Every once in a while, I think about foods that were a regular on the dinner table when I was growing up but seem to have mostly disappeared since. See if any of these bring back some culinary memories for you.
Bologna sandwiches. I have not had one of these in decades, and I don’t plan to either. I had enough sliced bologna as a child to last a lifetime. No offense, Oscar Mayer, but enough is enough.
Jell-O salads. I can still see those metal tins that Mom hung on the wall — right next to the giant wooden fork and spoon. I guess Jell-O salad was one way to get us kids to eat more fruit. And there was always room for Jello.
Sloppy Joes. Did you ever notice how each family had its own slightly different version of Sloppy Joes? Mom’s were on the dry side, more like the Maid-Rites. Jolene likes her version soupy and redder in color. I like them the way anyone cooks them for me.
Fondue. My sister had a fondue pot set that we tried a few times. In today’s dipping-crazy world, these things could certainly make a comeback — at least in our post-COVID era.
Tuna noodle casserole. I loved this stuff. Tuna AND noodles. The best of both worlds. I still make a version today with macaroni and cheese. I call it the Tuna Fish Hot Dish. Nobody seems to enjoy it like I do.
Western French dressing. We seemed to always have a bottle of Western French salad dressing on the table. I didn’t like lettuce as a kid, but I did like that stuff. As I recall, the bottle packaging had a steer prominently on the front. As such, I would ask Dad to pass me “the cow,” which brought a laugh from my family members.
Chipped beef on toast. Every soldier knew this by another name, and most of them I know refuse to eat it today, regardless of what it is called. I, on the other hand, truly like it. Jolene just made some a month or two ago, and my salt intake is still high.
Turkey tetrazzini. This was a staple of school hot lunch, and why not? Just the other night, we had some leftover chicken, rice and corn. I mixed it together with a little cheese and a dash of milk. I told Jolene it reminded me of turkey tetrazzini. It was a bit heavy on the corn, but it was delicious.
Goulash. Now, this was a weekly staple in my childhood home. Mom was the tomato-juice-canning queen, and much of it went into this dish. Jolene’s version is less soupy and much improved. Of course, I never told Mom that.
TV dinners. The 1970s were about simplifying the family meal, as many moms started working outside of the home, and the time crunch had settled in. Along came frozen fish sticks, pot pies and TV dinners. My favorite of the latter was Salisbury steak. The potatoes and gravy were good, too. The vegetables were awful. But having a TV dinner on a TV tray in front of the TV set was a special treat, regardless.
Which forgotten foods have I missed? Send me a note and let me know.
Have a great week, and thanks for reading.
Shane Goodman
President and Publisher
Big Green Umbrella Media
shane@dmcityview.com
515-953-4822, ext. 305 | 
