need salad ideas for a 50's Sock Hop theme event
 

At church the ladies are having a gathering on the 20th of May. The theme is 'sock hop' and they are serving hamburgers, hot dogs and chips, to about 100. We are signing up for salads or desserts to go with those foods, I am under salads.

My question is, what would you make as a salad that would be from the 1950 era. I prefer to make/take something healthy as that is how I eat. I do not eat any of the Jello vegetable salads so they are really OUT of the question.

Any inspiration is most welcomed so I can make my plans and do some testing before hand if needed.
Jan

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*** When I was in school the lunchroom made green congeal salad with shredded carrots.
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You said no to jello salads - but my Mom would once in a while make this:

Lemon jello
Finely shredded carrots
Crushed pineapple

I really liked it

For a fruity sweet "salad" - she made something called "glorified rice"

Broccili, onions, bacon, raisins, and sunflower seeds with a dressing of vinegar, hellman's mayo, and sugar

It goes by many names - I was introduced to it as "Woodtick Salad"

Seven layer salad - lettuce, bacon, peas, mayonnaise - I don't know what else - because I have never made it.

Waldorf salad was always a big favorite back then.

I know a number of church gals make great potato salads, I do not use/eat white potatoes. There will be a number of them for sure. Yesterday at potluck there were 2-3 pasta salads, I do not eat the wheat stuff.

The broccoli salad would be a good one, have never heard it called Woodtick salad, funny name but good.

jbj137, I remember that green jello but do not know who actually ate it.

bearisgray, the jello salad might taste better if there was more pineapple than carrot. I like both of them but not together and in jello.

Have some time to make a final decision, the search goes on.

I reeeeeaaaaalllly like the broccoli salad. It is also good without the bacon. Better with - but okay without the bacon.

Do you have access to the "church cookbooks" that were published in that time frame? They might give you some ideas of what was popular then.

Or cookbooks that were published in that time frame.

Cabbage Salad and Cole Slaw were definitely 50s salads too ... but probably you don't like them either.
No reason you have to put the carrot in with the pineapple for a jellied salad.
Pineapple with lime jello, is a nice combo.
Another popular at the time, more so with the adults than the kids at a sock hop was Tomato Aspic.


However, we get the message, that you don't do these salads,
therefore, maybe it would be better to tell the organizers
and ask to be switched to a different food item.

What is the age range for the people attending this event?

What do you like to eat? I would always bring something I liked to a Potluck - that way I knew there would be at least one thing that I liked.

How about 3 bean salad. I ate a lot of that growing up. So much that I never make it.

Oh yes ... how could I have ever forgotten that one?
Hated it then ... and still do.

Another was marinated carrots.
Wasn't overly impressed with it then, but managed to eat some. Not much different now, either! :)

How about corn salad with celery, tomatoes, onion, celery seed and mayo. I'm sure there is a better recipe somewhere but I haven't followed one for years.

I best dig out my 1963 Betty Crocker cook book, was a bridal shower gift. Right now am leaning toward the broccoli salad.
QuiltE,I love cabbage salads and take them to church meals, actually took a sweet/sour version to the potluck yesterday. Usually take a KFC version that always goes over well.
And pineapple in green jello sounds good.

Will get fresh broccoli while out tomorrow and make some, have plenty in the freezer that I use often.

Thanks everyone for your suggestions

All ages will attend the event. I ALWAYS take something I like just for your reasons and for any left overs. But with 100 people just might not have anything left over.

So should I double a recipe of the broccoli salad or not. Do not recall how big the salad was at church, the last time it was brought in.

I also use the peeled broccoli stems - chopped - in the salad.

a good macaroni salad without onions. a lot of people are allergic to onions, and a lot of salads have onions. I try to find a salad without them. I love green beans, long, with Italian dressing over it. you could add bacon bits, but by itself, it's delish. Or a pasta salad with some corn, slivered carrots and peas with Italian dressing over it. it won't go bad in the heat, and is very good. kids like it b/c the beans are long and looks like fun.

'Eating healthy' and the 50's are two things at the opposite ends of the spectrum! Green jello salads with cream cheese, pineapple and marshmallows in them were all the rage. You are going to have to pick between healthy and authentic, I'm afraid. :D

We ate a lot of potato salad when we had a bar-b-que or fried chicken and macaroni salad (but I wouldn't eat it because it was made with mayo - so was the potato salad but it had the mustard to disguise the mayo).
My mother made a salad at every dinner/supper and I remember we always had French dressing, unless it was spaghetti then there was Italian dressing. She never did the broccoli salad - she loved the Waldorf salad - but I think that was after we moved to Seattle in 1962.

How about a pea salad? Frozen peas,diced water chestnuts,green onion ...held together with sour cream( could use low fat kind).

A fruit salad might be good. I remember eating "ambrosia" as a kid. Mom always left out the mini marshmallows.

I remember lots of congealed salads served on a lettuce leaf with a spoonful of mayonnaise on top. Also, wedges of ice burg lettuce with salad dressing drizzled over it.

paoberle reminded me of a half of a canned pear with a dollop of mayonnaise in the hole and shredded cheddar cheese on top of the mayonnaise. Is it a southern thing?

Pickled beets.

The broccoli salad shown above is one of my favorite salads right now. Was at a large event and it was served and I hunted down the recipe because it is soooo yummy.

lynnie, the green beans sound like a nice change up from everything suggested and not a regular at our monthly meals.

Am trying to think of what has been served at our pot luck meals and do something that has not been served every month.

bearisgray, a good tip about using the stems of the broccoli in the salad.

Pickled beets are a regular, had them on Sunday. Relish trays are also a regular.

I personally eat healthy and am not able to eat most of things brought in to our church meals. For this gathering I will have something before attending to make sure my body has the proper fuel.

It seems, those attending this annual event, are teen age boys and devour everything that is not moving.

My top picks are the long green beans along with the broccoli salad.

Thank you for the ideas.

Go to Pinterest and type in salads from the 1950's

growing up in the 50's a meal just wasn't a meal without J E L L O ! I still remember the jingle
For a short time Jello put out a vegetable flavored pack I remember celery. My mom would use that incorporating shredded cabbage and carrot. Set up in a pretty jello ring.

Wow, bringing back some memories here with the mayo inside a 1/2 pear served on a lettuce leaf. A little "fancier" time that we were concerned about presentation!

How about the 5 Cup Salad? Still a favorite with mandarin oranges, pineapple, coconut, sour cream and marshmallows.

I remember one my mother made that had lime jello, probably either cream cheese or cottage cheese, pineapple and just a hint of horseradish in it. Sounds awful but it was really quite good with just a bit of zing in it. Perhaps find the recipe on the jello website?

I just google "Salads from the 1950's " and a bunch of different recipes came up.

I have always made the broccoli salad for events and it goes over real well and it is quite healthy too. I don't put bacon in it tho'. Good luck in your search and let us know what you decide.

My mother made lime jello with cottage cheese, crushed pineapple, and chopped walnuts in the '50s. All 9 of us loved it and we 4 girls still make it for our families.

We love the Amish Broccoli Salad.
1 head broccoli, chopped
1 head cauliflower, chopped
1 cup mayo (not miracle whip)
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 pound bacon, fried and crumbled
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 onion,chopped

Mix and chill.....

How about

cucumber slices (with or without sliced onions) in a mayo dressing or a vinegar sugar water dressing to taste.

a lettuce salad with radishes carrots tomato cucumber shredded cheese croutons and offer a couple of diff dressings

Fire and Ice is one of my favorites. it is made with small size veggies as in baby lima bean baby peas mini corn on the cob diced onion diced tomato and any small veggie you like. the dressing is vinegar sugar water. You can search online for the recipe if you want better directions.

[QUOTE=lindaschipper;7816014]We love the Amish Broccoli Salad.

Adding cauliflower to the broccoli sure would stretch the salad to feed the masses. That is a great idea.

Jordan, would you give your recipe, so I can compare with the Amish one. Am still leaning very heavily to broccoli salad AND the long green beans. Bought some fresh broccoli today but will get cauliflower next time out to make myself a mini salad, it is just me here so small it will be.


Am seeing a lot of jello dishes, I was born in 1945 but can not recall eating jello salads. By the late 50's there were 6 of us kids but still no jello salads, guess that is why I stay away from them.

My mom made great macaroni salad back then. How about a simple fruit salad with a light dressing?

I think people in the 50's probably ate healthier than we do now.They ate home cooked meals from scratch. McDonald's was a fad. I remember being jealous of my best friend in the 60's because her family got to eat TV dinners!

"'Eating healthy' and the 50's are two things at the opposite ends of the spectrum! Green jello salads with cream cheese, pineapple and marshmallows in them were all the rage. You are going to have to pick between healthy and authentic, I'm afraid. :D " as sewbzgirl said.

This is the recipe for Broccoli Salad that I begged for after eating it at a covered-dish dinner:

Broccoli Salad

"Confirmed broccoli haters have changed their minds after tasting this salad. It is great for potlucks or buffet meals. Make a day or so before you wish to serve to meld the ingredients. I have used sugar substitutes for the white sugar and also used nonfat or low-fat mayonnaise and it still tastes great!"


10 slices Bacon
1 head fresh Broccoli, cut into bite-size pieces
1/4 cup Red Onion, chopped
1/2 cup Red Grapes, halved
3 tablespoons Rice Vinegar
2 tablespoons Sugar
1 cup Mayonnaise
1-1/3 cups toasted Slivered Almonds

1. Cook bacon in microwave. Drain, crumble and set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the broccoli, onion and grapes. In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, sugar and mayonnaise. Pour over broccoli mixture, and toss until well mixed. Refrigerate for at least two hours.
3. Before serving, toss salad with crumbled bacon and almonds.

Let us all know which one you pick and how it went over!!