These retro jello recipes aren’t the scary retro recipes we see sometimes with fish in sweet jello or other horrifying recipes. These are delicious!
This post was originally shared in March 2020. It has been updated to make sure all links are still active and a few recipes have been added.
Can you talk about retro food and not talk about jello? Gelatin has been around since the time of the Egyptians and in the 1600s we have written evidence of it being experimented with as food.
The brand Jell-O and what we largely think of when we think of gelatin now was first patented in 1845. It didn’t catch on for a while though. It finally started to catch on after a successful marketing campaign in 1902.Â
They started to advertise in the Ladies Home Journal and 15 million booklets were distributed. And the popularity just kept growing. You can’t look at a vintage magazine without seeing a recipe featuring Jell-O.
Now we think of it as only a dessert but the mid-century loved to use Jell-O in everything, especially weird salads. You can see some of those interesting recipes in the post Vintage Recipes Made Modern.
We did kind of throw out the baby with the bathwater though with the move away from the weird Jell-O dishes. There were some really fun recipes that we seem to have lost. Honestly, Jell-O by itself is kind of boring so I think we need to bring back some of the Jell-O-based desserts from the mid-century.
Below is a Jell-O ad from a Ladies Home Journal that I own. It is the June 1953 issue. This is a good example of a retro Jell-O recipe that still sounds delicious. This is a recipe I hope to recreate and share soon as well.
And really while some mid-century recipes seem very unhealthy they did use a lot of fruit in their desserts and that is a good thing to bring back. We still need to be aware of how much sugar we are consuming but I’m a firm believer in moderation and throwing some fruit in there at least gives some nutrition value.
These retro jello recipes are ones that are actually delicious and we should bring back. They are the ones I think we are missing out on since we moved away from the questionable past of jello-based recipes.
Retro Jello Recipes
This is one of my recipes. It's from the 1950s and features coffee and lemon Jello. It sounds weird but is actually quite good!
This is another one of my recipes. It's very seasonal but also delicious!
"A retro recipe for a festive raspberry jello mold. My grandmother's holiday specialty served every Christmas and Easter dinner."
"A vintage family favorite, this green gelatin salad has a bright flavor and is fun to serve!"
"Lemon Jello Salad is my vegan spin on the all American classic side dish!"
"7 Up Jello Salad is an old fashioned Jello Salad recipe passed down from my husband’s Grandmother. Lemon Jello is made with 7 Up, pineapple, banana, and marshmallows than covered with a pineapple mousse."
"Sea Foam Salad is the perfect no-bake dessert any time of the year! We love it for around the holidays! Just a few simple ingredients and it is ready to go!"
"Fresh Strawberry Pie made with strawberries at the height of their season. A sweet ending to a weeknight dinner or a special occasion."
"This fun cherry pineapple "salad" is sure to be a hit with your family. It is a simple make-ahead side dish that is festive for a holiday or fun for a BBQ."
"This recipe for Raspberry Jello Fluff is super easy to make and only requires FOUR INGREDIENTS- crushed pineapple, raspberry jello, cool whip, & cottage cheese. Easy & delicious."
"Cranberry Jello Salad is a sweet-tart dessert salad loaded with crushed pineapple, chopped pecans, cranberries, and a tangy cream cheese topping! It’s perfect to serve for Thanksgiving dinner, Christmas dinner, or any night of the year!"
"A very southern, lime congealed salad with crushed pineapple, celery, nuts, and marshmallows."
"This Creamy Strawberry Jello Mold has a smooth and creamy texture, so delicious, and super easy using only a few pantry items. Great for a small crowd and perfect for a Sunday brunch!"
"Marshmallow Cookie Bars. Easy to make in any flavour you like. The shortbread cookie bottom gets topped by a homemade marshmallow layer made from your favourite flavour of Jello!"
"This plant-based version of traditional raspberry jello salad with vegan sour cream is sure to hit the spot and won’t affect your waistline either."
"My Grandma always made this Rainbow Layered Jello for every birthday and special occasion! It takes patience but the results are worth it. Such a family favorite!"
"This Cranberry Jello Salad recipe has been in our family for years! It's a must make for the holidays, but a super easy and refreshing dessert any time of year."
"Strawberry Cream Pie - Tastes like a dream! This easy summer pie is creamy, sweet and refreshing."
"Favorite Orange Jello Salad Recipe is an effortless dish perfect for potlucks and celebrations. Easy orange jello fluff salad combines Cool Whip, mandarin oranges, cottage cheese, orange gelatin, and pineapple for a refreshing tropical side dish."
"We are kicking it old school today with this Jello cream cheese dessert made with pineapples and cherry pie filling!"
More Retro Recipes
- Old-Fashioned Cake Recipes
- Vintage Cranberry Noel Dessert Recipe
- Vintage Cheesy Potato Casserole Recipe
- Retro Ham and Cheese Pancake Recipe
If you want to see even more retro recipes be sure to sign up below, you will also my meal planning ebook for free. It’s a great way to keep up with what’s going on over here on the blog.
Boo says
I have one my folks make with carrots, orange jello and canned pineapples and it’s actually pretty tasty and refreshing if you like carrots and kinda between a dessert and something healthy i’m sure adding some mandarin oranges would make it even better though.
Kim says
This was also my mom’s recipe, I lost it, wish you would have shared it
Lisa Sharp says
Google “sunshine salad” I think it’s what you are looking for.
Carlee says
Jello can be so good if you give it a chance. There are some real gems in here that I can’t wait to try.
Sherri says
Can’t wait to try!