Remember those sandwiches we used to eat as kids? Some were part of our daily lunches, while others showed up at every family gathering. As our tastes changed, many of these once-popular sandwiches disappeared from menus and lunch boxes.
Here’s a look at 18 sandwiches that have fallen out of favor – some we barely remember, and others we’re happy to leave in the past.
1. Spam And Pickle Sandwiches
Wartime rationing made Spam a household staple. Paired with pickles on white bread, this salty combo was a lunchbox regular for many Baby Boomers.
The gelatinous meat product and briny pickles created a sodium overload that’s hard to imagine now. Modern taste buds simply can’t handle the preserved meat texture.
2. Olive Nut Spread Sandwiches
Grandmothers everywhere whipped up this strange mixture of chopped olives, nuts, and mayonnaise. The spread was slathered between white bread slices and served at ladies’ luncheons and bridge clubs across America.
Its oddly gritty texture combined with the briny olives created an acquired taste.
3. Bologna And American Cheese
The pink disc of mystery meat paired with a square of processed cheese defined childhood lunches for generations. Parents loved how affordable and easy this combo was.
Kids traded these sandwiches in cafeterias across America. Remember the weird way bologna stuck to your teeth?
4. Jellied Sandwich Loaf
A bizarre creation from the mid-century entertaining era. This monstrosity consisted of layers of bread and various fillings like egg salad and tuna, covered entirely with cream cheese frosting.
The whole thing was then chilled until firm, sliced like a cake, and served at parties. The textures clashed horribly!
5. Peanut Butter And Marshmallow Fluff
Known as the Fluffernutter, this sugar bomb sandwich created instant energy rushes and subsequent crashes for kids everywhere. The sticky marshmallow cream paired with peanut butter created a sweet-and-salty combination that stuck to the roof of your mouth.
Eating one required multiple milk gulps.
6. Sardine And Onion Sandwiches
A pungent combination that cleared rooms faster than a fire alarm. Popular during the Depression era when protein was scarce and canned fish was affordable.
This sandwich combined tinned sardines with raw onion slices on bread. Office workers who brought this lunch found themselves eating alone.
7. Mayonnaise And Banana Sandwiches
Southern grandmothers swore by this peculiar pairing. Sliced bananas were laid between white bread slathered with mayonnaise.
The creamy mayo against the soft banana created a texture that was uniquely unpleasant. The sandwich would quickly turn brown and slimy as the bananas oxidized.
8. Pickle And Peanut Butter Sandwiches
Pregnant women craved them. Children dared each other to eat them. This odd combination paired dill pickle spears with creamy peanut butter between bread slices.
The salty-sour pickle against sweet-nutty peanut butter created a flavor contrast that few could appreciate.
9. Cream Cheese And Olive Sandwiches
A staple at ladies’ luncheons in the 1950s and 60s. These dainty triangular sandwiches featured green olives with pimentos embedded in cream cheese.
The bright red centers of the olives created a polka-dot effect when the sandwiches were sliced. Crusts were always removed for proper presentation.
10. Ketchup Sandwiches
Born of hard times and empty pantries, the ketchup sandwich represents childhood poverty for many Americans. Just bread and ketchup!
The sweet-tangy condiment soaked into white bread, creating a soggy, sugar-loaded meal substitute. The sandwich symbolized financial hardship in a visible, public way.
11. Tongue Sandwiches
Beef tongue, thinly sliced and served cold between bread, was once considered a delicacy. Delis specialized in this protein-rich sandwich, often adding nothing more than a smear of mustard.
The meat had a distinctive smooth texture that many found off-putting. The preparation process was even more disturbing than the eating.
12. Velveeta And Grape Jelly
The 1970s produced some questionable food combinations. This sandwich ranks among the strangest.
Processed Velveeta cheese paired with sweet grape jelly created a purple-streaked mess that confused taste buds. Parents claimed the sandwich provided both protein and fruit.
13. Deviled Ham Spread Sandwiches
Deviled ham spread was a mystery meat concoction that smelled like cat food but somehow made its way into sandwiches. The spicy, pasty mixture spread easily on white bread and required no refrigeration.
Popular for picnics and work lunches. No one quite knew what parts of the ham were used in the spread.
14. Prune Whip Sandwiches
A bizarre creation from mid-century cookbooks! Prune whip sandwiches combined stewed prunes with whipped cream or marshmallow fluff.
The dark purple-brown filling was spread between slices of white bread and sometimes sprinkled with chopped nuts. Health-conscious mothers served these to children as a “nutritious treat.”
15. Onion And Mayo On White Bread
Depression-era families made do with what they had, and this simple sandwich represented bare-bones nutrition. Thick slices of raw onion were laid between white bread slathered with mayonnaise.
The sharp, eye-watering onion dominated every bite of this pungent creation. Few would choose this harsh combination.
16. Spam And Banana Sandwiches
A truly bizarre combination that emerged during post-war food experimentation. Sliced Spam was paired with banana slices and sometimes a smear of mayonnaise.
The salty processed meat against sweet fruit created a flavor contrast that few could appreciate. Recipe pamphlets from meat companies promoted this strange pairing.
17. Cucumber And Butter Sandwiches
Borrowed from British tea traditions, these dainty sandwiches featured paper-thin cucumber slices on buttered white bread with crusts removed.
They appeared at ladies’ luncheons and formal teas across America. The watery cucumber and bland butter created a nearly tasteless experience.
18. Peanut Butter And Mayonnaise
A Southern oddity that puzzles the rest of the nation. Popular from the 1930s through the 1960s.
This strange pairing created a protein-rich, calorie-dense meal when meat was expensive or unavailable. Some variations added banana slices or sweet pickle chips to the mix.
19. Spaghetti Sandwiches
Leftover spaghetti with tomato sauce stuffed between slices of white bread created a carb-loaded monstrosity. It really repurposed dinner leftovers into the next day’s lunch.
The cold pasta and congealed sauce created a strange texture against the soft bread. Eating this sandwich required serious commitment.