Fruit snacks exploded in the 1980s, with brands like Fruit Roll-Ups, Sunkist Fun Fruits and Del Monte all competing for kids’ lunchboxes. Here’s how it happened.
Explore the heartwarming legacy of the Benji movie, a 1974 dog film that turned a shelter pup into a Hollywood star and charmed a generation.
Hawaiian luau parties swept American backyards in the late ’50s and ’60s — here’s the real history behind the roast pigs, paper leis and pineapple punch.
Whether you call them 7-layer bars, magic cookie bars or something else, It’s just layer after layer of delectable ingredients, spread on top of the other right in the baking pan. No mixing!
Burnt sugar, chocolate malt, pink lemonade, black walnut — vintage cake mixes once offered flavors you’d never find on shelves today. Here’s how it all happened.
Sprite launched in 1961 as Coca-Cola’s long-shot bet against 7-Up. Here’s how the lemon-lime soda went from Ohio test markets to a global top-three bestseller.
Miracle Whip launched in 1933 as a Depression-era mayo alternative — and by the 1950s, it was turning canned peaches into “salad.” Here’s how that happened.
Wacky Packages were the sticker craze that outperformed baseball cards in 1973. Here’s the full story behind the parody packs that kids couldn’t get enough of.
1847 Rogers Bros made silver plate flatware a middle-class staple. Here’s the history behind the brand, the patterns and the Connecticut company that built it.
This 1962 strawberry torte layers meringue-topped cake with pink almond cream & fresh berries — a classic spring dessert that’s easier than it looks.
Piggly Wiggly invented the self-service grocery store in 1916. See rare photos inside the original Memphis location just two years after it opened.
Old peanut butter brands have a longer, wilder history than you’d think. See the vintage ads and forgotten names behind America’s favorite spread.
1960s drinks meant more than a cold glass — they came with rules, rituals and a whole history. See the recipes and toasts that defined the era.
How long does Jello take to set? It depends on the stage — here’s a handy vintage chart plus a speed-set method that cuts the time way down.
The monumentally-successful ‘I’d like to buy the world a Coke’ ad campaign was heard all over the world back in 1971. See the commercial here!
The devilied egg is truly an American innovation, Here are 22 different old-fashioned and divinely delicious deviled egg recipes for you to try!
Retro Easter candy has a surprisingly short history. See vintage ads for Brach’s, M&M’s, Cadbury & more from the 1970s–’90s!
Here, get old-fashioned elderberry recipes for wine, elderberry jam & jelly, cobbler, pie and more delicious vintage-style treats!
The original Rice Krispies treats were invented in the 1930s. By 1940, the recipe was known across the country — and their popularity has hardly waned since. Here, get the original version of the treats recipe, along with some modern variations!
As you prepare for your Easter celebration, check out these vintage Easter egg decorating ideas! There are probably a few you remember… and maybe one or two you haven’t seen!
New Coke lasted just 77 days before America revolted. Here’s the real story behind the most infamous product launch of the 1980s.
This retro recipe for a cold glazed baked ham is coated with a version of chaud droid, then decorated with pimiento, green pepper and olives.
Here’s a delicious pineapple upside-down bundt cake — an easy-to-make pound cake dessert with a crushed pineapple glaze.
Explore 1970s restaurants: fast food boom, sit-down spots with flair and photos showing how America dined in the ’70s.
See how families managed the grocery budget in the 1950s, and what their practical, everyday habits reveal about shopping, saving and running a midcentury kitchen.
Tang orange drink mix was advertised as a ‘new breakfast drink discovery’ when it was introduced in the ’50s, and went on to become a part of pop culture history – especially once NASA and Mrs Brady got in on the action.
Everyone knows the pastel little Valentine’s Day sweets that say Hug Me, Cutie and more. Where did those candy heart sayings come from? Look back here!
What better way to celebrate love than with delicious Valentine’s Day desserts?
Bake a taste of the past with this oatmeal bread recipes from 1973, straight from Quaker Oats’ vintage kitchen files.
Grains sprouting in jars and dense homemade bread were signs that organic food was gaining ground in 1970 — see how it all started.
Apple and spice roast with lamb, beef or pork adds a vintage twist to dinner with warm spices and honey-simmered apples from a 1979 recipe.
Take a look back at old-school packaged cookies like Hydrox, Chips Ahoy, Almost Home, Lorna Doone and more — some still around, others long gone.
This cream cheese frittata is packed with potatoes, zucchini, tomato and green onions — and it’s finished with creamy cubes of Philly cream cheese on top.
This retro pancake recipe from 1962 lets you add fruit, bacon, chocolate chips or even sliced hot dogs right into the batter. Quick, easy and still fun to make.
Try these hot rum recipes for winter drinks made with cider, coffee, tea or eggnog. Easy to make and good for cold nights or holiday gatherings.
A New Year wish you can make come true! To bake the most luscious New Year’s cakes you ever tasted, follow these four easy recipes from the ’50s.
Philly cheese bells from the 1980s shaped a cheddar and cream cheese spread into festive molds. Easy to prep, easy to serve, and good with crackers.
This exceptional Bacardi rum cake is a pudding cake baked in a ring pan, and flavored with Bacardi dark dry rum. You may be surprised at how easy it is to get an elegant cake – perfect for the holidays!
Here are 12 amazing classic apple pie recipes, collected from newspapers published across the US throughout the ’60s!
A shrimp Christmas tree appetizer is a scene-stealer and a real buffet beauty, certain to cast a special charm over any holiday party – yet so easy to do! Here’s how.
Ovaltine promised better sleep, more energy and extra nutrition in vintage ads from the 1920s to the 1980s — see how this chocolate drink made its case.
Found: The perfect recipe for the classic caramel candy, that everyone can enjoy making — and eating.
Make these vintage Christmas cane cookie buns from 1963 with a clever no-rise dough and festive fruit filling shaped like candy canes.
Try this tasty and easy recipe from the early 1960s for old-fashioned rolled sugar cookie cutouts, accompanied below by step-by-step photos!
Paintbrush cookies from Betty Crocker’s 1956 promotional booklet let you paint edible designs before baking. A fun, colorful twist on traditional cut-outs.
Thanksgiving, now held each year on the fourth Thursday in November, has long been a controversial holiday, Here, look back at Thanksgiving history as it played out over more than three centuries.
Pecan pumpkin pie adds the rich flavor of pecans in a crunchy top layer. Corn syrup is combined with canned pumpkin and eggs for a fast, smooth custard filling.
Though many have tried, no cook has ever been able to improve upon the taste of traditional pumpkin pie. Carnation’s famous pumpkin pie recipe is a Thanksgiving classic – and we have the ’50s recipe right here.
To many Americans living south of the Mason-Dixon line, sweet potatoes must be made with marshmallows! Here are 6 ways to make old-fashioned marshmallow sweet potatoes for a Thanksgiving side dish!
Traditional Thanksgiving dinner food served at the original First Thanksgiving feast in 1621 provides a tasty menu for holiday tables today. Get some great recipes here!
More than good, Libby’s pumpkin pie is smooth, gently spicy, and perfect! Get the classic pie you love – the original vintage recipe is right here, with our very own step-by-step photos to guide you.
Take a nostalgic look back at how Americans have loved coffee for generations – plus get some great old-fashioned ways to brew a delicious cup of vintage coffee.
These delicious classic pumpkin cookie bars are sort of like a denser pumpkin bread, and pair perfectly with a tasty orange-y cream cheese frosting. Get the retro recipe from the 80s here!
Make breakfast feel like fall with these vintage pumpkin pancakes from 1989, made with real pumpkin, warm spices and easy pantry staples.
A lot of 80s candy endures to the present, but you’re still going to love these retro ads & packages from back in the day! Which were your favorites?
These classic apple dessert recipes from the 1960s bring all the best fall flavors to the table — maple, spice, honey and more.
When jack-o’-lantern carving time rolls around, conjure up your own designs, or try one of these that use pumpkins or squash!
Explore teen Halloween party ideas from 1963 featuring spooky games, handmade decorations and festive food for a night full of fun.
Pepsi-Cola history began in a North Carolina drugstore in 1893 and grew through decades of quirky slogans and everyday moments across America.
This Halloween Oreo pie made the rounds in 1993, offering a cold and colorful twist on the classic cookie crust dessert. It’s a simple freezer pie made
Dream Whip topping debuted in the late 1950s, and told customers that it was low in cost and low in calories – plus that it came a box, stayed fresh on a shelf, and needed no refrigeration.
See how Schlitz beer shaped American culture through vintage ads from the 1880s to the 1970s, from purity claims to backyard party scenes.
Grilled ham & cheese sandwiches get a retro spin in this 1960s foil-wrapped Hamcheezers recipe made for cookouts and easy weeknight meals.
Cracker Jack became a pop culture icon with its caramel popcorn, peanuts and surprise prizes. See how this vintage snack won America’s heart.
Smothered chicken gets the retro treatment with this clever 1962 recipe using dry soup mix and evaporated milk for a smooth, rich sauce.
What can you make with Spam? According to these retro Spam recipes – what *can’t* you make with it?! Check out these easy vintage how-tos here.
In 1965, Instant Quaker Oatmeal hit grocery store shelves, and so was born a popular hot breakfast cereal that has lasted more than 50 years.
Retro paper plates took off in the 60s and haven’t disappeared since. See how these colorful classics shaped party tables then and now.
Delmonico’s during the Gilded Age helped turn fine dining into a spectacle Starting in the 1820s as a modest downtown confectionery, New York City’s legendary Delmonico’s grew
Ruby Slipper Jello bundt cake is a retro 1970s dessert with raspberry swirls baked in for flavor and fun, topped with a simple powdered sugar finish.
General Mills’ vintage Breakfast Squares from the 70s promised a complete meal in two frosted bars — though sugar and shortening topped the ingredient list.
Step back in time with vintage McDonald’s photos, menus and ads from the 1950s through the 1990s, capturing decades of classic fast food history.
See how home cooks 100 years ago made easy meals from just 4 foods, creating 12 different dinner menus with classic recipes and smart planning.
Explore Dr Pepper history from its quirky origin story to its fizzy rise as America’s oldest major soft drink.
This Italian zucchini crescent pie from 1980 won $40,000 at the Pillsbury Bake-Off and still holds up as a fast, hearty retro dinner favorite.
Incredible Edibles, the candy-making Thingmaker counterpart, said that their Sooper Gooper would mold sugarless liquid Gobble Degoop into chewy gumdrop-like morsels in 4 flavors. Here’s how it worked.
Burger King — the nation’s fastest-growing chain of self-service restaurants — is so delightfully different, no wonder it has caught America’s fancy!
This summer party menu from 1970 features vintage recipes, themed dishes and party planning tips that turned teen cookouts into charming events.
Homemade meatballs, spaghetti and a rich red sauce make this delicious pasta dinner: Vera’s favorite Spaghetti Romano recipe from the ’80s.
Who would’ve thought humble roots, herbs, and bark could spin such an effervescent tale? The history of root beer is both intriguing and surprising – take a look!
Here are some fun ideas and recipes to give your 4th of July a truly retro vibe, plus a look back at the history of Independence Day!
Patriotic Jello desserts from the ’90s with red, white and blue layers are perfect for July 4, Memorial Day, Veterans Day or any all-American celebration.
Here are some easy, clever & cute vintage pasta crafts that you can make, including a pineapple that would make a great centerpiece, and some pretty dried noodle trees.
Quick summer recipes from 1969 bring retro charm and fast dinner fixes with soups, salads, casseroles and more from the Daylight Time-Savers cookbook.
Serve your Caribbean coconut chicken with cornbread or French bread, pear-lettuce salad, and a full, dry white table wine.
See how to make a vintage charcuterie board made with retro-style cold cuts along with 1950s nibbles, like casseroles, old-school salads and more.
A traditional Memorial Day celebration is a mix of somber remembrance, family togetherness & fun. We’ve gathered some ideas to help you plan a perfect holiday
This best ever BBQ sauce from 1973 is bold, easy to make, and better than anything in a bottle. A backyard favorite for hot dogs, burgers and more.
Take a fun look back at vintage Hostess snacks like Twinkies, cupcakes and fruit pies — see how these classic treats became American favorites.
In the early 1940s, Whitman’s Chocolates heavily promoted their product as the ideal Mother’s Day gift — and they laid the guilt on thick. “There is no hurt like forgetting.”
Take a look at these retro meatloaf recipes from the 1960s — some delicious, some strange, and all full of vintage dinner table spirit.
It seems that there are almost as many old-fashioned mint julep recipes as there are people who enjoy the cocktails. Take a look at a century of the best how-tos!
In the early 1980s, Wilton rolled out a batch of Star Wars cake pans that turned ordinary birthday cakes into mini blockbusters. Inspired by The Empire Strikes
A wonderful play of taste and texture, this Holy guacamole recipe combines avocados, savory herbs and spices, and just a dash of imagination.
General Foods International Coffee ads from the ’70s and ’80s had cozy vibes, sweet flavors and a jingle you still can’t get out of your head.
Tastee-Freez was the go-to spot in the 1950s for fast food and frozen treats. See what made this ice cream chain a summertime favorite.
Brach’s Easter candy from the ’60s included chocolate malt & chocolate creme eggs, marshmallow-filled chicks and rabbits, and tiny jelly bird eggs.
Make decorated Easter cookies a part of your holiday tradition with this cute Easter egg design. Why should Christmas have all the cookie fun?
