From Rosy to Regrettable: Mixed Nostalgia and the Meanings of Jell-O Salad SUE SAMUELSON AWARD FOR FOODWAYS SCHOLARSHIP HONORABLE MENTION 2011

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Clare Forstie

Abstract

Jell-O salad, a once-ubiquitous dish, provokes responses that run the gamut from horror to adoration. Why is there such an extreme range of reaction to the food? Why do Jell-O salad proponents, consumers, and detractors recognize this dish as a distinctly “American” food? What makes it American, and why do many care about it now? Exploring the ways in which proponents and detractors understand Jell-O salad as an American and regional dish tells us something about how “Americanness” is created and why everyday foods matter.

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