This week is Jell-O Week! And I’ll admit it. I like Jell-O. What I remember most about Jell-O are the various salads that my mother and other relatives would make at holiday time. In honor of Jell-O Week, I give you these facts, gleaned from that most reliable of sources–the Internet.
- The first flavors of Jell-O were strawberry, raspberry, orange, and lemon. Jell-O was named and began to be sold in 1897.
- Jell-O is the official state snack of Utah. Lime Jell-O is the most popular flavor there.
- Jell-O has been offered in a variety of flavors. Discontinued flavors include bubble gum, celery, apple, Italian salad, maple syrup, coffee, and seasoned tomato.
- Recipes for Jell-O and vegetables appeared in the 1960s. (That’s the reasoning behind some of the discontinued flavors.) But this combination never really took hold.
- Jell-O does not like fresh pineapple. An enzyme in the pineapple interferes with gelatin’s ability to set. However, canned pineapple works just fine (and is delicious in Jell-O!).
- In the early 20th century, immigrants at Ellis Island were welcomed to America with servings of Jell-O.
- A museum for Jell-O is located in LeRoy, New York. You can explore Jell-O history and see past commercials.
Share your Jell-O thoughts below. Or give us your best Jell-O recipe. I’m always looking for more of those!
Note: JELL-O is a registered trademark of Kraft Foods
