15 Forgotten Holiday Recipes from the ’80s
These 15 holiday recipes from the 1980s were once common in kitchens but have faded from modern menus over time.
- Sophia Zapanta
- 5 min read
The 1980s brought a mix of traditional and experimental dishes to holiday tables. Many recipes were influenced by packaged foods, processed ingredients, and convenience cooking trends. While some are still remembered by older generations, most are rarely made today.
1. Green Jell-O Salad with Cottage Cheese
Fæ on Wikimedia Commons
This dish combined lime Jell-O, crushed pineapple, cottage cheese, and whipped topping. It was often served cold in a mold during Christmas or Thanksgiving. The sweet and savory mix was popular at the time but became less appealing in later decades. It is now mostly considered outdated.
2. Holiday Cheese Ball with Chipped Beef
cogdogblog on Wikimedia Commons
Cream cheese blended with dried beef, green onions, and Worcestershire sauce formed a dense spreadable ball. It was shaped by hand and rolled in chopped nuts. This appetizer was common at holiday parties and served with crackers. Its strong, salty flavor made it fall out of favor over time.
3. Tuna Mousse Mold
cyclonebill on Wikimedia Commons
A cold dish made with canned tuna, unflavored gelatin, cream cheese, and mayonnaise. It was molded into shapes and decorated with parsley or pimentos. It was seen as elegant during its time but is rarely made today. Many now find the texture and taste unusual.
4. Ambrosia Salad
Marshall Astor on Wikimedia Commons
A mix of mandarin oranges, shredded coconut, mini marshmallows, and whipped topping. It was served chilled in large bowls during family meals. The sweet and creamy flavor made it a child-friendly option. Over time, it was replaced by fresher, less sugary fruit salads.
5. Cranberry Candle Salad
Shadle on Wikimedia Commons
This was a molded gelatin dish shaped to look like a candle using cranberry Jell-O, a banana in the center, and whipped cream on top. It was made for presentation as much as for taste. Children often helped prepare it as part of holiday activities. It is no longer widely made today.
6. Pineapple Upside-Down Cake
Kimberly Vardeman on Wikimedia Commons
Although not limited to the 1980s, this cake was particularly popular at holiday gatherings during that decade. It used canned pineapple rings, maraschino cherries, and boxed cake mix. The cake was baked with fruit on the bottom, then flipped before serving. Its high sugar content made it less popular with later generations.
7. Layered Mexican Dip
Missvain on Wikimedia Commons
This dip stacked refried beans, sour cream, salsa, cheese, olives, and green onions in clear dishes. It was served cold with tortilla chips at parties. It was quick to make and used store-bought ingredients. Newer versions now use fresher ingredients or fewer layers.
8. Mini Cocktail Wieners in Grape Jelly Sauce
Steven Depolo on Wikimedia Commons
Cocktail sausages were simmered in a sauce made of grape jelly and bottled chili sauce. The sweet and tangy mix was served in slow cookers at parties. It was a popular finger food option in the 1980s. Today, it’s considered overly processed by many.
9. Broccoli-Cheese Casserole with Ritz Crackers
Burkhard Mücke on Wikimedia Commons
Frozen broccoli mixed with condensed soup, cheese, and topped with crushed crackers. It was baked until hot and bubbly and was often made for potlucks. The dish relied heavily on pre-packaged items. While still made by some, it’s no longer a common holiday staple.
10. Spinach Dip in a Bread Bowl
Kurizaki on Wikimedia Commons
Made with frozen spinach, sour cream, and seasoning mix, this dip was served in a hollowed-out loaf of bread. It was placed at the center of the table with bread cubes around it. It was considered fancy at the time but became less trendy by the 2000s. Fresh dips are now more common.
11. Coca-Cola Ham
Missvain on Wikimedia Commons
A whole ham was baked with Coca-Cola and brown sugar to create a sweet glaze. The soda helped tenderize the meat and add caramel flavor. It was a popular main dish in Southern-style holiday meals. Modern recipes often replace soda with fruit juices or honey.
12. Watergate Salad
Mr.Atoz on Wikimedia Commons
This dish combined pistachio pudding mix, canned pineapple, mini marshmallows, and whipped topping. It was served cold and called a “salad” despite being a dessert. It was light green and easy to prepare. It has mostly disappeared from holiday tables today.
13. Cherry Cola Punch
Achim Schleuning on Wikimedia Commons
A mix of cherry Kool-Aid, cola, and frozen sherbet, often served at Christmas or New Year’s parties. It was non-alcoholic and kid-friendly. The color and bubbles made it festive. Health concerns over sugar and artificial flavors led to a drop in popularity.
14. Sweet Potato Casserole with Marshmallows
Valenzuela400 on Wikimedia Commons
Canned sweet potatoes were mashed with sugar and spices, then topped with mini marshmallows. It was baked until the marshmallows browned. The dish was considered a holiday dessert by some and a side dish by others. Newer versions now use pecans or omit the marshmallows.
15. Pumpkin Roll Cake
Alpha on Wikimedia Commons
A thin pumpkin-flavored sponge cake was filled with sweet cream cheese and rolled into a log. It was sliced into spirals and served on dessert trays. It was made ahead of time and kept well in the fridge. The recipe remains known but is less frequently made today.