Classic ’50s Dishes Making a Delicious Comeback

The 1950s were a time of great abundance, hope, and positivity in the United States. Fresh out of war and looking to turn over a new leaf, many Americans sought new and improved ways of living. This mindset extended to food too, with many strange yet delicious dishes first appearing during this prosperous decade. While many of the meal choices have fallen out of favor in the ensuing decades, there are plenty of vintage foods from the '50s worth trying now.

Say what you will about the culinary choices of the 1950s, they are usually delicious. The dishes from the '50s show a sense of experimentation, often combining strange ingredients to create unconventionally tasty meals. While the presentation of these foods can leave room to be desired, it's hard to argue that many of the dishes from the period were delicious, favoring heartiness and richness over aesthetic beauty. At the same time, however, the '50s provided a surprising variation of desserts and sweet foods that remain hard to top regarding explosive flavor and richness. In this article, we will explore vintage foods from the '50s worth trying now.

To compile a list of vintage foods from the '50s worth trying now, 24/7 Tempo consulted a range of lifestyle, cooking, and food publications including Taste of Home and GoodHouseKeeping. Next, we selected foods and meals that best typified the dishes commonly served in the 1950s. After that, we confirmed aspects of the foods using sites like The Food Network. (For other vintage dishes that have all but disappeared, discover retro menu dishes that are fading away.)

One of the vintage foods from the '50s worth trying is Chex Mix. First introduced by an advertisement in Life Magazine in 1952, this simple but savory dish combines the best of snack foods. Originally, Chex Mix featured Chex cereal, bite-sized pretzels, and peanuts, cooked in butter. This results in a savory, delicious snack that works well on the go. While vintage, Chex Mix caught on. Now, many companies mass-produce Chex Mix with a variety of different ingredients and flavors. Nothing beats a home-cooked version, however, as you can add any type of snack to the mix.

The first known recipes for Upside-Down Cake appeared in various American newspapers in 1923. It found further popularity after the Dole Pineapple company sponsored a contest for pineapple recipes. The design is simple. It requires butter, sugar, and cake mix as well as pineapple. The difference from other cakes, however, is the pineapple upside-down cake is cooked upside down. Once completed, you flip it right side up. While 50s-era fruitcakes are seen as unpalatable for the modern eater, the pineapple upside-down cake remains underrated. Sweet and gooey, yet still retaining firmness, nothing beats this unconventional cake for dessert.

Another one of the vintage foods from the '50s worth trying is Bananas Foster. Originally invented at Owen Brennan's Vieux Carré restaurant in New Orleans, this rich dessert combines bananas and vanilla ice cream. What makes the dish shine, however, involves the use of a sauce combining butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, rum, and banana liqueur. Once those ingredients are cooked together, the dish is ignited in fire, resulting in a glazed, caramelized taste and appearance. Classy, yet still delicious, Bananas Foster provides a welcome and sweet reprieve to a hearty dinner.

Another one of the vintage foods from the '50s worth trying is the Crown Roast of Pork with Mushroom Dressing. It combines a full bone-in pork loin with delicious mushroom dressing. Though it requires only simple instructions, its presentation is everything. Cooked with the bones facing upward, before drizzled in savory mushroom sauce, this savory meal will wow guests with its appearance, and solidify its reputation after a few bites. One wonders why the Crown Roast of Pork dish fell out of favor, as it combines visual aesthetics with supreme taste.

Another one of the vintage foods from the '50s worth trying is Chicken a La King. It consists of diced chicken (or turkey) in cream sauce with tomatoes, peas, and other vegetables thrown in the mix. After that, the chicken and sauce fill a vol-au-vent or pastry case. If you're not familiar with pastry cases, they look like little pastry turrets or cylinders with a hollow center. While a La King dish variations have popped up in cookbooks since the 15th century, no one is quite exactly when the Chicken a La King dish solidified in its modern form. While a quintessentially '50s dish, it's simple, cheap, and hearty.

Another one of the vintage foods from the '50s worth trying is Pigs in a Blanket. While you might still see this dish in specialty pastry shops or delis, it has pretty much fallen by the wayside. One wonders why, however, as it requires the simplest of ingredients. To make, simply cook a hot dog or sausage of your choice wrapped in croissant dough. This results in a 'pig in a blanket' type meal that provides meat and starch all in one. A great appetizer, Pigs in a Blanket can provide a great complement to parties and other events that require various helpings of finger food.

Nothing says the '50s quite like casseroles. For one reason or another, they were all the rage back then, even if they have fallen out of popularity in the ensuing decades. While they can be gooey, they can also be delicious. One such variety is the Chicken Zucchini Casserole. To make it, simply add together cream sauce, chicken, stuffing mix, and zucchini in a large bowl. After that, apply an even layer to a glass or porcelain cooking pan. Let it cook for about 10 to 15 minutes, then let it cool, and serve. It's a simple, affordable meal that provides hearty and savory flavors without breaking the bank. Plus, given its short cooking time, Chicken Zucchini Casserole can be whipped up at a moment's notice.

Another one of the vintage foods from the '50s worth trying is Oysters Rockefeller. First created by Jules Alciatore in 1889 at Antoine's Restaurant in New Orleans, this luxurious dish took its name from the titan of industry John D. Rockefeller, because of its extreme richness. It requires oysters (obviously), but beyond that, the sky's the limit. Simply add butter, herbs, bread crumbs, or even bacon to the oysters and cook. This results in a dish so rich it might even be considered dessert. Much like escargot, the butter and toppings mask the normal taste to create a meal of luxury and savory opulence.

(For other vintage meals that deserve more appreciation, explore 30 retro recipes that deserve a comeback.)

Another one of the vintage foods from the '50s worth trying is Deviled Eggs. Though it sits firmly in the '50s food pantheon, this simple but robust dish dates back to the Roman Empire. It was such a common appetizer or finger food for wealthy Romans, that they had a phrase for it, "ab ovo usque ad mala." This translates literally to "from eggs to apples," which signifies the tradition of serving eggs at the start and end of each large meal. As for the modern version, the recipe is simple. It requires hard-boiled eggs, cut in half, with your choice of herbs and spices like mustard or pepper added to the exposed yolk. Due to their zesty, even spicy flavor, this dish earned its devilish name.

Another one of the vintage foods from the '50s worth trying is Lemon Chiffon Pie. Piemaker Monroe Boston Strause first invented this pie variation in Los Angeles in 1926. It requires a filling made from folded meringue, which thickens with the addition of unflavored gelatin. This mixture goes into a pre-baked pie shell. Then, the mixture is chilled in the refrigerator. Unlike other pies, the chiffon pie provides a light, airy filling. The Lemon Chiffon Pie variation requires the same ingredients but with lemon added to the filling mixture. It became such a popular pie in the middle 20th century that its inventor Strause traveled up to 30,000 miles each year teaching restaurants and hotels how to make this unique pie variation.

Nothing says the '50s like Meatloaf. While it remains a contentious meal, with the right ingredients, it can be one of the vintage foods from the '50s worth trying. The recipe is simple. It requires ground meat of some type, be it lamb, beef, or poultry. Then, you shape the ground meat into a loaf by hand or with a mold tray. From there, it cooks and is ready to serve. Though it can be a hard meal to swallow, with all the condensed meat, some variations add herbs, cheese, or even bacon on top for extra flavor. While it acted as a traditional dish in German and Scandinavian kitchens for centuries, it first appeared in American cooking books in the late 19th century. If done right, Meatloaf can provide a hearty centerpiece to dinner.

For one reason or another, fondue-style meals were all the rage in the '50s. Fondue is simple. It requires a communal pot filled with Swiss cheese and wine that stays cooking as various guests add bread, meat, or vegetables to the cauldron. From there, the cheese cooks around the added ingredient, providing a gooey, tasty casing. Given its name, fondue first appeared in France in 1735. While it had murmurs of popularity in the 1950s, it became a widespread dish in America after being promoted at the 1964 New York World's Fair.

Perhaps more than any other meat, ham and other pork-derived products can be complemented well with the addition of some sugar. As such, another one of the vintage foods from the '50s worth trying is baked ham with pineapple. Though it looks luxurious, this dish is quite easy to make. Since most ham is already pre-cooked when bought in grocery stores, all that is required is the rich, sweet, sauce. To make this dish, combine brown sugar, apple juice, and mustard into a gooey glaze. From there, add the ham to a cooking pan, place the pineapples or maraschino cherries on top, and cover with the glaze. Let it cook for 20-25 minutes, cool, and serve. It's a delicious, rich dish that provides the perfect complement to holiday meals.

Another one of the vintage foods from the '50s worth trying is tuna noodle casserole. Like all casseroles, the tuna noodle varieties function similarly. To make, add together tuna from a can, creamy sauce, and vegetables, as well as noodles of your choice. This combination is then placed in a oven pan or tray, and cooked in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes. This creates a hearty crust on top of the dish, whereas below provides a creamy, savory meat and carb combination. Much like the Chicken Zucchini casserole, the tuna noodle casserole can be made on the cheap. Furthermore, it requires little prep and can be thrown together at a moment's notice.

Another one of the vintage foods from the '50s worth trying is Shrimp Newburg. The dish was reportedly invented by boat captain Ben Wenberg and first served at the Delmonico restaurant in 1876 in New York City. Shrimp Newburg was popularized, however, by Linda Greenlaw, best known as the commercial fishing captain in both the book and movie versions of "The Perfect Storm." After her seafaring adventures, Greenlaw retired to Isle au Haut, a small coastal town in Maine. Together with her mother, Greenlaw published a cookbook featuring Shrimp Newburg. As for the meal, it's incredibly simple and delightfully rich. The key to this dish is the Newburg sauce, which combines egg yolk, cream, and small amounts of paprika and cayenne pepper. Once cooked, the sauce is drizzled on top of shrimp, providing a coastal delight without that pesky seafood smell.

Another one of the vintage foods from the '50s worth trying is Baked Alaska. Much like the previous entry on this list, Shrimp Newburg, Baked Alaska was reportedly first created at the Delmonico restaurant in New York City in 1876. Its name came as an honor bestowed by the restaurant in the United States for its acquisition of the Alaskan territory from the Russian Empire that same year. At the same time, across the pond, the chef of the Le Grant Hôtel created a similar dish for exhibition at the 1876 Paris World's Fair.

Whatever the providence, Baked Alaska remains a delightful and visually impressive dessert. To make it, place ice cream in a pie dish, line it with Christmas pudding or slices of sponge cake, and top with meringue. After that, place it in a freezer for a spell, before putting it in a hot oven. The trick is to keep it in the oven long enough to caramelize the meringue but not so long that you melt the ice cream center. The result is a luxurious-looking dessert dish with a satisfying contrast between hard and soft textures.

Another one of the vintage foods from the '50s worth trying is Pot Roast. Though restaurants like Denny's still feature it on their menus, it seems to have fallen out of favor in most American kitchens. One wonders why, however, as it provides a rich, hearty meal requiring little preparation. Much like a brisket, different types of beef boil and are left to simmer along with vegetables for hours. Once completed, Pot Roast provides mouth-watering meat in an equally delicious sauce. Though it takes the longest to cook of any meal on this list, once completed, Pot Roast can act as the perfect hearty Sunday supper meal. (For dishes from the following decade, discover vintage foods from the '60s worth trying now.)