From goulash to TV dinners, these 1960s favorites still hit the comfort-food sweet spot.
Back in the 60s, it was a time of homemade cooking on the dinner table, where families would gather together. Things may be a bit more rushed nowadays and there seem to be a few more preservatives in certain foods, but if you take the time to make things homemade, you can bring foods back to life from the 1960s that people still swear are still delicious today.
Goulash
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I grew up on this when my Grandma would make goulash often, a staple with her generation in the kitchen. It was a quick, tasty way to pack a dish full of protein and vegetables. “We had goulash like you’d have in the Czech Republic. So the old style Euro foods were there,” a commenter said. The classic dish just tastes like a warm hug.
Liver and Onions
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My Dad still likes getting liverwurst from the deli, as the simple sandwich reminds him of a staple he had growing up. Other commenters backed up the liver being on the table. “Liver and onions. Very little spices. White bread,” a commenter said about this basic, yet nostalgic meal. It might not sound like much, but it was a fairly popular member of the rotation back then.
Pork Chops and Applesauce
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Pork chops, aka the other white meat, was (and still actually is) an affordable alternative to chicken if you need some variety. “A lot of meals consisting of pork chops, peas, and applesauce,” a commenter said. My mom made us pork chops and applesauce growing up weekly, and I still have to have my pork chops with applesauce to this day.
Jell-O Molds and Salads
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I collect vintage cookbooks and boy did the 50s love their Jello-O salads. “Middle aged from the midwest here, yeah, I grew up on that,” a commenter said. “My mom made a jello salad in a cake mold, with suspended raisins, pineapple and shredded carrot inside, topped with mayo (like a frosting) and shredded cheddar. People. Loved it. Like, they’d be salty if she didn’t make it.” Believe it or not, others backed this up. “Middle age midwesterner here too. I was feeling somewhat nostalgic last fall and actually had my mom make a tiny one last Christmas with lime jello, shredded carrots and cabbage with that mayo sauce frosting,” the commenter said. “Sweet, tangy, crunchy with the oozing jello. Shudder. Brought back childhood and killed that nostalgic craving dead. Scarred my nieces, nephews and my own children all at once. Sorry kids. Try it but be sure to use miracle whip not mayo, gotta have the tangy.”
TV Dinners
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For a quick, simple option that people still enjoyed, TV Dinners were (and still can be) a helpful option. “TV dinners were a huge thing and came on a sheet tray of aluminum covered with aluminum,” a commenter said. “You had to [peel] the portion covering the cake or you ended up with chocolate soup for dessert. Most meals I remember were Salisbury steak with corn and mashed potatoes.”
Casseroles
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Not even necessarily a specific casserole, but casseroles in general got a lot of attention from commenters, “Casseroles. Lots of casseroles,” one commenter said. There were a few mentions of casseroles. Whether they’re pouring canned soups into the casserole to experiment with a recipe, or sticking with something simple like tuna noodle, they came in handy many years ago.
Campbell’s Soup
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Lot’s of Campbell’s soup was mentioned, whether it was a main for lunch served with grilled cheese, or used in recipes, many houses had (and still have) cans on hand. “Campbell’s Tomato Soup and Grilled Cheese [Sandwiches] – with *real* Colby Jack and Monterrey Jack cheese – NO velveeta – per Dad’s edict – that was also artificial poison and not coming in his house,” one commenter said.
Jess Kelly
Jess Kelly is an accomplished freelance writer and journalist with nearly a decade of experience contributing to renowned media outlets, including The Huffington Post, Cosmopolitan, AAA, Elite Traveler, Eater, Food52, Insider, Wine Enthusiast, Kitchn, AAA World Magazine, Thrillist, Conde Nast Traveler, Lonely Planet, Hemispheres, and TravelPulse. Read more about Jess
