Jell-O Salad Recipes | Taste of Home (2024)

FAQs

What happened to Jello salads? ›

Jell-O even introduced savory flavors, like celery, mixed vegetable, and "Italian salad," during the 1960s. By the mid-1970s, though, their popularity had declined so much that they were pulled from shelves.

It's important to use the right amount of water, as using too much or too little can affect the taste and texture of the Jell-O. Additionally, you can add fruit, whipped cream, or other ingredients to enhance the flavor.

Jello salads are a common feature of US communal meals such as potlucks, most probably because they are inexpensive and easy to prepare. The salad has a strong regional presence in Utah and surrounding states (the Mormon Corridor), especially among members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Fresh fruits like strawberries, blueberries, bananas, kiwis, or peaches are great additions. Other fruits have enzymes in them that make them unsuitable for adding to jello.

Bromolain in pineapple, papain in papaya and actinidin in kiwi are all enzymes capable of breaking down proteins, hence the warning that these fruits cannot be used in Jell-O. But canned fruits are fine because the pasteurization process they undergo destroys the proteolytic enzymes.

A lack of nutritional value does not stop other products from being popular, but the fact that Jell-O is regularly marketed toward children as a snack food rather than as a dessert means that some parents choose to stick with healthier options.

Gelatin is made from animal collagen — a protein that makes up connective tissues, such as skin, tendons, ligaments, and bones. The hides and bones of certain animals — often cows and pigs — are boiled, dried, treated with a strong acid or base, and finally filtered until the collagen is extracted.

What are the ways to make Jello set faster? Make it cold faster. To make four cups of gelatin heat the gelatin in one cup of liquid then add one cup cold liquid and then add ice to make four cups. Stir until the ice is melted and refrigerate until set.

There are a few reasons: Jell-O is easy to swallow and digest, making it suitable for patients who have difficulty eating solid foods or have digestive issues. It's smooth texture and mild flavor make it more tolerable for those with sensitive stomachs or who are recovering from surgery.

Why do hospitals use Jell-O? ›

Jello has 3 main ingredients: water, sugar, and protein (in the form of gelatin). As such, it hydrates you, is easy to digest, and gives your body energy and resources for healing. Jello is being used in some nursing homes as a way to hydrate patients who may have trouble drinking liquid water.

Utah eats more Jell-O than any other state

The people in Utah love their Jell-O! The state has an entire holiday week dedicated to the jiggly treat, and it's even Utah's official state food.

If you like making gelatin for dessert, the box often recommends not adding certain kinds of fruit, including pineapple, kiwi, mango, ginger root, papaya, figs or guava. People have a hard time getting the gelatin to solidify when they add these fruits.

Drain whatever kind of canned, or fresh fruit you have and just stir it around until it is all through the jello mixture. (It should be set enough not to sink to the bottom). Put back in the fridge for 1 hour and serve!

If you are preparing the Jello with hot water, the water needs to cool down before you put it in the fridge. If you put it in too soon, you're putting the other food in the fridge at risk because it will no longer be properly cooled if you put in something hot.

Jell-O's decline

After all, it's commonly associated with patients eating it in hospitals or disgraced comedian Bill Cosby, who was the face of the brand for 30 years. And, Jell-O molds and now-defunct flavors like Italian salad and mixed vegetables are in recipe books for “nauseating” foods.

The first popular Jell-O salad was Perfection Salad, invented in 1904 by Mrs. John E. Cook of Pennsylvania (via Recipe Curio). While Mrs.

Raw pineapple and raw papaya should never be added to a gelatin (Jello) salad or mold. Enzymes in the fruit prevent the gelatin from setting up (getting firm).