logo
Funny Animals Interesting Freaky Pop Culture

30 Bizarre Vintage Recipes That Leave Us Astonished by the Culinary Past

by Damjan

On social media, where people use different websites and look at lots of stuff, some cool things remind us of how food has changed over time. One of these cool things is Jess's "Weird Old Food" on Instagram. It shows us that the food we eat today has a long history that's linked to the past.

Jess, the curator behind "Weird Old Food," has unlocked a fascinating portal to the past through her collection of vintage cookbooks. In a world where time travel remains a distant dream, Jess's Instagram page is a virtual time machine that takes us on a journey to bygone eras of gastronomy.

The charm of "Weird Old Food" lies in its simplicity. Jess doesn't inundate her followers with intricate descriptions or elaborate tales. Instead, she lets the visuals do the talking.

Each post on her page features a scanned snapshot of a dish from a vintage cookbook, accompanied by the name of the dish, the year it hails from, and the cookbook it's sourced from. It's a minimalist approach that speaks volumes.

But what truly sets "Weird Old Food" apart is its ability to make you pause and reflect. As you scroll through the bizarre recipes of yesteryears, you can't help but wonder, "Wait, people ate that?"

The page is a treasure trove of culinary oddities, where recipes that have long faded into obscurity are resurrected for a moment of intrigue.

From gelatin salads that seem to defy the laws of taste to peculiar meat-based desserts that challenge our modern palate, Jess's collection unearths the quirkier side of culinary history. It's a testament to the ever-evolving nature of food and the way our tastes and preferences have transformed over the years.

1. A recipe for a dish called "Shrimp Cucumber Aspic" featured in the 1983 Southern Living Annual Recipes.

1. A recipe for a dish called weirdoldfood

2. Salmon cooked inside a pork bladder from a French cuisine recipe in 1995

2. Salmon cooked inside a pork bladder from a French cuisine recipe in 1995weirdoldfood

3. Ham buffet mold recipe from Campbell's Great Restaurant Cookbook, U.S.A.

3. Ham buffet mold recipe from Campbell's Great Restaurant Cookbook, U.S.A.weirdoldfood

4. Rice and salmon mold recipe from Gelatine Home Cooking Secrets, 1975

4. Rice and salmon mold recipe from Gelatine Home Cooking Secrets, 1975weirdoldfood

5. Zucchini Zoo from Better Homes and Gardens Kids' Snacks, 1986.

5. Zucchini Zoo from Better Homes and Gardens Kids' Snacks, 1986.

6. Floating ducklings pond cake (1979 Wilton Cake Decorating)

6. Floating ducklings pond cake (1979 Wilton Cake Decorating)weirdoldfood

7. Egg Salad Mold (Betty Crocker's 1988 Recipe)

7. Egg Salad Mold (Betty Crocker's 1988 Recipe)weirdoldfood

8. Spaghetti Ring Florentine recipe from the 1988 Better Homes and Gardens Best-Recipes Yearbook.

8. Spaghetti Ring Florentine recipe from the 1988 Better Homes and Gardens Best-Recipes Yearbook.weirdoldfood

9. Chutney Aspic from Trader Vic's Pacific Island Cookbook, 1968.

9. Chutney Aspic from Trader Vic's Pacific Island Cookbook, 1968.weirdoldfood

10. Shrimp Aspic from 1972. Cooking Course

10. Shrimp Aspic from 1972. Cooking Courseweirdoldfood

11. "Soup On The Rocks" was a 1956 Campbell's Soup advertisement.

11. weirdoldfood

12. Sugar Cube Castle recipe from the 1986 cookbook "Holiday Cookies, Sweets, Appetizers, and Meals."

12. Sugar Cube Castle recipe from the 1986 cookbook weirdoldfood

13. Frankfurter Crown With Kraut" is a recipe from the book "34 Selected Recipes For Delicious Dishes And Dinners With Kraut.

13. Frankfurter Crown With Krautweirdoldfood

14. Create Flank Steak Rolls (1969 Time Life Cookbook)

14. Create Flank Steak Rolls (1969 Time Life Cookbook)weirdoldfood

15. Create clown-shaped cake decorations using Wilton cake decorating techniques from 1979.

15. Create clown-shaped cake decorations using Wilton cake decorating techniques from 1979.weirdoldfood

16. Lemon Dill Shrimp Mold recipe from a 1994 Wilton Entertaining Appetizers To Desserts cookbook.

16. Lemon Dill Shrimp Mold recipe from a 1994 Wilton Entertaining Appetizers To Desserts cookbook.weirdoldfood

17. "Lobster Salad Heligoland" from Gourmet’s Old Vienna Cookbook, 1959

17. weirdoldfood

18. Shrimp Tree with Curry Sauce from "Great Recipes of the World."

18. Shrimp Tree with Curry Sauce from weirdoldfood

19. A gelatin-encased dish from a 1975 cookbook called "Whole Fish In Aspic."

19. A gelatin-encased dish from a 1975 cookbook called weirdoldfood

20. Prepare Fish-Filled Lettuce Wraps (1982 Victory Garden Cookbook).

20. Prepare Fish-Filled Lettuce Wraps (1982 Victory Garden Cookbook).weirdoldfood

21. Fruit-Salad Linguine Recipe (1983 Better Homes and Gardens Pasta)

21. Fruit-Salad Linguine Recipe (1983 Better Homes and Gardens Pasta)weirdoldfood

22. Cake recipe from a 1978 Wilton cake decorating book.

22. Cake recipe from a 1978 Wilton cake decorating book.weirdoldfood

23. Sea Dream (Joys Of Jello, 1963) is a vintage gelatin dessert recipe from the past.

23. Sea Dream (Joys Of Jello, 1963) is a vintage gelatin dessert recipe from the past.weirdoldfood

24. Brain Salad With Cream Dressing (The Good Cook Salads) is a recipe from a cookbook published in 1980.

24. Brain Salad With Cream Dressing (The Good Cook Salads) is a recipe from a cookbook published in 1980.weirdoldfood

25. Golden Gate Saucy Burgers With Spaghetti Topping (Family Circle Illustrated Library Of Cooking Volume 3, 1972) - A classic recipe for saucy burgers topped with spaghetti from a vintage cookbook.

25. Golden Gate Saucy Burgers With Spaghetti Topping (Family Circle Illustrated Library Of Cooking Volume 3, 1972) - A classic recipe for saucy burgers topped with spaghetti from a vintage cookbook.weirdoldfood

26. Prepare Chilled Glazed Salmon (Gourmet Magazine, 1964)

26. Prepare Chilled Glazed Salmon (Gourmet Magazine, 1964)weirdoldfood

27. Hard Sauce Clowns (Fun Cake Mix Creations)

27. Hard Sauce Clowns (Fun Cake Mix Creations)weirdoldfood

28. Summer Day Salad (Holiday Cooking For Kids, 1982) - A classic salad recipe from a 1982 cookbook suitable for children during the holidays.

28. Summer Day Salad (Holiday Cooking For Kids, 1982) - A classic salad recipe from a 1982 cookbook suitable for children during the holidays.weirdoldfood

29. Noodle Ring from The Good Housekeeping Illustrated Cookbook (1980).

29. Noodle Ring from The Good Housekeeping Illustrated Cookbook (1980).weirdoldfood

30. "Fun At The Fair Cake" from Wilton Yearbook 1977 Cake Decorating.

30. weirdoldfood

31. Clown Cake featured in 1989 Wilton Yearbook Cake Decorating.

31. Clown Cake featured in 1989 Wilton Yearbook Cake Decorating.weirdoldfood

In a world where things change quickly, it's pretty amazing that Jess loves old cookbooks and shares weird recipes on her Instagram page, "Weird Old Food." She has some really old cookbooks from the late 1800s, showing us a lot about the history of food.

On her Instagram, Jess shows us some of the strangest dishes our ancestors used to eat. It's like taking a trip back in time through food.

Jess's "Weird Old Food" isn't just an Instagram page. It's like a time machine that helps us explore how our food has changed over the years. It's a cool way to learn about where our food traditions come from and how they've evolved.

Share this article:

Facebook icon Pinterest icon Tumblr icon Link icon Twitter icon

Related Articles

Non-Americans Reveal 25 American Habits That Make Americans Stand Out Overseas

Non-Americans Reveal 25 American Habits That Make Americans Stand Out Overseas

25 Hilarious Moments When Kids Didn’t Realize Their "New" Music Was Actually From The 80s & 90s

25 Hilarious Moments When Kids Didn’t Realize Their "New" Music Was Actually From The 80s & 90s

40 Hilarious Images That Make You Wonder About The Backstory

40 Hilarious Images That Make You Wonder About The Backstory

Gleeking—The Odd And Unexpected Talent You Didn't Know You Had

Gleeking—The Odd And Unexpected Talent You Didn't Know You Had

How To Spot A Liar—Insights From A Body Language Expert

How To Spot A Liar—Insights From A Body Language Expert

‘Sink Drink’ TikTok Trend—A Recipe for Illness According To Experts

‘Sink Drink’ TikTok Trend—A Recipe for Illness According To Experts

Ryan Reynolds Used His "Deadpool" Salary To Ensure Writers Were On Set

Ryan Reynolds Used His "Deadpool" Salary To Ensure Writers Were On Set

Priest Who 'Died And Went To Hell' Describes Bizarre Experience 'During His Visit'

Priest Who 'Died And Went To Hell' Describes Bizarre Experience 'During His Visit'

Horrific Movie With Disturbing Plot Leaves Film Fans "Regretting They Watched"

Horrific Movie With Disturbing Plot Leaves Film Fans "Regretting They Watched"

Jeff Bezos Implements Unique Two-Pizza Rule To Enhance Amazon Employees' Efficiency

Jeff Bezos Implements Unique Two-Pizza Rule To Enhance Amazon Employees' Efficiency

Scene Stealers - 17 Actors Who Dominated With Less Than 20 Minutes Of Screen Time

Scene Stealers - 17 Actors Who Dominated With Less Than 20 Minutes Of Screen Time

Adorable Senior Cat Asks Her Mom To Watch Her Favorite Movies Daily

Adorable Senior Cat Asks Her Mom To Watch Her Favorite Movies Daily

Airline Expert Debunks Common Myths About Finding The Cheapest Plane Tickets

Airline Expert Debunks Common Myths About Finding The Cheapest Plane Tickets

Drone Descending Into The Great Blue Hole Attacked By Deep-Sea Creature

Drone Descending Into The Great Blue Hole Attacked By Deep-Sea Creature

Fans Are Only Now Realizing The 'Meaning' Behind Nintendo's Iconic Name

Fans Are Only Now Realizing The 'Meaning' Behind Nintendo's Iconic Name

Jeremy Clarkson Shares Why He Purchased A Farm In 2008 Despite Having No Farming Experience

Jeremy Clarkson Shares Why He Purchased A Farm In 2008 Despite Having No Farming Experience

21 Hilarious Photos Guaranteed To Make You Laugh Out Loud

21 Hilarious Photos Guaranteed To Make You Laugh Out Loud

14 Fierce Female Leaders Of The Animal Kingdom You Need To Know

14 Fierce Female Leaders Of The Animal Kingdom You Need To Know

Hailie Jade Talks About What Bothers Her The Most About Being Eminem's Daughter

Hailie Jade Talks About What Bothers Her The Most About Being Eminem's Daughter

42 Healthy Relationship Memes For Couples Who Understand Love Languages

42 Healthy Relationship Memes For Couples Who Understand Love Languages

If You Recognize More Than 15 Of These Pictures, You Might Be Getting Old

If You Recognize More Than 15 Of These Pictures, You Might Be Getting Old

25 Beloved Products You Won't Believe Were Invented By Accident

25 Beloved Products You Won't Believe Were Invented By Accident

How A Man Endured 438 Days At Sea Without Food Or Water

How A Man Endured 438 Days At Sea Without Food Or Water

Cameron Diaz Advocates For 'Sleep Divorce' As This Trend Gains Popularity

Cameron Diaz Advocates For 'Sleep Divorce' As This Trend Gains Popularity

Could It Be Taylor Swift - Deadpool Trailer Gets Fans Buzzing About Who Will Play Lady Deadpool

Could It Be Taylor Swift - Deadpool Trailer Gets Fans Buzzing About Who Will Play Lady Deadpool

21 Bizarre “Accidental Camouflage” Instances That Completely Stumped Us

21 Bizarre “Accidental Camouflage” Instances That Completely Stumped Us

Categories

Funny Animals Interesting Freaky Pop Culture

Business

About Us Advertise Contact Us

Legal

Terms & Conditions Privacy Policy DMCA Removal
 Logo
About Us Privacy DMCA Removal Contact Us Terms Funny Animals Interesting Freaky Pop Culture

© 2025 - All Rights Reserved

 logo

Sign In to

facebook icon Sign in with facebook
facebook icon Sign in with google

Or sign in with email

Need an account? Sign Up

Forgot Password?

By creating an account, you agree to the Terms of Service

 logo

Sign Up to

Already have an account? Sign In

By creating an account, you agree to the Terms of Service

Edit profile

User Photo