We Grew Up Eating These 21 Foods—Now Kids Won’t Even Try Them

If you grew up in the ’70s, ’80s, or ’90s, there are certain foods you probably ate without thinking twice, no complaints, no second guesses. Fast forward to today, and those same dishes are getting side-eyes (or flat-out refusals) from kids at the table. Tastes have changed, trends have shifted, and some once-beloved staples just don’t hold the same appeal anymore. From lunchbox classics to dinner table regulars, these foods were once everywhere, but now, they’re surprisingly hard to get the next generation to try.

Broccoli Cheese Casserole Kids Skip

A spoon full of cheesy broccoli casserole in a baking dish. — Broccoli Casserole With Homemade Cheese Sauce. Photo credit: Butter and Baggage.

Smothered in creamy cheese, this broccoli bake was childhood comfort food. Modern kids often glance past it, preferring fresher takes on vegetables.
Get the Recipe: Broccoli Cheese Casserole Kids Skip

Retro Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole

A spoon full of chicken cordon bleu casserole. — Cheesy Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole With Ham. Photo credit: Butter and Baggage.

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Layers of ham, chicken, and Swiss once felt fancy on our dinner plates. Today’s kids may find this rich retro casserole too heavy.
Get the Recipe: Retro Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole

Cranberry Pretzel Salad Kids Ignore

A slice of layered dessert with a pretzel crust, white creamy middle, red gelatin top, topped with whipped cream, two cherries, and a small pretzel. A bowl of cherries is visible in the background. — Cranberry Pretzel Salad. Photo credit: Semi Homemade Kitchen.

This sweet-and-salty Jell-O salad once stole the holiday spotlight. Now, younger eaters often scroll past this quirky combo.
Get the Recipe: Cranberry Pretzel Salad Kids Ignore

Cheesy Mashed Potato Bake They Skip

A spoon full of twice baked mashed potatoes. — Sunday Table Mashed Potato Bake. Photo credit: Butter and Baggage.

Extra creamy, cheesy baked mashed potatoes were a Sunday tradition. Kids today rarely request this comforting casserole.
Get the Recipe: Cheesy Mashed Potato Bake They Skip

Frito Taco Casserole Kids Avoid

A spoon removing a scoop of cheesy taco casserole. — Easy Taco Casserole With Fritos. Photo credit: Butter and Baggage.

Fritos, beef, and cheese made this taco bake a childhood favorite. Now, the over-the-top combo is often skipped by modern kids.
Get the Recipe: Frito Taco Casserole Kids Avoid

70s Spaghetti Beef Bake Kids Ignore

Cheese being pulled from a pot of spaghetti with two spoons. — Cheesy Spaghetti Casserole With Ground Beef. Photo credit: Butter and Baggage.

Cheese, noodles, and beef made this 70s casserole a weeknight staple. Kids today usually opt for lighter pasta dishes instead.
Get the Recipe: 70s Spaghetti Beef Bake Kids Ignore

Broccoli Rice Casserole Kids Skip

A broccoli rice casserole in a skillet. — Creamy Broccoli Rice Casserole Without Canned Soup. Photo credit: Butter and Baggage.

Once a dependable side, creamy broccoli and rice baked together was comforting. Today, it rarely makes the modern dinner menu.
Get the Recipe: Broccoli Rice Casserole Kids Skip

Seven-Layer Mayo Salad Kids Pass

A bowl of 7 layer salad next to a serving spoon. — Southern 7 Layer Salad With Peas And Mayo. Photo credit: Butter and Baggage.

Generous layers of peas, cheese, and mayo made this salad a potluck staple. Kids now tend to skip it for fresher sides.
Get the Recipe: Seven-Layer Mayo Salad Kids Pass

Chicken & Wild Rice Casserole Kids Skip

A skillet of baked chicken and wild rice casserole. — Cheesy Chicken And Wild Rice Casserole Topped With Toasted Almonds. Photo credit: Butter and Baggage.

Wild rice, chicken, and toasted almonds once made this casserole hearty. Today, kids rarely request this nostalgic dish.
Get the Recipe: Chicken & Wild Rice Casserole Kids Skip

Ambrosia Salad Kids Pass Over

ambrosia salad in a white bowl. — Ambrosia Fruit Salad With Marshmallows. Photo credit: Butter and Baggage.

Coconut, marshmallows, and canned fruit made this a holiday favorite. Now, kids often pass it over without a second glance.
Get the Recipe: Ambrosia Salad Kids Pass Over

Tuna Noodle Casserole Kids Avoid

A serving spoon of tuna casserole. — Tuna & Noodle Casserole Without Canned Soup. Photo credit: Butter and Baggage.

Crunchy chips over creamy tuna noodles made this a classic weeknight meal. Modern kids usually avoid this retro combo.
Get the Recipe: Tuna Noodle Casserole Kids Avoid

Corn & Ham Casserole Kids Skip

A serving spoon in a corn casserole. — Cheesy Corn Casserole With Cream Cheese And Ham. Photo credit: Butter and Baggage.

Sweet corn, ham, and cheese once made this casserole a comfort food favorite. Kids today are less likely to dig in.
Get the Recipe: Corn & Ham Casserole Kids Skip

Spiced Fruit Salad Kids Reject

A bowl of spicy fruit salad with wooden spoon. — Spicy Fruit Salad With Star Anise. Photo credit: Butter and Baggage.

Bold spices gave fruit salad a grown-up twist we loved. Kids now often reject the unusual flavors.
Get the Recipe: Spiced Fruit Salad Kids Reject

Ham & Potato Casserole Kids Avoid

A spoon full of ham casserole. — Baked Ham Cheese & Potato Casserole (No Canned Soup). Photo credit: Butter and Baggage.

Diced ham, potatoes, and cheese once made weeknight dinners easy. Today, kids tend to pass over this hearty casserole.
Get the Recipe: Ham & Potato Casserole Kids Avoid

Tex-Mex Squash Casserole Kids Sidestep

A serving spoon scooping out squash casserole. — Tex Mex Summer Squash Casserole With A Kick!. Photo credit: Butter and Baggage.

Cheesy squash, tomatoes, and tortilla chips made this a bold family dish. Modern kids often sidestep its strong flavors.
Get the Recipe: Tex-Mex Squash Casserole Kids Sidestep

Retro Million Dollar Chicken Casserole

A serving spoon in a casserole dish of million dollar chicken. — Million Dollar Chicken Casserole With Cream Cheese. Photo credit: Butter and Baggage.

This creamy, cracker-topped chicken was a dinner favorite for decades. Today’s kids might wrinkle their noses at this nostalgic comfort food.
Get the Recipe: Retro Million Dollar Chicken Casserole

Classic Ham & Spaghetti Casserole

A spoon scooping out a serving of ham and cheese casserole. — Baked Ham And Spaghetti Dinner Casserole. Photo credit: Butter and Baggage.

This ham and spaghetti combo was the ultimate comfort meal for families in the 80s. Now it feels more like a throwback than a weeknight staple.
Get the Recipe: Classic Ham & Spaghetti Casserole

Retro Tomato & Bread Salad

Bread Salad. Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality.

Once a show-stopping side, this tomato and bread salad impressed at every gathering. Today’s younger diners often skip over its carb-heavy charm.
Get the Recipe: Retro Tomato & Bread Salad

Nostalgic Buffalo Tot Casserole

A serving being taken from a chicken casserole. — Buffalo Chicken Casserole With Tater Tots. Photo credit: Butter and Baggage.

Crispy tots and spicy buffalo chicken were the ultimate childhood dinner combo. Modern kids, however, might opt for something faster and trendier.
Get the Recipe: Nostalgic Buffalo Tot Casserole

Old-Fashioned Poppy Seed Chicken

A plate of rice covered with poppy seed chicken. — Southern Poppy Seed Chicken Casserole (No Rice). Photo credit: Butter and Baggage.

This cracker-topped chicken casserole was a reunion and potluck favorite. Kids today may find its creamy richness a little too old-school.
Get the Recipe: Old-Fashioned Poppy Seed Chicken

70s Cornflake Hashbrown Casserole

A spoon full of hashbrown casserole. — Hashbrown Casserole With Cornflakes (No Egg, No Meat). Photo credit: Butter and Baggage.

This crunchy cornflake-topped hashbrown was a holiday table highlight decades ago. Today it feels like a quirky relic from family dinners past.
Get the Recipe: 70s Cornflake Hashbrown Casserole

31 Potluck Recipes That Never Make It Back Home

A collage of four close-up images of creamy, cheesy baked macaroni and cheese—just like the church potluck dishes that were always the first to go—each showing gooey pasta topped with golden, bubbly cheese as spoons scoop out portions.

From creamy casseroles to crowd-pleasing desserts and easy appetizers, these are the recipes people scoop up quickly and ask about before the night is over. Bring one of these to your next gathering and don’t expect leftovers.
Grab it here: 31 Potluck Recipes That Never Make It Back Home

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