Back in Time Today
Remember when certain foods seemed absolutely glamorous to us as kids? In the ’70s and ’80s, specific treats held an almost magical status in our young minds. Whether served at special occasions or spotted in TV commercials, these foods made us feel sophisticated and grown-up. Let’s take a delicious trip down memory lane to revisit the fancy foods that had us completely fooled into thinking we were dining like royalty.
1. Fondue – The Ultimate Party Food
Nothing screamed sophistication like watching adults dip bread cubes into bubbling cheese. Fondue sets became the must-have wedding gift of the era, promising nights of elegant entertaining. Most kids only experienced this treat at special gatherings where we felt incredibly mature using those long, colorful fondue forks.
The ritual seemed impossibly fancy – melted cheese or chocolate served in a communal pot with tiny burners underneath! Parents would invite friends over for “fondue night” while we sneakily tried to double-dip without getting caught.
Many fondue sets ended up collecting dust in cabinets after a few uses, but the memory of that first cheesy bite remains a pinnacle of childhood culinary elegance.
2. Quiche – The Fancy Egg Pie
The mysterious egg pie from France that suddenly appeared at every brunch and ladies’ luncheon! Quiche became the sophisticated dish that moms served when they wanted to impress the neighbors. Kids approached it cautiously, unsure about this strange mix of eggs, cheese, and various fillings in a pastry shell.
Remember the famous 1982 book “Real Men Don’t Eat Quiche”? That only made it seem more exotic and European to our young minds. The classic Quiche Lorraine with bacon bits felt particularly grown-up.
Most of us eventually realized quiche was basically just eggs and cheese in a pie crust – but back then, knowing how to pronounce it correctly made you feel worldly beyond your years.
3. TV Dinners in Aluminum Trays
The compartmentalized aluminum trays made ordinary food feel special! Those little divided sections kept your salisbury steak from touching your corn and apple cobbler. The shiny packaging and promises of a “complete dinner” made these frozen meals seem like restaurant quality cuisine to kids.
Swanson’s TV dinners ruled supreme, especially their turkey version with stuffing that mom would serve when she didn’t feel like cooking. The aluminum trays even doubled as makeshift sleds for action figures after dinner!
The food itself was mediocre at best, but the experience of balancing that tray on your lap while watching “The Love Boat” felt like the height of dining luxury to a 70s kid.
4. Cheese Balls Rolled in Nuts
That mysterious orange sphere rolled in chopped nuts signaled a truly special occasion! Adults would gather around it at parties, spreading the soft cheese onto crackers while making appreciative noises. For kids, being allowed to sample this grown-up appetizer felt like admission to an exclusive club.
The texture combination was unlike anything in our regular diet – creamy cheese with crunchy nuts coating the outside. Mom would bring it out for bridge club or when company came over, placing it on a special glass plate with a dedicated cheese knife.
We had no idea it was simply processed cheese mixed with cream cheese and rolled in nuts. The presentation alone convinced us it was gourmet fare straight from a fancy restaurant.
5. Crepes Suzette
French pancakes set on fire? Nothing could possibly be fancier! Crepes Suzette represented the absolute pinnacle of sophisticated desserts with their dramatic tableside preparation and fancy French name. Most of us only saw this theatrical treat in movies or at very special restaurants.
The thin pancakes doused in orange liqueur and set aflame by the waiter created an unforgettable spectacle. Parents would warn us to sit back as the blue flames leaped dramatically from the pan.
Few families actually made this at home due to the fire hazard, but just knowing about Crepes Suzette gave kids major bragging rights on the playground. “My parents took me somewhere they set dessert on FIRE!”
6. Beef Stroganoff – Fancy Name, Simple Dish
The exotic Russian name transformed ordinary beef and noodles into an international delicacy! Beef Stroganoff appeared on dinner tables when mom wanted to elevate weeknight meals. That creamy sauce with mushrooms and beef strips over egg noodles seemed impossibly sophisticated to our uncultured palates.
Many families discovered this dish through Hamburger Helper’s convenient boxed version, which became a 1970s pantry staple. The tangy sour cream sauce made it taste “grown-up” compared to regular pasta dishes.
Kids would proudly announce to friends, “We’re having Stroganoff tonight,” emphasizing each syllable of the exotic-sounding name. Little did we know this “gourmet” meal was actually a simple comfort food that came together in under 30 minutes.
7. Swedish Meatballs with Toothpicks
Regular meatballs transformed into haute cuisine with the addition of cocktail toothpicks! These bite-sized treats swimming in creamy gravy appeared at every sophisticated gathering. The fancy wooden toothpicks with colored cellophane frills made them seem especially elegant.
Mom would spend hours rolling the tiny meatballs for holiday parties, keeping them warm in a chafing dish or electric skillet. Kids would sneak as many as possible, carefully discarding the toothpicks as evidence.
Long before IKEA made them mainstream, Swedish meatballs represented party food royalty. The mysterious blend of spices (was that nutmeg?) and creamy sauce convinced us we were sampling authentic international cuisine, even though most recipes came straight from Betty Crocker.
8. Cherries Jubilee – Dessert with Drama
Another flaming dessert that epitomized culinary sophistication! Cherries Jubilee combined two elements guaranteed to impress children – ice cream and controlled pyrotechnics. This dramatic dessert appeared in fancy restaurants where waiters would wheel out a cart and perform the fiery preparation tableside.
The sweet cherries bathed in liqueur, set aflame, then poured over vanilla ice cream created an unforgettable sensory experience. Parents would photograph the blue flames while we sat mesmerized by the spectacle.
Most of us never had this at home (again, fire hazard), but the mere concept of dessert requiring a fire extinguisher on standby represented peak fancy food to our young minds. Some brave parents attempted flameless versions for special birthdays.
9. Viennetta Ice Cream Cake
Those commercials showing the knife cutting through perfect rippled layers had us completely mesmerized! Viennetta ice cream cake, with its elegant waves of vanilla ice cream and thin chocolate layers, seemed like the dessert equivalent of a luxury car.
The British import hit American freezers in the 1980s, promising an upscale dessert experience without any actual baking. The TV ads showed the cake being sliced in slow motion, revealing those perfect rippled layers that seemed impossibly sophisticated.
Serving Viennetta at a birthday party instead of regular cake instantly elevated your family’s status in the neighborhood. Kids would beg parents to buy it for special occasions, convinced those fancy layers must taste better than regular ice cream.
10. Pigs in a Blanket – Cocktail Party Classic
Miniature hot dogs wrapped in crescent roll dough became the height of cocktail party sophistication! These simple appetizers appeared at every grown-up gathering, making kids feel included in adult festivities. The combination of familiar flavors in bite-sized form was irresistible.
Served on special platters with fancy mustard for dipping, these tiny treats disappeared faster than any other appetizer. Parents would make double batches knowing kids would hover near the buffet table.
The name itself added to their exotic appeal – why were hot dogs called pigs? Why did they need blankets? The whimsical name paired with their presence at adult parties elevated them from basic hot dogs to sophisticated finger food that made kids feel grown-up.
11. Chocolate Mousse in Stemmed Glasses
Regular pudding became haute cuisine when served in crystal stemware! Chocolate mousse represented the epitome of grown-up desserts in the ’70s and ’80s. The light, airy texture seemed magical compared to the boxed pudding we normally encountered.
Restaurants served it in elegant stemmed glasses with a dollop of whipped cream and perhaps a mint leaf for garnish. At home, mom might make it for dinner parties using instant mousse mix (often just glorified pudding), but the presentation in special glasses made all the difference.
The first time we were allowed to eat from those delicate stemmed glasses felt like a graduation to adulthood. The fancy French name added to its mystique – many kids couldn’t even pronounce “mousse” correctly, often calling it “chocolate moose.”
12. Ambrosia Salad – The Colorful Concoction
This technicolor mixture of marshmallows, canned fruit, coconut and Cool Whip appeared at every potluck and holiday dinner. Named after the food of the Greek gods, ambrosia salad certainly looked otherworldly with its pastel colors and strange combination of textures.
Kids were simultaneously attracted to and confused by this sweet “salad” that contained no vegetables whatsoever. The mysterious addition of sour cream gave it a tangy flavor that somehow worked with the sweet ingredients.
Served in crystal bowls at family gatherings, ambrosia gained extra sophistication points when presented in individual parfait glasses. The strange combination of ingredients convinced us it must be fancy, though in reality it was just a clever way to use up pantry staples.
13. Baked Alaska – Ice Cream Defying Physics
Ice cream covered in meringue and baked in the oven without melting seemed like actual magic! Baked Alaska represented the pinnacle of dessert wizardry to ’70s and ’80s kids. How could ice cream survive being in a hot oven? The science-defying treat appeared in upscale restaurants and occasionally at very special home celebrations.
The theatrical presentation often included tableside flambéing, adding another layer of spectacle. Children watched wide-eyed as the meringue browned while the ice cream inside remained perfectly frozen.
Few parents attempted this technical dessert at home, making it even more legendary. Those lucky enough to taste it bragged endlessly to friends who couldn’t comprehend how ice cream could possibly be baked without turning into soup.
14. Rumaki – Exotic Cocktail Party Bites
Water chestnuts wrapped in bacon and marinated in soy sauce sounded impossibly exotic to young ears! This Polynesian-inspired appetizer (actually an American invention) appeared at sophisticated cocktail parties throughout the ’70s. The combination of crunchy water chestnuts, savory bacon, and mysterious Asian flavors seemed like international cuisine at its finest.
Served on decorative toothpicks from ornate serving platters, rumaki represented the tiki-influenced entertaining style popular during the era. Adults would consume these alongside their Rob Roys and Manhattans.
Children lucky enough to sample them felt incredibly grown-up and worldly. The name alone – Rumaki – sounded like something from a distant exotic land, though most kids had no idea what water chestnuts even were before encountering this fancy appetizer.
15. Chicken Cordon Bleu – French-Sounding Chicken
Stuffed chicken breast with a fancy French name transformed dinner into a special occasion! Chicken Cordon Bleu appeared on dinner tables when mom wanted to impress guests or celebrate something special. The combination of chicken, ham, and Swiss cheese rolled together and breaded seemed impossibly sophisticated.
The name alone – Cordon Bleu – made kids feel cultured just by eating it. We’d proudly tell friends about our fancy dinner, even if we couldn’t properly pronounce the French words.
By the 1980s, frozen versions appeared in grocery stores, making this once-special dish more accessible. Many families discovered it through those boxed frozen versions, never realizing that “cordon bleu” simply meant “blue ribbon” in French – a distinction for excellent cooking.