’s one best left to the history books.
Veal Parmesan
While not everyone eats veal now, you can definitely make a version of this Italian-American classic using any other tender cut of meat. Start by pounding the meat cutlets, then breading them in flour, beaten eggs, seasoned breadcrumbs, and parmesan cheese. Shallow fry it and top with a marinara sauce for the flavours to come out.
Corned Beef Hash
This dish is one of those that could be easily added to the rotation today, even by busy, working people. You just need to combine shredded corned beef with diced potatoes and cook them with onions, garlic, and other seasonings.
Chicken Fricassee
In the 50s, Julia Child made French cooking more accessible to American housewives, and this dish is a result of that effort. Made by braising skin-on, bone-in chicken in a traditional French white sauce, the taste of this dish is truly unbeatable. Making it is a little time-consuming but worth the effort.
Salmon Loaf
A salmon loaf is essentially a seafood version of a meatloaf made using salmon (obviously). It was a great way back in the day to make a piece of salmon stretch for a longer time by combining it with breadcrumbs, eggs, onions, and other ingredients.
Pork Chops With Applesauce
As we can tell from this list, we really loved mixing sweet and savoury back in the 50s. The unique part about this dish isn’t the pork chops or the applesauce in itself; it’s combining the two to make a singular meal, a classic mid-century tradition.
Chicken Marbella
This American twist on Mediterranean classics is another recipe worth bringing back for the busy moms of today. Just marinate chicken overnight in a mixture of olive oil, red wine vinegar, garlic, oregano, prunes, green olives, capers with their juice, salt, and pepper, and bake them off for a healthy, flavourful meal.
