• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Humbly Homemade
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • Seasonal
  • About
  • Collaborate
  • Summer Baking
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • Seasonal
  • About
  • Collaborate
  • Summer Baking
×
Home » Dessert

Cooking Vintage Recipes from the 1950's

Published: May 19, 2021 · Updated: Jun 24, 2024 by Carissa Erzen · This post may contain affiliate links · 15 Comments

Welcome back to episode two of time travel with food! That's right, we are going back in time and we are cooking vintage recipes from the 1950's! These recipes from America's history are not very popular anymore in mainstream society. I hope you enjoy reading and learn a little about the past! And maybe you get an idea or two for some new (old) receipts to try!

Welcome to the 1950's in America

There was a lot of meat in 1950's recipes, because meat had previously been rationed in the 1940's during World War II. Now chicken, beef, turkey, pork, etc. all took center stage in American's diets. Hence, meatloaf. Backyard barbeques and frozen TV dinners rose to popularity during this decade, along with "convenience foods" such as canned soup.

Ad from the 1960's for canned macaroni
Ad from the 1960's for canned macaroni

Lunch in the 1950's - Chicken Amadine / Almondine

I had never heard of chicken almondine before, but it's something I'm definitely going to make again! It's a simple casserole that tastes delicious and lasts for several days in the fridge, making it ideal for leftovers.

It consist primarily of rice, chicken, green beans and almonds. That's a healthy source of carbs, two sources of protein, green veggies and healthy fats. It's easy to make and I kept going in for more helpings! The sliced almonds give it a really pleasing crunch, and the green beans help add moisture to the rice and chicken so they don't taste too dry.

You can get the recipe for this delicious casserole is from Taste of Home, and I definitely recommend it!

overhead view of a casserole dish of chicken almandine
one of my favorite recipes I made while Cooking Vintage Recipes from the 1950's was this easy casserole

Dinner in the 1950's - Meatloaf

Okay, here's the notorious meatloaf. Yep, it smelled as gross as it looks. After World War II ended, processed foods became the new craze in the 1950's.

The convenience and ease of canned food allowed housewives to buy so much of their time back. No more slaving away over a simmering pot to make tomato sauce - they could just pop open a can! And the number of grocery stores DOUBLED from 1948 to 1958, making those shiny cans that much more within reach of the American family.

The recipe for this vintage meatloaf (if you dare to try it) is from Click Americana.

by far the worst recipe I made while Cooking Vintage Recipes from the 1950's was meatloaf
two slices of meatloaf on a plate next to extra tomato-based sauce for topping

When my Grandma got married and moved from South Korea to America, she didn't know how to cook the American-style food my Grandpa had grown up on. And while he's grown to love my Grandma's bulgogi, you'll be hard-pressed to get my Grandpa to eat kimchi even to this day.

So my Grandma learned how to make meatloaf and served it to my Grandpa... for like three years straight! My Grandpa didn't have the heart to tell his beloved bride that he didn't even like meatloaf! Can you imagine?!

Eventually, he asked her, "do we have anything else to eat besides meatloaf?" And I think she took the hint and started cooking other things.

meatloaf sliced and ready to eat during an experiment Cooking Vintage Recipes from the 1950's

Dessert in the 1950's - Ambrosia Salad

Ever since I was a kid, my mom would whip up a delicious dessert comprised of yogurt and fruit. It was so delicious! The creamy yogurt coats fresh fruit such as grapes, strawberries and bananas. Mmhmm, it is one of my favorites!

This ambrosia salad from the fifties reminds me of that delicious treat my mom used to make. But this one is as if a five year-old made it, because it's also loaded with mini marshmallows! It's like sweetness to the max.

The recipe for this vintage ambrosia salad is from The Tasty Tip, if you want to make it at home!

A dessert that requires no cooking or baking - delicious ambrosia salad
close-up of the fruit, marshmallows and shredded coconut covered in yogurt for my spin on ambrosia salad
overhead view of 1950's-style ambrosia salad

More Vintage Recipes

  • Vintage Recipes from the 1940's
  • Vintage Recipes from the 1960's
  • Vintage Recipes from the 1970's
  • Vintage Recipes from the 1980's

More Delicious Dessert Recipes

  • A dozen chocolate-dipped shortbread cookies piled on a plate.
    Peanut Butter Shortbread Cookies with Brown Butter
  • A purple cake topped with fresh lemon slices and dried lavender flowers.
    Moist Lemon Lavender Cake with Lemon Drizzle
  • Easy Streusel Plum Yogurt Cake (without oil)
  • Three brownies topped with a creamy coconut and pecan mixture stacked on top of each other.
    Fudgy German Chocolate Brownies with Sweetened Condensed Milk

About Carissa Erzen

Growing up in Germany, I fell head-over-heels in love with ALL the German baked goods, from Lebkuchen to pretzels. Now I'm the founder, recipe developer, and food photographer behind Humbly Homemade, where I test and share German sweets lovingly created from scratch. So pull up a chair, and stay a while!

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. ordinaryfabgirl

    May 23, 2021 at 8:26 am

    Looks yummy

    Reply
    • strawberryandcream

      May 25, 2021 at 10:20 pm

      Thank you!! 😁

      Reply
  2. Yum-number1

    May 20, 2021 at 10:28 pm

    Your story about your grandparents is actually funny...meatloaf everyday!! Hahah. Great post and awesome pictures!

    Reply
    • strawberryandcream

      May 25, 2021 at 10:20 pm

      Haha thank you! They both laugh about it now but I'm sure it was somethin else at the time 😆

      Reply
  3. Azilde Elizabeth

    May 19, 2021 at 5:47 pm

    The Ambrosia salad reminds me having it as a kid. Very tasty but super sweet! I'm enjoying these vintage recipes and history. Keep up the amazing posts 😊

    Reply
    • strawberryandcream

      May 20, 2021 at 9:41 am

      Thank you so much! 🥰😄
      Did your ambrosia salad as a kid have marshmallows in it? I just think that's the funniest thing, to put marshmallows in a “salad”! Lol

      Reply
      • Azilde Elizabeth

        May 20, 2021 at 11:14 am

        😆 that is funny! No I've never heard of marshmallows in a salad!

        Reply
        • strawberryandcream

          May 25, 2021 at 10:19 pm

          The word “salad” is definitely used creatively and liberally 😝

          Reply
          • Azilde Elizabeth

            May 26, 2021 at 3:18 am

            😂 yes!

            Reply
  4. Sarah Davis

    May 19, 2021 at 1:48 pm

    I enjoy reading vintage cookbooks. This is a fun time travel. I still see Ambrosia Salad at Easter and Thanksgiving. Some tea rooms serve if frozen in the summer. Some of the tea rooms occasionally serve Chicken Almondine or Chicken Divine.

    Reply
    • strawberryandcream

      May 20, 2021 at 9:38 am

      That is so cool - where are the tea rooms that serve this dishes? I would want to make a geographical travel for that! 😄

      Reply
      • Sarah Davis

        May 20, 2021 at 9:45 am

        These little hidden gems are throwbacks to another time that still hang on in Southern towns. There are a couple I patronize in Nashville, TN.

        Reply

I'm eggcited to hear from you :) Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

A girl in a pink apron sitting on a kitchen counter.

Hello, I'm Carissa!

I'm the founder, recipe developer, and food photographer behind Humbly Homemade. Inspired by my childhood growing up in Germany, I share recipes of delicious German bakes from scratch.

Learn More

Stay Connected

  • YouTube
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • TikTok

Sign Up + Never Miss a New Recipe!

Summer Baking

  • Easy Lavender Lemon Shortbread Cookie Bars

  • Peach Strudel with Fresh Peaches & Phyllo Dough

  • Cherry Strudel | Cherry Puff Pastry Tart

  • Easy Authentic German Cheesecake (Käsekuchen)

Trending Recipes

  • Easy Black Forest Chocolate Brownies from Scratch

  • Old Fashioned German Poppy Seed Cake | Mohnkuchen

  • A hand holding a cookie packed with rolled oats over a plate of more cookies.
    4-Ingredient Oat Peanut Butter Banana Cookies

  • Pie sliced on a plate with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
    Easy Fresh Strawberry Blueberry Pie

Footer

Let's Get Baking!

No baking experience? No problem! I've spent the past five years developing fool-proof recipes that anyone can create.

About

  • About
  • Work with Me
  • Privacy Policy
  • Disclosure Policy
  • Shop

Recipes

  • Recipe Index
  • Cookies
  • Cake
  • Bread
  • Dessert
  • Breakfast

Connect

  • YouTube
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • TikTok

Copyright © 2025 Humbly Homemade. All rights reserved.

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.