Digest! The publication of the Foodways Section
of the American Folklore Society
From Rosy to Regrettable
Mixed Nostalgia and the Meanings of Jell-O Salad
By: Clare Forstie
Mixed Nostalgia and the Meanings of Jell-O Salad
By: Clare Forstie
Regular
visits to my Midwestern grandparents’ home have provided ample opportunity to
sample both a revered and maligned American food-like substance: the Jell-O
salad. My immediate reaction (like that of many of my generational peers) when
seeing olives suspended in lime-green Jell-O, has been: “ew, gross!” On the
other hand, when discussing the subject of this paper, friends and family have
offered heart-warming reminiscences about the presence of Jell-O salad at
family and community events. It seems that this once-ubiquitous dish provokes
responses that run the gamut from horror to adoration. These responses have
prompted me to ask: why is there such an extreme range of reaction to the food?
Why do Jell-O salad proponents, consumers, and detractors recognize this dish
as a distinctly “American” food? What makes it American, and why do many care
about it now? Exploring the ways in which proponents and detractors understand
Jell-O salad as an American and regional dish tells us something about how
“Americanness” is created and why everyday foods matter.
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