20 Thanksgiving Dishes From The 1970s That Faded From Your Table

Thanksgiving is one holiday that is burned in the minds of countless generations of Americans. It is our special holiday, and that's probably why we have thousands of recipes dedicated just for this day. Yet, if we took a trip in a time machine to the 70s, do you know you will find folks eating completely strange meals on Thanksgiving Day? But what were some of those dishes that have been lost to history? Join us on a memory trip as we uncover 20 of those dishes from the 70s that are now gone forever. 1. Corn Souffle It may sound fancy, but at the end of the day, corn souffle was a glorified corn casserole. It appeared on many Thanksgiving tables in the 70s, probably not because people loved it, but because it gave old Aunt Linda an excuse to say souffle like a French chef from some high-ticket restaurant. The process of making it started with a can of creamed corn. It's no surprise, really, because the 70s was a hurricane of canned goods. Next, a few eggs were added, then some milk and a whole lot of butter. This mixture was whipped together and poured into a baking dish, but the key to a successful corn souffle was patience. You had to wait for it to rise just enough or else you might as well throw it in the garbage. It may have been like watching a boring soap opera, but the final product was always worth the wait, at least if you're the type that loves corn to a fault. Once baked to a golden puff, it was meant to be light and airy, but instead it often came out with the consistency of a soggy sponge. Whether or not the baker got it right, it still got the job done. It's gone now, likely because people realized that corn is best left on the cob. There's no need to complicate things when you could just roast and serve it in no time at all. This is probably the same reason why the next dish on our list also faded in popularity. 2. Parmesan Green Beans The first time you hear about a dish like this, it may seem like home cooks in the 70s were trying way too hard to jazz up an already perfectly good vegetable. Back then, someone decided that green beans weren't enough on their own, so they threw parmesan cheese into the mix. The process was simple enough. You started with a can of green beans, drained the sad, soggy beans, and tossed them in a bowl. Is anyone else noticing that the 70s love for canned goods knows no bounds? Anyway, then came the parmesan, but not the fresh, shredded kind we know today. Nah, this was the powdery stuff that came in a shaker bottle and had the flavor of grated cardboard even though some folks claimed to love it. The beans were then baked in the oven until the cheese formed a crust, or more accurately, a film that somehow managed to both glue the beans together. When it finally hit the table, parmesan green beans actually blew a few minds because it kinda looked like a gourmet dish. Even though most people knew they were just eating canned vegetables, it's no wonder this dish fell out of favor. Maybe if it was made with fresh ingredients, it could make a comeback. Come to think of it, there's one other long-forgotten dish that is gearing up to make a comeback for this year's Thanksgiving. 3. Pumpkin Pie This foundational Thanksgiving dessert that was both beloved and, let's face it, a bit overhyped at the time. By the 70s, it had solidified itself as the only acceptable pie to end the feast, much to the dismay of apple pie fans everywhere. The making of pumpkin pie was not so different from making other pies. You'd start with canned pumpkin as usual, then mix in eggs, sugar, evaporated milk, and a dash of cinnamon and nutmeg. The combination of these spices somehow made people feel cozy, even if they were on the verge of a post-turkey nap. After pouring the concoction into a pre-made pie crust, it was baked until firm. Before you know what, it filled the kitchen with that distinctive smell that screamed, Thanksgiving done right. Once served, everyone had to take a slice, whether they liked it or not. It was a rite of passage, you just had to take it. The thing about pumpkin pie is that, while it's pleasant enough, its texture was often suspiciously close to baby food with a crust. But that didn't stop people from piling whipped cream on top like they were covering up some dark secret they didn't want the rest of the family to know. It may have been fun, but over the years, pumpkin pie has been dethroned by more exciting desserts like pecan pie and pumpkin-flavored everything else. Still, it lives on as a Thanksgiving relic, forever immortalized and waiting to make an appearance again. While pumpkin pie is a memorable regular, our next entry is what one might call a special 4. Hot Spiced Vineyard Cup The Hot Spiced Vineyard Cup was the drink you didn't know you needed. Whoever created it must have been on to something. They were either a genius or they took too many glasses of red wine on one Thanksgiving night and wanted to try something different. The Vineyard Cup was popular among sophisticated dinner hosts, so if you served one in your childhood home, you can hold your head high because your family certainly has good taste. Though to be honest, it was less about taste and more about vibe. The process of making it was as chaotic as the name itself. You'd start by heating up a bottle of cheap red wine because no one was about to waste the good stuff. Into this, you'd toss cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, and a few orange slices to mask the fact that the wine itself probably wasn't very good. For extra flair, some recipes called for a dash of brandy. Nothing says holiday cheer on a trip to the toilet like combining two types of alcohol. The end result was a warm, fragrant brew that was bitter, sweet, and spicy all at once. It would fill the room with the aroma of spiced fruit, tempting relatives, and little kids who were too curious for their own good. It's no surprise this oddity vanished. Hot, spiced, alcoholic fruit punch loses appeal once you sober up enough to realize you're drinking it. But maybe it didn't taste so bad because many people were drinking it while eating our legendary next dish. Prepare for a blast from the past because your taste buds might kick up a fast when you hear what's coming. 5. Potato Balls If mashed potatoes and tater tots had a baby, it would have to be potato balls. They were all the rage in the 70s, probably because potatoes were growing faster than we knew what to do with them. No one was complaining, though. The making of potato balls began with mashing up a pile of spuds as you would for any potato dish. But instead of stopping there, someone had the brilliant idea to roll the mashed potatoes into balls, coat them in breadcrumbs, and fry them. That's right, potato balls were basically deep-fried mashed potatoes. Sometimes, a bit of cheese was tucked into the center, like a surprise prize for the unsuspecting Thanksgiving visitor. While they were crispy on the outside, the inside texture was a mystery. Would it be light and fluffy, or would you end up with a dense, gummy mass that tasted like glue? It was a gamble every time. People bit into these little orbs with hope, but that was all part of the fun, really. It's a shame that potato balls eventually disappeared from Thanksgiving tables, probably because making them was a lot of work for something that was a side dish but took up the energy of a main course. And yes, Mom always forgot to brown the rolls at the proper time or burn them completely, but it was still a delicious dinner every Thanksgiving. I'll never have another one like it again, but at least it's nice to remember. They were fun while they lasted, but their time came and went, so we don't really see these adorable little balls anymore. Coming up next is a Thanksgiving invention much weirder and more interesting than any potato ball, but somehow it still managed to disappear after the 70s rolled away. 6. Molded Cranberry and Wine Jelly It wouldn't be a proper 70s Thanksgiving menu without a jiggling, ornate tower of gelatin and fruit, which is why families preferred to ditch the store-bought cranberry sauce for the sake of a jewel-like cranberry and rose jelly. It could be made several days in advance, so it left people enough time to scoop up potato balls and pop the pumpkin pies in the oven. To make this dish, you started with cranberry juice and a generous pour of wine. The concoction was then mixed with gelatin, which was supposed to hold everything together and make it look elegant when unmolded. After it was poured into a mold and set in the fridge, it took on the charm of a jello sculpture. Bringing it out of the fridge and placing it on the table was always my favorite part of Thanksgiving tradition. You can imagine the childlike excitement of seeing it wobble like an alien from outer space, even though mom watched you like a hawk to make sure you don't take more than your share. The taste was a curious mix of tart cranberry, mellow wine, and that unmistakable gelatin flavor that could best be described as strange. Despite its ambitious effort to combine two holiday favorites into one, molded cranberry and wine jelly eventually faded from Thanksgiving menus. People realized that cranberry sauce is best served as a simple side dish, and all that gelatin was too much trouble for an acquired taste. 7. Eggnog Pie Whether it's Christmas or Thanksgiving, holidays never really felt complete if the table was missing a shiny batch of eggnog pie. Nothing else could cut it. This Frankenstein of holiday desserts was the 70s attempt at turning everyone's favorite boozy Christmas beverage into something that could be sliced and served, even on Thanksgiving. That period was nothing if not experimental. The recipe was essentially a gamble between the store-bought or the homemade eggnog. Store-bought was the safer bet, because it was less likely to make your pie taste like scrambled eggs. You'd mix the eggnog with gelatin, sugar, and a few festive spices, then pour it into a graham cracker crust and let the whole thing set in the fridge. The gelatin was supposed to give it a firm, pie-like consistency, but more often than not it ended up with a texture that wobbled ominously. Once chilled, it was crowned with whipped cream and a sprinkle of nutmeg. While it wasn't bad per se, it always felt confusing to your taste bud. That's probably what gave it extra charm. Eventually, eggnog pie faded away because people realized they prefer their eggnog in a glass, with plenty of rum to digest what they had just eaten. While folks have mixed feelings about the disappearance of eggnog pie, our next entry had so many haters that millions of kids who were forced to eat it are happy it's gone forever. 8. Kidney Pie In another world, kidney pie could have been the star of the Thanksgiving table if it didn't have so many sworn enemies. It's different enough to stimulate you, yummy enough to put a smile on your face, and it fills you up so much that you can't help but fall asleep on the couch after the meal. The only problem was that making it was even harder than a cooking challenge from a reality show. To prepare this pie, you'd start with beef kidneys, which required a fair bit of cleaning and trimming. The kidneys were then chopped into small pieces and sautéed with onions, garlic, and a few vegetables. The mix was then coated in a gravy made from beef stock and a touch of flour, which was supposed to bind everything together in a savory filling. The pie was then encased in a pie crust that was often the most reliable part of the dish. When served, kidney pie had a unique flavor. It had people giving it a polite try before quietly opting for something more spunky. Kidney pie gradually disappeared from the Thanksgiving spread because it turns out kidneys were better suited to niche recipes than being the centerpiece of a festive feast. Up next is a dish that had folks divided on whether or not it should be wiped out of existence. With many and more happy, it's gone indefinitely. 9. Spinach Apple Toss Spinach apple toss was the 70's salad that aimed to break free from the monotony of traditional salads by adding apples to the mix. Let's be honest, plain old salads can get pretty boring after the third or fourth bite. Leafy greens may be healthy, but eating them alone is the equivalent of watching a documentary about ants. It can get pretty boring. The last thing we want on Thanksgiving day is boring food, so a kitchen genius came up with this brilliant idea. To prepare this, you'd start with fresh spinach leaves, washed and dried to remove any lingering dirt. Then came the apples. We went for typically tart varieties like Granny Smith, sliced into bite-sized pieces. These were combined with the spinach in a bowl, and for added flair, the salad was tossed with a dressing that often included a mix of mayonnaise, vinegar, and a touch of honey or sugar. The idea was to create a creamy dressing that would balance the tartness of the apples with the earthiness of the spinach. In practice, this often resulted in a dressing that was pleasantly sweet, leaving you wondering if the apples and spinach had made a deal in the past life to go so well when eaten together. Speaking about making a deal, our next dish has one ingredient that goes so well with Thanksgiving that it should be illegal. 10. Cheesy Potato Casserole And this is what we had for our tea or our dinner tonight. It's a lovely cheesy potato casserole. You can never go wrong with cheese and potatoes, especially when it's Thanksgiving. This 70's favorite was a gooey comfort classic. The recipe began with a foundation of frozen hash browns. These were combined with a generous amount of shredded cheddar cheese, cream of mushroom soup and a splash of milk. If mom was feeling particularly adventurous, a sprinkle of onions or bacon bits could be added for extra flair, though the casserole was perfectly happy to shine on its own. Once it was mixed, the gooey, cheesy base was poured into a baking dish and topped with more cheese. Remember the golden rule of cooking, if a little cheese is good, then a lot is even better. The whole thing was then baked until the top was gloriously golden and bubbling and the smell of melted cheese filled the kitchen like a warm hug. Coming up after this is a dish that was supposed to be a sophisticated side, but it often ended up being a bit of a letdown. 11. Golden Gourmet Squash Today I'm going to show you one of my favorite summer side dish recipes. We're going to be doing yellow summer squash. Eating it felt like you went to a five-star restaurant to order a gourmet meal, but ended up getting a veggie platter instead. To make it, you'd start with butternut squash, peeled and diced with expert precision. The squash was then cooked until tender, usually by roasting it in the oven, which was supposed to bring out its natural sweetness. A blend of butter, brown sugar, and a sprinkle of cinnamon or nutmeg was then added to the squash, giving it that gourmet touch. Next, the whole thing was tossed together and baked until the edges caramelized. What you got at the end of the day was a slightly sticky, overly sweet side that was meant to be a highlight of the meal, but let's just say it raised a lot of eyebrows. Gourmet squash faded from Thanksgiving menus because while it had potential, it didn't quite live up to the hype. Sometimes, a more straightforward preparation of vegetables was the better choice, leaving gourmet to the dishes that truly earned it, one of which is none other than the next entry on our list, 12. Latticed Apple and Cranberry Tart It seems that everyone has a recipe for apple pie, but what about apple cranberry pie? It's sweet and tart all at the same time. The Latticed Apple and Cranberry Tart elevated every Thanksgiving table it appeared on in the 70s. This tart was the fruit pie's attempt to go to a cocktail party and dazzle everyone with a mouthful of sugary goodness. It's no surprise that many people in the house found themselves going back to the fridge to attack those leftovers. As a bonus, the recipe was not so complicated. You'd start with a mixture of tart apples and cranberries, tossed together with sugar and a splash of lemon juice. The filling was then spooned into a buttery tart shell. The bell of the ball was the lattice crust, where Mama painstakingly wove strips of dough over the top of the tart, trying to make it look like a work of art that would make whoever was the Gordon Ramsay of the 70s proud. It was a labor of love, but if not baked right, the result was often a bit of a letdown. The lattice, while charming, rarely stayed intact, and the filling could end up looking more like a fruit stew than a refined tart. Either way, whatever shortcomings this dish had was more than compensated with the out-of-this-world flavor of our next dish. I am talking about a Southern classic that must make it to your Thanksgiving Day table. We are making Classic Chess Pie. Classic Chess Pie is one of those timeless Southern desserts that sounds weird but actually has nothing to do with board games. Instead, it's a pie that's perfect for those who believe that classic means sweet, buttery, and yummy. The name Chess Pie is a bit of a mystery. Some say it comes from the phrase, it's just pie, which evolved into Chess Pie. Others believe it may be a derivative of the word cheese, as it shares a custardy texture similar to some cheesecakes. Either way, the process begins with a standard pie crust that provides a perfect vehicle for the rich filling. The filling itself was a sweet, buttery blend of sugar, eggs, and butter, with a splash of vinegar or lemon juice to add a touch of tanginess. Next, you mix the ingredients until smooth, pour them into the crust, and bake until the filling sets to a custard-like consistency. When baked, Chess Pie has a slightly cracked top that hints at its rich, gooey center. It's a pie that's sweet enough to satisfy a serious sugar craving, but not so elaborate that it requires a special occasion. That's a pleasant coincidence, because up next is a dish that has the exact same flavor profile. 14. Cranberry Fluff Salad It's not a looker, I will give it that, but it is definitely going to be a taster. Cranberry Fluff Salad blurred the lines between dessert and salad. After all, is there any law that salad has to have vegetables? In case you're noticing the trend, cranberries and Thanksgiving are an inseparable duo, and their history goes way back, possibly even to the very first Thanksgiving in the 1620s. Native Americans had been using cranberries for centuries, and when the Pilgrims arrived, they were introduced to this tart little berry, which eventually became a staple on holiday tables. It all starts with a base of canned cranberry sauce, which was already half the work done for you. To this, you'd fold in a mix of miniature marshmallows, chopped nuts like pecans or walnuts, and a generous dollop of whipped cream. The final product was less salad and more sweet, creamy dessert. The mixture was chilled until it achieved a suitable consistency. When served, it looked like a pink, creamy cloud with occasional bits of marshmallow peeking through. While this meal seems too cute to be true, our next dish will have you wondering why anyone would willingly consume something that sounds so awful, even though it was secretly the tastiest item on the menu. 15. Giblet Gravy Giblet Gravy is the Thanksgiving staple that both intrigues and intimidates. Like what do you mean it's made from the innards of the turkey? Whether you love or hate it, you can't help but wonder where on earth the idea came from. To make Giblet Gravy, you'd start by cooking the giblets, those delightful turkey parts like the neck, heart, liver, and gizzard, along with onions, celery, and herbs, in a pot. This was simmered for hours to create a flavorful broth that was mega off-putting to the uninitiated. The giblets themselves were either finely chopped and mixed back into the gravy, or they were left whole. The broth was then strained, and the resulting liquid was thickened with a roux, which is basically a mix of flour and butter. It was mixed until it achieved the perfect gravy consistency. Some swear by it as an essential part of their holiday spread, while others are perfectly content to let it remain mysterious. Either way, it's a really helpful way to make sure no part of that delicious turkey goes to waste. While our next dish didn't have any turkey involved, it certainly found a way to make itself the main character of the menu, even though it was gone too soon. 16. Sweet Potato Rolls Today, I'll show you how to replace all the liquid in the bread dough with mashed sweet potatoes. So let's get in the kitchen and see how it's done. Despite their charm, sweet potato rolls have all but vanished from many tables. Maybe it was the rise of carb-conscious eaters, or just the overwhelming competition from other Thanksgiving starches. They were the bread basket MVP, ideal for soaking up that last bit of gravy, or serving as a base for leftover turkey sandwiches. To make these rolls, you'd start by adding mashed sweet potatoes into your basic bread dough. The sweet potatoes were usually boiled or baked until tender, then mashed until smooth. They were mixed into the dough, along with a generous amount of butter and a touch of brown sugar. The dough was then shaped into rolls and left to rise until they were fluffy and plump like newborn babies. Once baked to perfection, the rolls came out with a beautiful golden hue. To be honest, they could be a bit of a hit or miss at the end of the day, which is why many people preferred to stick to the consistency of the next meal on our list. 17. Sour Cream Raisin Pie Even though it sounds like an odd mash-up of leftover ingredients, the end result is surprisingly harmonious. Once you've tried it, you quickly realize they were onto something. It's a Midwestern custard pie that features a combination of tangy sour cream, sweet raisins, and a blend of spices like cinnamon and nutmeg. To make it, you start with a pie crust, because every pie needs a base. The filling is where things get interesting. A blend of sour cream, eggs, sugar, and a hefty dose of raisins. The process begins by cooking the mixture on the stove until it thickens into a custard-like consistency. Once thickened, it's poured into the prepared pie crust and baked until set. The result is a pie with a smooth, creamy filling dotted with raisins that may or may not cause some salivation once it starts to release that characteristic aroma. Despite its unique taste, Sour Cream Raisin Pie hasn't exactly stood the test of time as a Thanksgiving staple. But if you're up for trying something that's a little off the beaten path, this pie is a perfect throwback. Coming up next is a biscuit that went so well with any pie that everyone concluded it must have come straight from heaven. 18. Angel Biscuits These might be my favorite biscuits ever. I am talking about none other than Angel Biscuits. Have you had these? Angel Biscuits are a delightful cross between a biscuit and a roll. They get their heavenly name because they're impossibly light and fluffy, almost like they've been sent from above to rescue your holiday bread basket. To prepare these, you'd start with a mixture of flour, baking powder, and baking soda, which provided the leavening for the biscuit aspect. Then, in a move that added to their heavenly fluffiness, yeast was added into the dough, giving it that classic rise. The dough was mixed with a generous amount of butter, milk, and a touch of sugar to enhance its richness and tenderness. The mixture was then kneaded, rolled out, and cut into rounds before being baked. The result was a batch of biscuits that were lighter than your average biscuit, but had the satisfying chewiness of a roll. They were the ideal accompaniment to any meal, but especially to those heavy holiday feasts where you needed something to soak up all that gravy and butter. Sometimes, a little bit of ingenuity can create something truly special, even if it's just a biscuit that makes you feel like you're riding on a cloud. Up next is another sweet dessert that threatened to send you to the emergency room because you couldn't stop stuffing yourself with it. 19. Candied Yams Candied yams might be the perfect holiday side dish. Ultra easy, super quick, and- Candied yams really were the sweetest side of Thanksgiving, pun intended. They're the sweet, sticky, and unapologetically rich side that kept you awake the night before. How many of us remember having our fingers crossed that a plate of candied yams would appear on the table? To make them, you'd start with yams or sweet potatoes, peeled, and cut into chunks. These were then cooked by boiling or roasting until tender. The yams were then coated in a luxurious mixture of butter, brown sugar, and a splash of vanilla extract, with occasional hints of cinnamon or nutmeg to add a warm, comforting holiday spice. Once coated, the yams were arranged in a baking dish and topped with more butter and brown sugar. The dish was then baked until the yams were caramelized and the syrupy glaze had thickened into a rich, gooey sauce. When served, candied yams were often presented as a dessert-like side, with the caramelized edges giving it a delightful, sticky texture that made it irresistible. They were the type of dish that made it a 100% possibility that people would go back for seconds and scrape the dish for every last bit of sugary goodness. Thanksgiving is all about stepping back and reflecting on the good things in your life. It's no wonder this holiday has most of us in a chokehold. When you have dishes like candied yams and the final entry on our list, what could really go wrong? 20. Apple Bourbon Pie Apple Bourbon Pie is the sophisticated cousin of the traditional apple pie. A splash of bourbon was there to elevate the classic dessert into something completely out of this world. It's the pie you make when you want to impress your special guests. Is your mother-in-law coming over for Thanksgiving dinner? Well, you have nothing to worry about when you know this dish is locked and loaded. To prepare this pie, you'd start with a flaky pie crust. The filling begins with apples, typically Granny Smith or another tart variety, peeled, cored, and sliced. These apples are then tossed with sugar, cinnamon, and a pinch of nutmeg for that familiar spiced apple flavor. And now is when the magic happens. A generous splash of bourbon is added to the apple mixture. The bourbon not only adds depth, but also gives the pie a grown-up aura. The filling is then heaped into the prepared crust and topped with a second crust or a lattice design, depending on your preference. The pie is baked until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbling with bourbon-infused goodness. At the end of a long day of cooking, you had an apple pie with a nuanced flavor that hit spots you didn't even know existed. It's a shame no one remembers it anymore. It truly has the potential to turn every Thanksgiving around. So which of these forgotten dishes actually had you in a chokehold? Is there anyone you want to recreate for this year's Thanksgiving? Let us know in the comments. As always, remember to like, subscribe, and share this video to your friends and family. Who knows, maybe the person in charge of cooking this year might take a hint. See you later!