7 unusual vintage Thanksgiving dishes that no one makes anymore

No festive Thanksgiving gathering would be complete without a table heaped with steaming dishes.

Thanksgiving celebrations revolve around food, but the recipes people follow have changed over the years. While Jell-O creations and canned products used to reign supreme, Americans have gravitated towards fresher, healthier options.

Here are seven unusual Thanksgiving side dishes that people don't usually make anymore — unless it's for nostalgia's sake.

Turkey leftover Jell-O

YouTuber and vintage recipe enthusiast MissSemiSweet tried a vintage Thanksgiving leftover Jell-O recipe from a 1975 cookbook called "turkey, frozen vegetables, cream of celery soup, and ranch dressing mixed with gelatin.

"I'm not going to say that it's horrible ... I probably would not eat this again, but it's not the worst thing I've ever had," she said.

The dish was even promoted by Jello-O itself.

Gelatin became a popular foundation for many meals during the '30s, after the Great Depression, thanks to the fact that it was a good, but inexpensive, source of protein. According to the "The Oxford Encyclopedia of Food and Drink in America," close to one third of all cookbook recipes from this time period were gelatin based.

Hot Dr. Pepper

In a 1968 advertisement, Dr. Pepper recommended serving "steaming hot" soda over lemon slices. It definitely is "something truly different" to offer Thanksgiving guests.

Per Serious Eats, the drink was concocted by Dr. Pepper in the '60s "to keep profits strong during the holiday season, when sales of cold pop plummet." Apparently, it caught on in the South where it is occasionally still drunk.

Cranberry Surprise

Hellmann's mayonnaise released a compilation of vintage advertisements and recipes to celebrate its 100th year. One of these delicacies was the "Cranberry Surprise," a holiday side dish that "

Ambrosia

Ambrosia recipes began appearing in publications towards the end of the 19th century. It remains a Southern holiday classic, but is rarely seen elsewhere.

It's usually some kind of canned fruit with mini marshmallows, with variations that include Cool Whip, cottage cheese, and Jell-O.

Jell-O salads

Jell-O salads were popular in the 1950s and '60s. A Jell-O dish with radishes, scallions, and a few tablespoons of vinegar wouldn't have been out of the ordinary at a festive meal. Some people continue to serve them up on Thanksgiving just because.

Canned creamed corn

7 unusual vintage Thanksgiving dishes that no one makes anymore

JOIN OUR PULSE COMMUNITY!