This Vintage Jell-O Appetizer Sounds Strange But Might Actually Work

In present-day America, most people would probably describe Jell-O as a dessert. But it wasn't always that way. In the decades following World War II, Jell-O did indeed lend itself to desserts, but it was also common to combine it with savory ingredients and serve it as an entree, appetizer, or salad. This trend was a product of several factors, including the fact that food manufacturers had newly started producing cookbooks featuring their food as the star ingredient. This was especially true of heavily processed foods, which the companies had sold in great numbers during the war and which they wanted to keep profitable. 

Although some contemporary Americans are repulsed by these vintage recipes, many other find them nostalgic and enjoyable. This is especially true of one unlikely combination: Jell-O with cheese. It may sound strange, but a surprising number of people who remember eating some version of it in their grandma's kitchen argue that the combination works.

Recipes for appetizers like Sawdust Salad combine sweet fruit flavors with shredded cheddar (or sometimes American) cheese. Other recipes pair cottage cheese with pineapple and lime Jell-O. This amalgamation isn't as foreign as it might appear: Have you ever eaten a snack of pineapple with cottage cheese, or apples with cheddar cheese? The pairing works because the mild tang and savory profile of the cheese offsets the sweetness of the fruit. Fruits like apples and grapes are common on cheese plates for the same reason. These Jell-O appetizers take advantage of the same principle, combining sweet with savory for a satisfying, balanced end result. Defenders on Reddit argue that you shouldn't knock it until you've tried it.

If you can't get on board with cheddar or cottage cheese in a Jell-O dish, maybe cream cheese in Jell-O is a more palatable stepping stone. Recipes like Jell-O with cheese balls feature balls of cream cheese suspended in sweet, fruity Jell-O. This juxtaposition might feel less foreign to contemporary cooks, as cream cheese is common in sweet recipes today.

But if you really can't behind the cheese and Jell-O union, there are plenty of fun vintage desserts from the '70s to make. If you're more a fan of its cousin, Jell-O instant pudding, try your hand at Watergate salad, a "salad" that combines pistachio pudding mix, Cool Whip, pecans, and marshmallows.