7 Old-School Side Dishes That No One Makes Anymore
Every decade brings new food trends, and vintage side dishes that once filled dinner tables are often swept aside. Many of these recipes have quietly disappeared from modern meals, replaced by simpler or trendier options.
However, these forgotten classics remind us of a time when home cooking was fun and frugal.
Ambrosia Salad
Ambrosia salad was the crown jewel of 1950s dinner parties. A mix of canned fruit, coconut, and whipped cream or sour cream, it brought sweetness to any meal.
Served chilled, it was both refreshing and colorful. Modern eaters might find it odd, but for many families, ambrosia was a symbol of celebration.
Molded Cheese Balls
Once a party must-have, molded cheese balls were the definition of retro entertaining. Blended with cream cheese, nuts, and herbs, they were rolled into neat shapes and served with crackers.
They were affordable, flavorful, and perfect for feeding a crowd. Though they've been replaced by charcuterie boards, cheese balls were the original shareable snack.
Waldorf Salad
Waldorf salad began as an elegant hotel dish but became a mid-century home favorite. Made with apples, celery, walnuts, and mayonnaise, it offered crunch and freshness in one bowl.
Modern versions use yogurt or lighter dressings, but the original remains a simple, balanced mix of textures that still feels classy after all these years.
Creamed Corn Casserole
Creamed corn casserole once appeared at nearly every Sunday dinner. Combining canned corn, milk, butter, and crackers, it was baked until golden and comforting.
The dish was simple but hearty, stretching ingredients to feed a crowd. While it has faded from modern menus, its creamy, homey flavor still has plenty of charm.
Southern Pear Salad
Southern pear salad was a popular food in the American South made with canned pears, mayo, and cheddar cheese on a bed of lettuce, often topped with a maraschino cherry.
It may seem bizarre to modern diners, but this was once an eccentric fixture of American cuisine.
Tomato Aspic
Gelatin-based foods were hugely trendy in the 1950s and 1960s, and tomato aspic was no different.
These jiggly dishes were a gelatin-based version of tomato soup that offered comfort and a pop of color to the dining room table.
Watergate Salad
Watergate salad was a pastel-green staple at potlucks and family gatherings. Made with pistachio pudding mix, canned pineapple, marshmallows, and whipped topping, it was light, sweet, and strangely addictive.
It wasn't really a salad, but it earned its place on the table next to savory dishes. Today, it’s more nostalgia than necessity, but still deliciously retro.
Adding flair to everyday meals
These vintage side dishes may seem old-fashioned now, but they capture the creativity and warmth of home cooking from another era.
They were made to bring people together, stretch ingredients, and add a little flair to everyday meals. Maybe it's time to bring a few of these classics back to the table.