Gross Food We Ate in the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s

Just because you can, does not mean that you should.

While the 1950s were a decade of innovative change and prosperity following years of rationing and shortages, it was the 1960’s that saw the introduction of mass production. In the late ’60s, 70’s and 80’s with new technologies available in small appliances, we see a movement in food presentation, going from simple family nutrition to avant-garde globs.

And for the love of glob, why, why didn’t they lay off the jello!

Hmmm, this is meant to be ‘ground beef’ AKA mince, stuffed in cabbage and steamed. But it’s Danish inspired so it must be on trend. Serve this bog stuffed, fart ball at your next dinner party!

Gross Food We Ate in the 50's, 60's and 70's | Stay At Home Mum
via Flickr

A true food innovation of the 1930’s, the canned pork Spam gained such notoriety that it has sold over 7 billion cans. And one of those cans went into artfully creating these gag worthy delicacies, Spam cupcakes – A sweet and salty delight!

Beautiful pastel pink and mint nail design perfect for spring fashion.
via trendhunter.com

Spam and Lima  beans, ‘Ah’ inspiring. Yes it will be ‘Ah’ inspiring after your digestive system stages a gassy protest! Brrrrrrrrrrrrrp! Clear the bedroom after this bad boy!

Gross Food We Ate in the 50's, 60's and 70's | Stay At Home Mum
via Buzzfeed

Spam and Peach – gay and delicious enough for a party! Fiesta! A fiesta of an entire meal out of cans!

retrospaceorg

Salads served in jelly? Oh my glob.

Gross Food We Ate in the 50's, 60's and 70's | Stay At Home Mum
via vintageamericanadvertisements.blogspot.com

Prawns served in jelly… Seriously?

Gross Food We Ate in the 50's, 60's and 70's | Stay At Home Mum
via badanduglyofretrofood.com

WTF is jelly the main ingredient in these recipes? I bet this comes out the other end looking exactly the same!

Gross Food We Ate in the 50's, 60's and 70's | Stay At Home Mum
via indochinekitchen.com

Oh. My. I don’t even know what this is, but I’m going to assume its more gelatinous meat.

Beautiful pastel pink and mint nail design perfect for spring fashion.
via Buzzfeed

And now gelatinous boiled eggs…

Classic aspic jelly with vegetables and eggs, popular in the 50s-70s.
via monini.com

And now more fiesta food. In jelly!

Vintage gelatin salad with fruit and vegetables in a layered dish.
via badanduglyofretrofood.com

Oh God there’s more…

Party Potato Salad? When a bowl is so yesterday.

Beautiful pastel pink and mint nail design perfect for spring fashion.
via Buzzfeed

Shepherds Pie in the Shape of an Igloo… With a side of more shit in jelly.

Beautiful pastel pink and mint nail design perfect for spring fashion.
via Buzzfeed

Ham and Banana Hollandaise… WTF are they thinking?

Beautiful pastel pink and mint nail design perfect for spring fashion.

Still more outrageously gross food next page…

Pineapple Jello Rings you can make right in the can! Probably the least vile thing on this list.

Bright green pineapple with a smooth texture and vibrant yellow interior.
via food.com

You can’t turn sausages into a roast dinner – or can you? And it’s Weight Watchers no less!

Crown roast made with hot dogs, topped with shredded cheese and ketchup, served on a decorative plat.
via Buzzfeed

Ham Salad Supreme. Yes, supremely screwed up! There is a common theme of reshaping food in a very unnatural state.

Gross Food We Ate in the 50's, 60's and 70's | Stay At Home Mum
via Flickr

Cheese is not what I expected to find, inside a lettuce. And how are you supposed to eat that? Like a wedge of pizza? Mmmm delicious!

Retro stuffed lettuce wrap from the 50s with colorful filling and crisp lettuce.
via Flickr

The glistening ring of horror stuffed with creamy potato salad. I think my dog once hurled up something that resembled this. And then the cat ate it.

Egg salad served on a large plate with sliced eggs, cucumbers, and greens, surrounded by cherry toma.
via Flickr

Dunno what this is, don’t want to know. Either way it looks like the perfect vehicle for salmonella.

Retro meatloaf with green gelatin topping and lemon slices.
via Buzzfeed

Holy shit! Since when were you ever supposed to be able to spread a burger!

Vintage beef spread burger from the 50s with crumbled meat topping.
via kookychow.com

Did you know people are still hollowing out bread and stuffing it with random ingredients? Nowadays they use artisinal cob loaves.

Nostalgic meatloaf with vegetables, corn, and sliced cucumbers, showcasing classic mid-20th-century.
via Flickr

These foods are seriously making me WTF too much..

Oh my, another mid-century marvel.

Gross Food We Ate in the 50's, 60's and 70's | Stay At Home Mum
via midcenturymenu.com

If your souffle looks like this, you’re doing it wrong.

Elegant floral nail art for spring season. Perfect for a fresh, stylish look with grey and yellow sh.
via Buzzfeed

Cabbage Grapefruit Salad… and it includes the recipe! Don’t ever make it. Ever.

Vintage green gelatin salad from the 50s, 60s, or 70s with family reaction.
via Flickr

A Mustard Ring… No really.

Vintage mustard ring salad from the 50s, garnished with cauliflower and cucumber slices.
via badanduglyofretrofood.com

Meat Chunk Salad. Note to self: Avoid anything that contains the word ‘chunk’ and looks like vomit.

Vintage main dish featuring a meat and vegetable centerpiece in a bread bowl.

Fundamentally in the 50’s, 60’s, 70’s and 80’s, there was a gross misuse of jelly and an unnecessary compulsion to shape food into non food shapes. Heinous crimes against food really.

Chef Gordon Ramsay wouldn’t be pleased.

What other gross food do you know of?

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Clare Whitfield Chief Editor
Clare Whitfield is the Editor of Stay at Home Mum and a recognised voice in practical home management for Australian families. Based in the northern suburbs of Sydney, she balances editorial leadership with life as a stay at home mum to two school age children. Her background in home economics and more than a decade of experience in recipe development, family budgeting, and household systems inform her work.

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