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Category: 1950s Party


Oct
2016

Party Foods of the 1950’s

categories: 1950's, 1950s Party

Remember the days when a party wasn’t complete without coconut-covered pineapple and cream cheese stuffed celery? From the 1950s to the 1960s, party food was a reflection of the times – flashy, audacious, and above all, delicious!

In this article, we will dive into the classic recipes of the era, exploring the nostalgia of 1950s party food and exploring ways to recreate these treats today. From classic appetizers to crowd-pleasing desserts, you’ll be sure to find ideas to make your next shindig a hit.

So, get ready to get your party planning started with some iconic 1950s food — we guarantee your guests will come back for seconds.

Retro Jello Mold a perfect party food for a 1950s or 1960s party. Learn more at the Vintage Inn Blog.

Updated Feb 2024

Note: This post is an extension of “The Mini Guide to Hosting the Ultimate 1950’s Themed Party“. Inside this post, I talked about invites,decor, music, clothing and food, the essentials for a successful party. This article jumps into deeper into the food side.

Disclosure: Some of the links on my blog from Etsy are Affiliate Links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. 

Note: If the item you clicked on is no longer available, just do a search for like items. There are loads of vintage items being added to Etsy daily!

Party Foods of the 1950’s

Retro Food Vintage 50s Meals Products Cooking Pantry Groceries | Mid Century Modern
Source: Etsy

Let’s break out the Cheez Wiz and start the 1950’s food party, shall we?

1950s Cheez Whiz Ad for 1950s Party Food

Source: Flickr

From my original post:

For the most authentic experience for your party, you need to serve 1950’s food. If you want recipes or ideas see if you can find some old 1950’s cookbooks online (like Etsy) or in used book stores, they will really help plan your menu.

Vintage Cookbooks – Fantastic Party Food Ideas (Hare are some examples)!

NOTE: If the product is not available when you click thru, just do a search for other options. Etsy is always filled with “new” vintage items.

I have also created a collection of vintage cookbooks avail for purchase, I update monthly on Etsy that you can find HERE.

If you need a little more help then my resources of materials for how to host that 1950s party (see end of post), then you should pickup a book like the one pictured below. A 1957 printing of “Good Housekeeping Party Menus and Recipes“. Based on the original titled “Good Housekeeping Party Book”, this paperback book has 200 different menus and 1000 recipes and party ideas.

A 1957 printing of "Good Housekeeping Party Menus and Recipes". Based on the original titled "Good Housekeeping Party Book", this paperback book has 200 different menus and 1000 recipes and party ideas

The contents of the book. WOW so many helpful topics and recipes!

A 1957 printing of "Good Housekeeping Party Menus and Recipes". Based on the original titled "Good Housekeeping Party Book", this paperback book has 200 different menus and 1000 recipes and party ideas

Source: Etsy

There is also this gem of a cookbook (avail as of Feb 2024 HERE) – 1950s Betty Crocker’s Bisquick Party Book. “97 gay new ideas and recipes…for coffee time through late T.V….from appetizers to desserts!”

Vintage Betty Crocker Bisquick Party Book - Baking with Bisquick - Vintage 1950's Cookbook

The vintage recipes include things like, Party Tuna Bake, Hamburger Onion Pie, Shrimp Salad Short Pie, Hamburger Turnovers and more!

I love a good tuna bake and make it all the time (my recipe is different from the one below though).

1950s Party Food as seen in a 1950s Betty Crocker Bisquick Cookbook. The vintage recipes include things like, Party Tuna Bake, Hamburger Onion Pie, Shrimp Salad Short Pie, Hamburger Turnovers and more!

Source: Etsy-familyhistoryfood

Check out this super cool vintage ‘Molly Magic Party Book’ . Compliments of Eagle Brand Condensed Milk – 1950’s era. AMAZING dessert recipes for any 1950s party you are hosting!

Fabulous vintage 'Molly Magic Party Book' . Compliments of Eagle Brand Condensed Milk - 1950's era.
1950s Party Recipes-Desserts for your next 1950s party
1950s Party Recipes-Desserts for your next 1950s party. Brownies & cookies

Source: Etsy

“Entertaining with Stork“, was produced to promote the sale and use of Stork Margarine and has lots of recipes in it’s pages. Loads of fun ideas for your 1950s Themed Party (including how to feed your teenagers)!

1950s Themed Party food ideas from a 1950s vintage recipe cook book. Teenage party food ideas
1950s Themed Party food ideas from a 1950s vintage recipe cook book. Teenage party food ideas

Source: Etsy

The Good Housekeeping Appetizer Book. Loads of fun ideas!

Good Housekeeping Appetizer Book Cookbook vintage party foods-1950s
Good Housekeeping Appetizer Book Cookbook vintage party foods

Source: Etsy

Vintage 1950s Cream Cheese Cookbook – “Philly Dip Party Handbook” – Dips, Sauces, Party Food.

Vintage 1950s Cream Cheese Cookbook - ""Philly" Dip Party Handbook" - Dips, Sauces, Party Food
Vintage 1950s Cream Cheese Cookbook - "Philly Dip Party Handbook" - Dips, Sauces, Party Food

Source: Etsy

I own the 1950s Betty Crocker Cookbook in the image below it has been really helpful in creating that authentic 1950’s food experience. Here are a few recipes from my book you can use for your own party.

betty-crocker-1950s-cookbook-image-1
1950s party food ideas from a vintage betty crocker cookbook. 1950s appetizers

Jello Molded Salads will be a big hit with your guests…guaranteed.

1950s Jello mold salad recipe as seen in a Betty Crocker 1950s Cookbook

Pigs in the Blankets are a 1950s party food staple.

1950s party food ideas-Miniature Pigs in a Blanket recipe as seen in a 1950s vintage betty crocker cookbook.

Canapes are always a good way to go and they are quick to make.

1950s party food ideas-Cnapes for your appetizers. 1950s appetizer recipe as seen in a 1950s Betty Crocker Cookbook.
1950s party food ideas-Cnapes for your appetizers. 1950s appetizer recipe as seen in a 1950s Betty Crocker Cookbook.

Drinks are a must and a good punch recipe should always be on hand. Here are 2 for you.

1950s Party Drink ideas-Punch recipe as seen in 1950s Betty Crocker Cookbook

Vintage Food Advertising w/ Recipes

Vintage advertising is an excellent source for 1950’s food ideas and recipes. Just type into Google ‘1950s vintage food recipes’ and watch the magic happen. Pinterest is also a great place for recipes and ideas.

1954 Food Ad, Hellmann's & Best Foods Mayonnaise, with Potato Salad Recipe. 1950s Vintage ad.

Source: Flickr

I showed you a Jell-O Mold Salad from my vintage cookbook above, here is another one for your eating pleasure.

Party Food Note: I’m pretty sure this won’t work at your event, but it was kind of fun to add because at some point SOMEONE thought this was a good idea.

1950s Jello-O Mod Lime Cheese Salad Recipe. 1950s Vintage Dessert Recipe as seen on a 1950s vintage ad.

Instead of a Jell-O mold how about Jell-O pudding? In particular ‘Frosted Fondant Pudding’ featuring Carnation Milk? What a delish 1950s ad!

Note: Want more 1950s dessert ideas? Then check out my blog post ‘1950s Dessert Ideas For Your Next Party‘

a vintage 1953 Jello/Carnation milk ad taken directly from the Star Weekly, May 30, 1953 edition. The 1950s ad features a vintage recipe for Jell-o frosted fondant pudding.

Source: Etsy

SPAM! Yes you need this (and can still be found in stores today)! Has anyone ever had a ‘Spam and cheese ribbon loaf?’

1950s vintage ad for SPAM featuring a 1950s recipe (perfect for a 1950s party) for Spam and cheese ribbon loaf.

Meat Loaf. Easy to make and a true 1950’s favourite (you could make mini ones for your party!).

1950s vintage ad for Hunts tomato sauce featuring 15 minute meat loaf recipe.

Source: McCallum Vintage Recipe Divas

Seven-Up Floats. Can be dessert, a drink option or a main dish.

Seven-Up Floats vintage 1950s ad

Source: Pop Culture Safari

Ikea can easily supply you the next food option OR if you want to be authentic here is a recipe for Swedish Meat Balls.

1950s Swedish Meat Balls recipe. 1950s vintage recipe.

Source: Antique Alter Ego

Looking for some dessert ideas to sweeten the party up? Angel Food cake is oh so good, especially when it’s a ‘Betty Crocker Cherry Nut Angle Food Cake’. YUM!

FURTHER READING: Vintage Cake Ideas As Seen Thru 1920s-1950s Ads

Betty Crocker Softasilk Cake Flour, May 1951 vintage food ad. Featuring a 'Betty Crocker Cherry Nut Angle Food Cake' recipe. 1950s dessert.

Source: Flickr

Marshmallow Crispy Squares are so easy, even I can make them! ‘9-minute marshmallow crispy square’.

1950s Vintage Ad for Kellogg's Rice Krispies featuring a vintage recipe for Rice Crispy Squares.

Source: Flickr

Lastly here were my other suggestions from my original post:

  • French Fries
  • Hotdogs and Hamburgers
  • Celery & Cheese whiz
  • Devilled Eggs
  • Pineapple upside cake
  • Casserole…anything
  • Fondue
  • Fruit on Skewers
  • Roasts
  • Pound Cake
  • Fruit Cup
  • Meat Pies
  • TV Dinners
  • Soufflé
  • Grilled cheese
  • Ice Cream/Banana splits

REMINDER! Make sure you check out my Etsy collection that I update once a month with vintage cookbooks from the 1900s to 1960s avail for sale.

I hope this extension of my “How to host a 1950s Themed Party” blog post was helpful and got the wheels turning on what to serve at your own party. Good Luck and Happy Shopping!

Question Time: What are your favorite 1950s Party Foods that you would add to this list?

Further Reading:

Food:

Party Games, Party Decor, 1950s Music, 1950s Fashion & More

For further Inspiration please make sure to check out my Pinterest Board on “Vintage Cooking Ideas”.

https://www.pinterest.ca/egruening/vintage-cooking-ideas/?invite_code=d25a74885bc344bcaea3b026f237a30a&sender=204562145482899545

Liz


Aug
2015

Vintage Dance Crazes

categories: 1950s Party, Vintage Dance

Wednesday night I was at the Canadian National Exhibition (a big fair held every year in Toronto. Blog post HERE) to check out a performer that has been on my bucket list for quiet some time..CHUBBY CHECKER! Yes the Twister himself..Chubby Checker.

chubby checker

The concert was fantastic and filled with tons of energy and I came away with a big smile after it was done. Here is a collage of the evening.

Chubby Checker at the CNE

The next day as I was driving to work, I got to thinking about how the Twist was quintessentially a “Dance Craze or also called Fad“, which are characterized by a short burst of popularity and sometimes gliding smoothly into tradition after their “newness” has faded (like the twist which is still done today and the Lindy Hop which was originally a dance craze), and sometimes simply fading away into oblivion (source).

Then I wanted to know what OTHER dances were also Dance Crazes and then share them with you. Here are highlights of some of the fun one’s I found (trust me when I say there are many more).

Note: Link to part 2 is at the end of the post.

Vintage Dance Crazes (Part 1)

Vintage Dance Craze

The Carioca

The word “Carioca” refers to inhabitants of Rio de Janeiro and was a 1933 popular song with music by Vincent Youmans and lyrics by Edward Eliscu and Gus Kahn, as well as the name of the dance choreographed to it for the 1933 film Flying Down to Rio.

In the movie the routine was done by Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers with the main characteristic of the dance being that it was to be danced with the partners’ foreheads touching.

While the song has become a jazz standard, the dance did not have longevity. Following the success of Flying Down to Rio, an attempt was made to propagate it as a new ballroom dance, without much success (source).

Dance Marathons 

People loved to dance, especially the Charleston, Fox trot, and the shimmy. Dance marathons were something everyone went to every weekend and developed into entertainment events during the Great Depression in the 1930s. These marathons would last anywhere from a few hours to a days and even weeks.

The Big Apple

Is a group participation circle dance that uses swing dance for a host of steps. The Big Apple has some roots in the Ring Shout and Square Dance as well. Sometimes a solo or couple would perform in the center of the circle (like today’s modern jams) as the rest of the dancers would dance in a circle around them (source).

Originating at the “Big Apple Night Club” in the Palmetto state of Columbia, South Carolina around 1936.

dancing the big apple-Vintage Dance Craze

This dance is cued by a caller, dancers performed moves from the Lindy Hop, Shag, and Charleston, and popular jazz steps like Trucking and Pecking. Some of the names of steps were called “Spank The Baby, Rusty Dusty, Charleston, Suzy-Q, Pose & A Peck, Boogie Back, Shorty George, and Truckin (source).

You can still see the Big Apple today in many Lindy Hop dance scenes.

The Bunny Hop

Is a novelty dance that was created at Balboa High School in San Francisco in 1952. It is a social mixer dance, sometimes also referred to as a “party” or “dance party” dance. See my blog post on the dance HERE.

The Madison

I LOVE THIS DANCE! Years ago I took a class on how to dance the Madison and I have been obsessed with wanting to dance it again..soon.

The Madison Dance Steps

The Madison is a novelty dance that was popular in the late 1950s to mid-1960s. The Madison was created and first danced in Columbus, Ohio, in 1957. The local popularity of the dance and record in Baltimore, Maryland, came to the attention of the producers of The Buddy Deane Show in 1960. Picked up by dance shows across the country, it became widely popular.

The Madison is a line dance that features a regular back-and-forth pattern interspersed with called steps. Its popularity inspired dance teams and competitions, as well as various recordings, and today it is still sometimes performed as a nostalgic dance. The Madison is featured in the John Waters movie Hairspray, seen below (source).

The Mashed Potato

Is a dance move which was a popular dance craze of 1962. The dance move was made famous by James Brown and used in his concerts regularly. It was danced to songs such as Dee Dee Sharp’s “Mashed Potato Time”. The move vaguely resembles that of the Twist, by Chubby Checker (source).

Last but not least I will leave you with everyone’s favorite…

The Hand Jive!

The hand jive was invented at The Cat’s Whisker, a coffee bar situated in Soho, London, during the mid-late 1950s. It was invented because there was no space to manoeuvre in the crowded basement other than to do ‘hand dancing’. It is a dance particularly associated with music of the 1950s, rhythm and blues.  It involves a complicated pattern of hand moves and claps at various parts of the body, following and/or imitating the percussion instruments (source).

The hand jive was popularized in the States by Johnny Otis’s “Willie and the Hand Jive”.

Most people remember it from the Movie Grease.

And that is all for now, but like I said above there are many many more, so you can see “Dance Crazes Part 2” HERE.

Question time! Do you have a favorite Dance Craze or Fad (vintage or modern)? Share in the comments below.

FURTHER READING:

Liz 🙂