Kids in the 1970s pretending to cook
"What's for dinner?" has been asked by kids for millennia, probably, and the most common answers depend on both where and at what time in history it was asked. In ancient times, people were limited to what they could hunt or gather. Medieval recipes look different than what people ate in the 19th century. And what our grandparents ate when they were children was different from what our kids eat today.
Obviously, people couldn't DoorDash Chipotle in the '70s, but when someone on Reddit asked people born before 1970 what they ate for dinner most weeks, there were some standard meals a lot of Americans clearly ate regularly growing up. Lots of meatloaf and beef stroganoff. Pork chops and chop suey. Convenient assistance from Shake n' Bake, Hamburger Helper and TV dinners. Canned fruits and veggies. So much Jell-O.
from AskOldPeople
Here are some of the most popular responses:
"Overcooked pork chop, minute rice, canned green beans, canned fruit cocktail
Spaghetti with ground beef and sauce made from a packet (Durkee?)
Pot roast (whatever cut of meat was on sale) cooked with Lipton onion soup mix. Frozen peas. Canned peaches.
Meatloaf with mashed potatoes and canned green beans. Canned pears
Shake n bake chicken and scalloped potatoes from a box. Canned fruit of some kind.
On awesome days Chef Boyardee pizza mix from a box.
I liked LaChoy chop suey.
Always with a jug of milk on the table."
Meatloaf was a staple dinner.Photo credit: Canva
"So I think many of our moms went to the same home ec classes. Our house also had on rotation:
Goulash: It wasn’t what I have come to understand is Hungarian Goulash, but ground beef/spices/tomatoes.
Chicken Diane: Way overcooked chicken with rosemary, thyme and other seasonings.
Meatloaf: Yes, ketchup on top.
And the ever-present rice. Dad bought an aluminum rice cooker from his time in Japan and we had rice (he added soy sauce on top) 3x per week. The other side was baked potatoes.
The big treat!!!??? Chef Boy Ar Dee pizza from a tube on Friday once per month. Mom had a round aluminum baking pan and make dough, spread the included sauce on the dough, add the Parmesan Cheese (in the included packet). That was the biggest treat - and in all honesty I would go back to that day cause I miss my mom. Best pizza ever."
- YouTube www.youtube.com
"Hamburger patty or braised round steak, green salad, canned vegetable (peas, beans, corn, beets). Occasionally a baked potato. Sometimes my mom would toss chicken in a flour/seasoning mix and bake it and we'd have oven fried chicken--maybe once every couple of weeks. We got beef from a cousin so it was cheap, and chicken was expensive.
Mom also made spaghetti with ground beef, and beef stew with the tougher cuts of the cow. Oh--and liver--God how I hated liver night.
We always had cheap grocery store 'ice milk' in the freezer for dessert."
Spaghetti is still a classic.Photo credit: Canva
"Sunday - Spaghetti/macaroni and homemade spaghetti sauce and a salad.
Monday - Roast chicken, a side (potatoes, Rice-a-Roni), and a veg.
Tuesday - Pork chops, a side (potatoes, Rice-a-Roni), and a veg.
Wednesday - Spaghetti/macaroni and homemade spaghetti sauce and a salad.
Thursday - Rump or sirloin steak, a side (potatoes, Rice-a-Roni), and a veg.
Friday - breaded and fried fish (ugh--haddock, halibut, or cod if the latter was on sale), a side (potatoes, Rice-a-Roni), and a veg.
Saturday - Rump or sirloin steak, a side (potatoes, Rice-a-Roni), and a veg.
Dessert would be supermarket ice cream (carton, usually Neopolitan), Jello chocolate pudding, Table Talk pie (usually apple)."
Why were pork chops so popular?Photo credit: Canva
"Typical meals: stroganoff made with ground beef and egg noodles. Pot roast. Swiss steak. Chicken cacciatore. Fried chicken. This was in California, but my parents were from the Midwest so pretty meat-and-potatoes. There was always a side vegetable and a starch. Rarely bread or rolls. Occasionally salad but not always until the 1980s. No formal/planned dessert except for special occasions like birthdays and holidays, but sometimes there was ice cream in the freezer or there were cookies (store bought; my mom wasn't a baker). In the late 70s my mom loved Julia Child and started to be more adventurous with cooking; later she took Asian cooking classes too."
"Beef stroganoff, fried bologna, weiners wrapped in bacon and then broiled, baked beans, (from scratch) liver.
Jello 1-2-3 (so space age!) Bundt cake, canned fruit salad, canned pears, canned peaches."
- YouTube www.youtube.com
"When we had some money (early in the pay period):
Spaghetti with sausages and homemade sauce
Liver and onions
Chop suey
Spare ribs and sauerkraut
Pork chops with mashed potatoes and gravy
Beef stew
Boeuf bourguignon
Beef stroganoff
When we were short on money:
Spam & scrambled eggs
Homemade macaroni & cheese
Cold cereal
That’s all I can think of right now.
We very rarely ever had dessert and almost never ate out. We never had fast food, the only fast food chain in town was Burger King, and McDonald’s was a town away and only open about six months of the year."
Here's to all the meals that nourished us in every era of our lives.
Scandinavian countries find certain things rude that are perfectly acceptable elsewhere.
The saying, "When in Rome, do as the Romans do," has been around since ancient times and is still a good reminder that customs and habits vary wherever you go. One of the best things about traveling to another part of the world is discovering how things you think are normal or standard are not universally so, and seeing how different cultures function broadens your ideas of the human experience.
That's why a woman from Denmark explaining "normal" things that are considered rude in Nordic countries has caught people's attention. People are often fascinated with Denmark, Finland, Sweden, and Norway, largely because they regularly top lists of "happiest countries in the world" (which is always a little surprising considering the weather in that part of the world alone).
Here are the 13 behaviors and habits Kelly Louise Killjoy says Nordic countries consider rude in her experience:
- YouTube youtu.be
Of course, being late is rude in a lot of places, so this one may not be surprising, but punctuality is a culturally specific expectation. There are places where it would be considered rude to show up early, and other places where "fashionably late" doesn't exist. In Killjoy's experience, Nordic folks like to be as close to exactly on time as possible. "Like five minutes early or five minutes late, no more, no less," she says. "Preferably exactly on time." And they will often apologize for even being one minute late.
Some countries have a distinct "dropping by" culture, but the Nordic nations aren't among them. Even close friends and family call or text before arriving at someone's house, as it's considered rude to just show up. "With Nordic people, it's all about respecting our time," Killjoy says. "We often plan our time very carefully, according to when we're meeting you. And these meetups are often scheduled weeks or months beforehand. So the door may be open, but it doesn't mean the schedule is."
"Unless you have a serious reason, this is more rude than saying no up front because you don't feel like it," Killjoy says. "Again, Nordic people plan their time around you for weeks, if not months, so respect our time and we will love you for it."
Woman disappointed by last minute cancelled plans. Photo credit: Canva
Even though not everyone loves it, small talk is considered normal in American culture. Not so much in Scandinavia. If you're just running errands or going through your normal daily life activities in Nordic countries, people don't just shoot the breeze with you. "If you talk to us, we will assume there's a reason, otherwise we get confused and awkward," Killjoy says. "If you've ever had a conversation with a Nordic person where you thought, 'Why didn't they like me?' or 'This got awkward very quickly,' it's because that Nordic person was more than likely trying to figure out what you wanted out of that conversation."
Killjoy says this is another area where Americans and Nordic people often misunderstand each other. The idea of politeness being rude even sounds like an oxymoron, but for Nordic folks, it's really about being asked questions you don't want to give real answers to. The example Killjoy gives is asking people, "How are you?" That's standard for Americans, and it's understood that you're not asking someone to spill all of their emotions in the moment. But Nordic folks take questions at face value, so it feels personal and invasive.
One thing that people sometimes pinpoint with Americans visiting other countries is that we tend to speak loudly. In a public place like a restaurant, where lots of people are talking, it's not really much of a consideration for us. But it is for Nordic folks (and a lot of other European countries, Killjoy points out).
"This is a classic Nordic meme, but it's true," Killjoy says. "We do not like people sitting next to us when we can see there's space around for them to divide themselves upon." If you sit next to a Nordic person on a mostly empty bus, they'll think something is wrong with you or that you might wish them harm. (To be fair, this is likely true most places. But there are some friendly folks who like to chat with strangers and will take the opportunity when they see it.)
Sitting closer than necessary to someone is rude. Photo credit: Canva
"Unless you're addressing the king or queen, don't," says Killjoy. Although titles like "Mr." or "Mrs." or "Dr." are used to show respect in a lot of places, Nordic folks tend to see them as impersonal and distant. "Even doctors and teachers will think it's weird if you use formal titles with them," she says.
"This ties into the people being loud part as well," Killjoy says. "Nordic culture is a very conflict-avoidant and don't-stand-outish kind of culture." She says there's even a Danish word for this social norm that heavily discourages standing out and favors humility and equality: Janteloven. "Bragging just goes heavily against that," Killjoy says.
"Tipping cultures are very awkward to Nordic people," says Killjoy. "Like, I don't understand why you can't just pay your employees." (Same, honestly.)
This one is more of a household-by-household preference in the U.S., it seems, but in Scandinavia, it's the norm to take off your shoes in the house. Most Nordic homes have mudrooms for this very purpose.
Go to any major U.S. city, and you'll hear no shortage of car horns. Killjoy says in Denmark it's illegal to honk your car horn for any other reason than as a danger warning or if someone hasn't seen you. "If you honk, someone will assume there's something wrong," she says, so don't honk there out of impatience.
A person honks their car horn. Photo credit: Canva
Killjoy calls jaywalking "kind of rude," primarily because Nordic folks tend to be rule-followers. It's not that they will never jaywalk, but generally, they only do it when no one is really around or would notice.
Of course, these "considered rude" behaviors are coming from one person, and some commenters from Nordic countries added some clarifications in the comments (such as the "no dropping by" rule being something newer or more specific to urban than rural areas). But many fellow Scandinavians corroborated the things on this list. It's good to know, though, what people from one of these countries might find rude when you meet them.
And if you ever find yourself in Denmark? Do as the Danes do.
A woman is angry at her husband.
Dealing with people who can't admit they're wrong can be aggravating, especially when you present them with facts and they still refuse to budge. What makes it worse is that we are psychologically wired to hold on to incorrect beliefs even more strongly when they are challenged by credible evidence.
What should you do when you have to get through to someone who never admits they are wrong? Jefferson Fisher, a lawyer and communications expert who offers tips "to help people argue less and talk more,” has a strategy that can help you get through to hard-headed people. Or, at least, give them irrefutable evidence that they're being completely unreasonable.
@justaskjefferson when they are never wrong 😑
“Not because you actually think that they're right. In fact, you know that they're wrong, but you've reached a point in your life that you're not gonna let someone who's committed to being wrong disturb your peace. It's a more powerful tool if somebody's trying to convince you that the sky is purple. You can easily put an end to it and say with a quick ‘Yeah, maybe you're right.’”
“If they answer ‘No, nothing's gonna change my mind,’ then you know it's a quick dead end. Thank you, you can now leave the conversation.”
Woman takes a pause.Canva/Photos
“If the answer is ‘no,’ then that's not someone you should be in conversation with. So try that.”
The last two phrases do a great job at giving you a leg up in the interaction because the stubborn person has to admit they are unwilling to change their mind, regardless of any information you bring to the table. We can all agree that no one knows everything, so by admitting they won’t even listen to new information, they expose themselves as completely opposed to reason. Therefore, they are not worth your time.
People talking.Canva/Photos
It can be frustrating to deal with people who won’t change their minds because we assume they are rational. However, in many cases, especially if the beliefs are political, cultural, or religious, it could be more of an emotional and social decision. Therefore, it can be incredibly difficult to get someone to change their mind because, to them, it feels like social suicide.
Persuasion expert Robert Cialdini says there is one way to encourage people to change their beliefs after they’ve been proven incorrect: offer them a way out of the belief that helps them save face. He uses the example of getting someone to admit they made a poor choice when voting for a political candidate: “Well, of course, you were in a position to make that decision in November because no one knew about [insert future development].”
Some other graceful phrases to give someone a graceful exit from an incorrect belief include:
“Given what we know now, it makes sense to update our thinking.”
“At the time, it made total sense.”
“A lot of people thought that back then.”
It can be hard to change some people’s minds, but by seeing things from their perspective and allowing them to exit their belief with dignity, they may be more open to reconsidering their opinions. But if there’s nothing that would change their mind, you probably don’t need to consider their views in the first place.
