6 Gross Foods That People Once Thought Were Fancy

As a young professional, I recently decided that I should have a few recipes under my belt so that I can invite people over for dinner — because in my mind, cooking dinner for friends = adult. Upon my research for the simplest meals, I fell down a web hole of bizarre foods and nostalgic foods and homemaker favorites from the early '60s. (We all know how dangerous web holes can be.)

Apparently, my use of the keyword "vintage" conjured various images of mid-century magazine recipes mostly featuring Jell-O. Not the classic sense of the word that I was hoping for — you know, roast chicken and pork chops. It's not so much the ingredients in the food that surprised me (though I will say I was surprised to see the beloved jiggly dessert mixing with the likes of canned tuna). It was the presentation and the advertised prestige that really threw me off. What made people believe that these concoctions belonged on the table along-side fancy silverware and wine glasses? I can't picture any of the following dishes at a fancy dinner party in this new millennium, and thankfully for the American people, it seems like they've long since retired. Brace yourselves for some of the weirdest recipes you've ever seen:

Bird Nest Soup

Cave Swift birds create their nests with their own saliva. It hardens into a shell that some people believe to be a delicacy once boiled. This bird spit can cost upwards of $100, but rarely makes appearances on dinner tables in America anymore. Though if you're dying for a spoonful of Swift spit, you can fly to Asia — it's still a delicacy there.

Monterey Souffle Salad

In the '60s, this hideous, gelatinous concoction was considered a presentable meal for dinner guests. It's a mix of mayo, lemon juice, tuna, olives and pimento. And yes, it jiggles.

Ring-Around-The-Tuna

It's such a cute name right? Another gelatinous dish for your nostalgic gag-inducing pleasure. This dish is a mix of gelatin, vinegar, vegetables and pulled tuna.

Liver Sausage Pineapple

Someone thought this was a good idea. Someone actually stood over their kitchen counter and thought, "Hm, how about I mix some liver sausage with some gelatin and sculpt it into a pineapple with the help of food coloring and mayo?" This wildly disgusting dish was once a centerpiece on dinner tables of America. Aren't you glad you didn't grow up in the '60s?

Lime Cheese Salad

OK, like right off the bat these words sound nauseating next to each other. This winner winner gelatinous dinner includes: mayo, cottage cheese, onions, and lime gelatin. Some people would throw in some pineapple to add some additional tropical flare.

Olive Loaf

Apparently people used to be really into solid conglomerations of food. While olive loaf is actually not as gag-tastic as it looks, the harsh colors together look like something someone might eat while being tortured in a cartoon. The ingredients include meatloaf stuff with pimento stuffed olives. R.I.P. Olive Loaf and pimento-infused vegetables, you will not be missed.

Image: Pixabay