"According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of stay-at-home moms decreased from 49% in 1967 to 23% by 1999. So, with more mothers joining the workforce every year, it makes sense that fewer were making their desserts from scratch as often. The recipes often combine fruit, nuts, pre-made crusts, and other no-bake or from-a-mix components. Interestingly, quite a lot of the desserts on our list rely on Jell-O brand gelatin and pudding mixes as well as Cool Whip."
"The desserts '80s kids remember eating may not have been fancy and Instagram-worthy, but they were fun and flavorful. They were also easy to make. While it was possible to make some of them the long way, the name of the game was simplicity. Some nostalgic '80s desserts came prepackaged and ready to eat, while others required putting boxed mixes or processed foods together without a lot of work involved."
'80s kids' desserts were often simple, fun, and easy to make, frequently relying on prepackaged components, boxed mixes, and processed ingredients. Growing female workforce participation led to fewer desserts made from scratch, favoring no-bake recipes combining fruit, nuts, pre-made crusts, Jell-O gelatin, pudding mixes, and Cool Whip. Many nostalgic treats were served at potlucks and holidays, such as ambrosia salad, which dates back to the 1800s and originally layered orange slices and coconut with sugar. These fast-made, indulgent desserts are considered junk food by ingredient standards but remain flavorful and fondly remembered.
Read at Tasting Table
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]