Ah, childhood—when questionable food choices were everywhere (and somehow we ate them without a second thought). Here are 13 gross foods from the past that’ll make you shudder today:
**1. Jell-O Salad with Mayo & Veggies
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Lime Jell-O + shredded carrots + mayo = a crime against taste buds. Popular in the ‘50s and ‘60s.
**2. Cottage Cheese with Canned Fruit Cocktail
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Slimy curds + syrupy peaches = a sad “health food” trend.
**3. Vienna Sausages Straight from the Can
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Mystery meat floating in gelatin? Why did we do this?
**4. Ketchup or Mustard Sandwiches
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Just bread + condiments. Peak “Mom, there’s nothing to eat!” energy.
**5. Potted Meat Food Product (aka SPAM Lite)
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Unidentifiable pink paste. Bonus points if eaten with crackers.
**6. Pickled Pigs’ Feet
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Jarred, jiggly, and why was this ever a snack?
**7. Creamed Chipped Beef on Toast (S.O.S.)
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Salty, gray meat paste on bread. A military-meets-school-cafeteria nightmare.
**8. Bananas with Mayonnaise
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A Depression-era “treat” that should’ve stayed in the past.
**9. Miracle Whip on Everything
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Not mayo, not not-mayo—just sweet, tangy regret.
**10. Canned Spinach (à la Popeye)
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Mushy, metallic, and nothing like the fresh stuff.
**11. Liverwurst
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Cold, spreadable organ meat. Often forced on kids as “healthy.”
**12. Prune Juice “Treats”
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Grandma’s laxative disguised as dessert.
**13. Grape-Nuts with Hot Water
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The sad, soggy cereal of “it’s good for you!” lies.
Bonus Cringe:
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Butter Sandwiches (just butter + bread)
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Tomato Aspic (Jell-O + tomato juice + veggies)
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Boiled Hot Dogs in Grape Jelly (’70s “gourmet” appetizer)
Question: Did you actually like any of these as a kid? Or were you just… traumatized? 😂
(Honorable mention to school cafeteria “mystery meat” and fish sticks that were 50% breading.)
