70s Party Foods That Redeem Mid-Century Modern Cuisine

Jello molds have given mid-century modern food a bad reputation. Don’t let those wobbly centerpieces fool you. There are loads of delicious 70s party foods just waiting for you to make them at your next groovy gathering. Impress your guests the old-fashioned way with these super simple vintage snacks.

You can’t find a party food that’s more 1970s than canapés. This teeny finger food leaves people wanting more. The basic canapé consists of a pastry base (often a bread or cracker) with something savory on top.

What makes canapés still a beloved party go-to is that they’re highly customizable. You can top a canapé with bacon, shrimp, pesto, or jam (and everything in between). And if you’re running low on dessert, try swapping savory ingredients for some sweet ones.

Never fret. We have tons of ideas for how you can master canapé making.

Ants on a log are one way parents have convinced their kids to eat their fruits and veggies, but back in the 70s, grown adults had no problem serving up some stuffed celery to their guests. Halved celery sticks filled with cream cheese, fruits, nuts, and any other ingredients that make your mouth water are an unreasonably easy snack to make. Bonus points go for being healthy and going far with guests.

Upgrade your kids’ stuffed celery with this spicy cheddar and bacon stuffed celery recipe from A Southern Soul.

The salmon log is a true vintage wildcard. You probably heard of (and have eaten) many of the party foods on this list. But you likely have never seen someone break out the salmon log at a potluck.

Salmon logs are actually a mixture of ingredients like salmon, cream cheese, grated onion, and horseradish pressed and chilled into a log and rolled over a chopped nut of your choice. Think of it like a meaty version of the classic cheese ball. It might not be popular today, but we think you should bring this 70s classic back for your next party. And Vintage Recipes has a great mid-century modern salmon party log recipe for you to try.

Related: 9 Vintage Kitchen Items Much Better Than the Modern Versions

If you’ve ever been to a fancy tea shop or cotillion classes, then you’re very familiar with cucumber sandwiches. Today, they may seem like a food your grandparents would prepare for the family picnic, but they were an everyman’s dish in the 1970s.

These quaint sandwiches were light, easy to prepare, and perfect for an afternoon party. If there was a baby shower, baptism, or wedding on the way, then cucumber sandwiches were coming soon. Pack in your veggies at the next party with a cucumber sandwich recipe from 1921 that your grandparents’ grandparents might have had in rotation.

There’s nothing that screams 70s party more than fondue. While fondue had been around for a few centuries before the 1970s, it didn’t grip American households until rich ski culture transplanted the warm treat into middle-American homes.

Americans also love a gimmick, and having a bubbling pot of cheese or a rolling fountain of it at the table really gets our engines going. This is a perfect party snack for big gatherings since it can feed a lot of people. Step out of the boring dip game and into the fondue dipping one with one of Click Americana’s vintage fondue recipes.

Today, deviled eggs are a holiday food staple. Whether you eat them plain or with paprika, these easy-to-make apps are one of the most beloved ancient recipes we still enjoy. In the 1970s, people pounded deviled eggs like they were going out of style, and your party guests can too!

Never made them before? We’ve got all the tips and tricks for making delicious deviled eggs you could need.

Nothing feels fancier than rolling up to a party that has individual glasses of cocktail sauce and shrimp lined around it. By the 1960s, shrimp cocktail was a fancy party standard. While getting fresh shrimp and making your own cocktail sauce will probably fill you with a sense of accomplishment, save some time by grabbing a premade shrimp cocktail platter from the store.

When you’ve got 70s decorations to put up, other appetizers to make, and cleaning to do, it’s good to have at least one store-bought party food on your list.

From “I am not a crook” to beautiful bell bottoms, there’s a lot to remember from the 1970s. But 70s party food isn’t something that comes to most people’s minds. The snack food is so versatile and easy to make that nothing’s stopping us from bringing the 70s back to the table.