16 “Fancy” Foods Every ’70s and ’80s Kid Fell In Love With
In the ‘70s and ‘80s, certain dishes felt like the peak of elegance, transforming ordinary meals into grown-up adventures. As kids, we saw these treats as badges of sophistication, even if they seem quaint today.
Let’s savor a nostalgic journey through the foods that made us feel like pint-sized connoisseurs at family gatherings and special dinners.
1. Cheese Balls Rolled in Nuts
Orange spheres of processed cheese covered in chopped nuts represented the pinnacle of party sophistication. Served with Ritz crackers, these neon orbs commanded the center of every coffee table during adult gatherings.
I still remember sneaking into the living room during my parents’ bridge night, stealing fingerfuls when no one was looking. The way the nuts stuck to your fingers was half the fun!
2. Fondue
Nothing screamed “my parents are worldly” like hot cheese in a special pot. Those long-handled forks made us feel like we were participating in some sort of sophisticated ritual rather than just dipping bread in melted cheese.
The constant fear of dropping your bread chunk into the communal pot added an element of dining danger we rarely experienced elsewhere.
3. Beef Stroganoff
Mysterious strips of beef swimming in creamy sauce over egg noodles! This dish transported suburban kitchens straight to Russia (or so we thought). Parents would announce “We’re having Stroganoff tonight” with the same gravity as announcing a visit from royalty.
The first time my mom made this, I refused to try it because it looked “weird.” After one reluctant bite, I demanded it for every birthday dinner for the next five years.
4. Crêpes Suzette
Pancakes? Boring. Pancakes set on fire with booze? Culinary masterpiece! This flaming dessert made rare appearances at restaurants or when parents really wanted to impress dinner guests.
The theatrical tableside preparation made us temporarily forget about our beloved ice cream sundaes. Most of us had no idea what was in them—we just knew flames were involved, and that was enough.
5. TV Dinners in Aluminum Trays
Compartmentalized food in aluminum trays felt revolutionary. Each food item had its own little section, and something about that organization made us feel like astronauts enjoying space-age cuisine.
My brother and I would beg for Swanson dinners whenever our parents went out. The salisbury steak with its little compartment of brownie dessert was practically a status symbol in our neighborhood.
6. Quiche
Egg pie? How continental! Despite the 1982 book “Real Men Don’t Eat Quiche,” this French-inspired dish was the height of sophistication for dinner parties. Parents served it to guests they wanted to impress with their international culinary prowess.
The combination of eggs, cream, cheese and fillings in a pastry crust somehow elevated breakfast ingredients to dinner party status. Bonus points if your mom called it “kee-sh” with an attempted French accent.
7. Black Forest Cake
Layers of chocolate cake, cherries, whipped cream, and chocolate shavings made this dessert seem imported directly from Europe. The hint of kirsch liqueur made it feel dangerously adult.
My aunt Barb would bring one from the “fancy bakery” downtown for special occasions. We’d gather around as she unveiled it like a priceless artifact, and I’d always try to snag the slice with the most cherries.
8. Chicken Cordon Bleu
Chicken stuffed with ham and cheese? Mind-blowing culinary innovation to our young minds. The French name added an extra layer of fanciness that elevated it above ordinary chicken dishes.
Frozen versions became available in the ’80s, making this once-restaurant-only dish accessible for home cooks wanting to impress. The satisfying cheese pull when you cut into it made us feel like we were dining in Paris instead of Peoria.
9. Viennetta Ice Cream Cake
Viennetta commercials made this dessert look like it belonged at Buckingham Palace. The wavy design suggested hours of painstaking culinary artistry.
When my grandma brought one out after Sunday dinner, we genuinely believed we were experiencing the same dessert as European royalty. The satisfying crack of breaking through those thin chocolate layers remains an elite childhood memory.
10. Baked Alaska
Ice cream encased in meringue and somehow baked without melting? Pure sorcery to our young minds. This magical dessert appeared only at the fanciest restaurants or when mom wanted to show off to the neighbors.
Science and dessert combined in this hot-cold paradox. The dramatic tableside presentation often involved flames, further cementing its status as the most impressive dessert imaginable for special birthdays and anniversaries.
11. Swedish Meatballs with Toothpicks
Regular meatballs? Boring. Tiny meatballs from Sweden speared with frilly toothpicks? International cuisine! These savory bites transformed any gathering into a sophisticated cocktail party.
The chafing dish keeping them warm added another layer of elegance. I once ate seventeen at my parents’ New Year’s party and felt incredibly cosmopolitan despite being only nine years old and washing them down with Sprite.
12. Chocolate Mousse
Whipped chocolate air served in stemmed glasses made us feel like tiny aristocrats. The airy texture and rich flavor seemed impossibly sophisticated compared to our usual pudding cups.
Restaurants would serve it with a mint leaf garnish, which most of us promptly pushed aside. The fancy French name had us convinced we were experiencing the height of European dessert culture, even when it came from a box mix.
13. Cherries Jubilee
Cherries soaked in liqueur and set ablaze tableside—this dessert was pure theater. The blue flames leaping from the pan made us temporarily forget about our beloved sundaes and banana splits.
The waiter would perform this pyrotechnic display with such flourish! My father ordered it once for my tenth birthday at a fancy restaurant, and I was convinced he had somehow arranged for a private fireworks show just for me.
14. Deviled Eggs on Special Trays
Ordinary hard-boiled eggs transformed into something devilishly fancy with the addition of mayo, mustard, and paprika. The dedicated egg plates with individual oval indentations made them seem particularly important.
Every potluck featured these protein-packed treats. My grandmother’s special egg plate only emerged from its cabinet home for holidays and church socials, signaling the true importance of the gathering.
15. Ambrosia Salad
Marshmallows, canned fruit, coconut, and whipped cream combined into what we genuinely believed was the food of the gods (hence the name). The technicolor creation appeared at every holiday dinner, glowing like an edible rainbow.
My cousin and I would compete to get the serving spoon with the most maraschino cherries. The fact that this sugary concoction counted as a “salad” rather than dessert made us feel like we were getting away with something deliciously naughty.
16. Pigs in Blankets
Tiny hot dogs wrapped in crescent roll dough elevated the humble wiener to cocktail party status. These miniature treats made any gathering feel instantly more sophisticated, despite being essentially kid food in disguise.
The term “hors d’oeuvres” was applied to these simple bites, giving us children a fancy French word to mispronounce. I’d stuff my pockets with them at neighborhood parties, saving them for later like meaty treasure.