The Top 10 recipes for 2015 (2024)

FAQs

What was for dinner in the 1960s? ›

Dinner: American palates became more sophisticated thanks to Julia Child, but many 60's meals were still dominated by convenience foods like this terrifying olive,celery and cheese jello salad. Buffet dinners of beef stroganoff, green beans amandine and flaming cherries jubilee were popular.

As you can see from the decade's top recipes, the 1950s were all about the intersection of comfort food and convenience—casseroles and quick dishes like Chicken a la King and Welsh rarebit reigned supreme.

On the home front

Rationing was introduced in 1940 and lasted 14 years. For most of that time, meat, cheese, butter, cooking fats and sugar were heavily restricted, but potatoes, other root vegetables and bread were freely available. People ate a diet much higher in carbohydrates and lower in fats.

At first, the meals were stews, and more varieties were added as the war went on, including meat and spaghetti in tomato sauce, chopped ham, eggs and potatoes, meat and noodles, pork and beans; ham and lima beans, and chicken and vegetables.

Clearly, meal preparation two hundred years ago involved several more steps than it does now. Much like today, families usually ate three daily meals. The main meal in the 1800s, however, was not the large evening meal that is familiar to us today. Rather, it was a meal called dinner, enjoyed in the early afternoon.

Hosting a fondue dinner party was popular in the 1970s, and fondue pots were the ultimate wedding gift during that decade. The Swiss dish consisting of melted cheese served in a communal pot was enjoyed by dipping chunks of bread into the cheese using long-stemmed forks.

We weren't well off so we ate a lot of Hamburger Helper, hot dogs, fried baloney and Spam. Chicken chow mein (from a can) over those crispy noodles (also from a can).

1950s Dinners

You'd find hearty main dishes like Salisbury steak, beef stroganoff and meat loaf on a '50s dinner menu, plus scrumptious sides. Casseroles were also popular, particularly those featuring seafood or ham.

Belgian waffles and sangria were introduced to the United States at the World's Fair. Among the other foods served were falafel, kimchi, hummus, tandoori chicken, and Turkish coffee.

What did Americans eat in the 1940s? ›

Sure there was meat, potatoes, Jello, mayonnaise, and desserts, but, in practice, if we are to believe our mentors, wise 1940s eating included a whole lot of fruits and vegetables, too.

It was less varied than it is today. In the United States, if your family didn't have a distinct ethnic heritage, you ate things like meat and potatoes, tuna casserole, macaroni and cheese, fried chicken, turkey at Thanksgiving. Frozen TV dinners sometimes.

The best way to ensure that you're comfortable with a potential cook is to ask questions. Start by asking about their experience, including how long they have been cooking and what types of meals they specialize in. You can also ask to see pictures of their past work or even sample some of their food if possible.

When Gourmet magazine closed in 2009, then-editor Ruth Reichl was shocked by the news, right along with the fans who had read the magazine for generations.