Jello salad facts for kids
Cranberry jello salad molded into a common ring shape
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| Alternative names | Gelatin salad, jelly salad, congealed salad, molded salad |
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| Type | Salad |
| Course | Dessert, side dish |
| Place of origin | United States |
| Region or state | Pennsylvania |
| Created by | Mrs. John E. Cook |
| Serving temperature | Chilled–room temperature |
| Main ingredients | Flavored gelatin (often gelatin dessert) and fruit |
| Variations | Adding grated carrots or other vegetables (aspic) |
Jello salad is a fun and colorful salad that uses flavored gelatin (like Jell-O). It often includes fruit, and sometimes even grated carrots or other vegetables. People also add ingredients like cottage cheese, cream cheese, marshmallows, nuts, or pretzels to make it extra special. Jello salads were very popular in the 1960s and are now seen as a cool, retro dish.
This dish looks very appealing because of its many colors. For example, a jello salad might have green from lime gelatin. It could also have brown from nuts, white from cottage cheese, and red or orange from fruit cocktail. Even though it's held firm in gelatin, it still looks like a "salad" with small pieces of food. Some versions even include mayonnaise or other salad dressings. If plain gelatin is used instead of sweetened gelatin, you might find more vegetables, like in a tomato aspic.
The History of Jello Salad
The name "Jello salad" comes from the popular brand name Jell-O. This brand is very common for gelatin products in the United States. The idea for jello salad started with a dish called perfection salad. This recipe was created around 1904 by Mrs. John E. Cook from New Castle, Pennsylvania. Her recipe won third prize in a contest held by Better Homes and Gardens magazine.
Why Jello Salad is Popular
Jello salads are often found at communal meals in the US, like potlucks. This is probably because they are cheap and easy to make. They also look nice and taste good. The salad is especially popular in Utah and nearby states, often called the Mormon Corridor. Many members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints enjoy it. In Utah, Jell-O is even the official state snack! You can find jello salad in local restaurants there, like Chuck-A-Rama. In Canada, especially in Newfoundland, a traditional cold plate often includes a similar dish. They usually call it a 'jelly' salad.
