An era filled with political movements, social evolution, and new music weaving into the mainstream, the 1960s were years of great change – and that's before you've even considered what we were eating. From pre-packaged treats to fast food favorites we still adore today, we've rounded up the 39 tastiest foods, snacks, and dishes loved by the US and Canada in the 1960s. 

Click or scroll through our gallery to discover the best foods of the 1960s – counting down to the most beloved (and enduringly popular) of all. 

We've based our ranking on the enduring popularity of each food item in its place of origin and beyond, and on the opinions of our well-traveled (and well-fed) team. This list is unavoidably subjective.

‘Ants on a log’ is a childhood snack many have fond memories of – crunchy celery sticks stuffed or spread with sticky peanut butter, then topped with raisins. In the 1960s, peanut butter–stuffed celery wasn’t just for kids, though; it was a big hit at dinner parties as an appetizer, along with celery stuffed with cream cheese. Perhaps it’s not one to serve to your friends now, but it’s still suitable for an after-school snack.

No one knows exactly where chicken à la King came from. It might sound vaguely French, but competing theories say it could have been invented at Claridge’s Hotel in London, England, or in one of several US locations. Wherever it’s from, it gained popularity in the 1960s, despite originating around the end of the 19th century. The dish sees diced chicken mixed with a cream sauce, which may contain sherry, mushrooms, and vegetables, and it's usually served over pasta or rice.

Who can remember enjoying a melty scoop of this? A Canadian summertime staple from the 1950s through to the 1970s, tiger tail ice cream came in a rich orange flavor, complete with swirls of black licorice. Notorious for its bright orange-and-black color, this flavor may have been an acquired taste, but it was hard not to be won over by its fun name and look.

A fun cooking style that sees meat, seafood, and vegetables grilled on a flat, hot iron plate in front of diners, teppanyaki first gained traction in restaurants in Japan in the post-war period. By 1964, Japanese chain Benihana opened its first location in New York, bringing teppanyaki to the US. It remains a popular style of dining today, with customers still wowed by the spectacle.

Invented in 1954 by a chef in Los Angeles, French onion dip uses sour cream and instant onion soup powder for a punchy onion flavor. Lipton, which made the powder, promoted the dip as Lipton California dip – and in 1958, a recipe was included on the packaging. By the 1960s, the name French onion dip was starting to gain traction. The dip was a must-have at parties, lending zingy flavor to chips and crudités.

Québec’s classic cheese curd and gravy–loaded fries may have been a restaurant favorite since the 1950s, but it wasn’t until rotisserie chicken restaurant St-Hubert launched its Original Poutine Gravy cans that the nation began enjoying this meal at home. Landing in Canadian supermarkets in 1965, the cans enabled fans of the dish to whip it up in their own kitchens – without having to spend hours making a rich gravy.

In the mid-1960s, the Quaker Oats Company launched its now legendary instant oatmeal, which transformed into ready-to-eat hot porridge when water was added. Nowadays, you can get the oats in a host of different flavors, from Apples and Cinnamon to Maple and Brown Sugar. The invention spawned a thousand imitations, and instant oatmeal became a mainstay of the breakfast table.

Creamy, tangy macaroni salad was a must-have at potlucks and cookouts. A simple combination of pasta, salad vegetables (such as bell peppers and celery), and a smooth dressing, it was easy to prepare and take to any event. Recipes usually include mayonnaise, which might be flavored with mustard, vinegar, sugar, and seasonings to add more zing to the plain pasta.

An imitation whipped cream, Cool Whip was introduced to American homes in 1966. Produced by Kraft Foods, it quickly became a leading brand, regularly appearing as the key ingredient in pies and gelatine-based puddings throughout the decade. These days, you can get the cream in a variety of styles, from Extra Creamy to Mix-Ins. 

This flambéed favorite never goes out of fashion. To make crêpes Suzette, French crêpes are doused in a sauce made with orange zest, sugar, butter, orange liqueur, and Cognac, then set alight to become caramelized. Although the dish was invented in the 19th century, it was ubiquitous on 1960s restaurant menus.

Offering a healthier alternative to frying food for the ultimate crispiness, Shake ‘n Bake breadcrumb coating was a huge hit in both the US and Canada when it hit shelves in 1965. All cooks had to do was place it in a bag with whatever they wanted to coat (which would often be chicken or pork chops), give it a shake, and turn it out onto a baking sheet to bake. It’s still available today, although it no longer comes with a plastic bag; the brand now encourages the use of a reusable container to shake before you bake.

Rich with a gooey caramel center, the Caramilk has always been a Canadian favorite. The bar was introduced in 1968 and, despite being brought to life by the British Cadbury brand, it continues to be exclusively available in Canada. Fans can’t get enough of the stuff, with Caramilk continuing to be one of the country’s bestselling bars.

Cheese fondue may have been invented in Switzerland, but we have restaurateur Konrad Egli to thank for its 1960s chocolate incarnation. Created in New York as a promotion for Toblerone, the original was made with double cream, kirsch, and melted Toblerone, and it was served with chunks of cake and fruit for dipping. These days, strawberries, bananas, and marshmallows dipped in regular milk chocolate are more common.

Do you remember when this candy bar landed on gas station shelves? Causing quite a scene, the 100 Grand launched in the 1960s as the $100,000 Bar – and radio stations across the country began offering listeners ‘100 grand’ to answer quiz questions correctly. But after one listener found out she was receiving a candy bar instead of a cash prize, a Kentucky radio station was sued in 2005. Produced by Nestlé, the bar, complete with its chewy caramel and crisped rice center, has since been renamed.

Combining seafood and red meat, this indulgent restaurant dish first became popular in the 1960s – and over seven decades later, it continues to be a menu staple in steakhouses. These days, you'll usually find lobster tail and beef tenderloin featured on menus as a luxurious option, or sometimes even a surf ’n' turf burger, boasting a beef patty topped with lobster meat. 

In 1963, Kellogg’s released Froot Loops: brightly colored cereal rings with a fruity flavor. At first, the box only contained red, orange, and yellow pieces, but soon other colors, such as blue and purple, were added into the mix. However, controversially, it has been revealed that all the colors taste the same. Regardless, the cereal is still loved in the US and Canada today.

By the 1960s, both cheese and meat fondue had already arrived in the US, but it was during this decade that they really began to take off. Cheese fondue parties were a fun way to get together and share a meal with friends and family. A fondue set was the ultimate item for hosts with the most, allowing for endless events centered on dipping crusty bread into a gooey cheese sauce.

Who can remember chewing on a strip of this flavorful gum? Beech-Nut's Fruit Stripe was an instant favorite with kids when it launched in 1960. It was defined best by its strong yet short-lived fruity flavors, brightly colored packaging, and Yipes, the Zebra mascot. Sadly, fans of the gum can no longer get their hands on it; it was discontinued in early 2024.

This cake inspired millions of bundt tin recipes (made in distinctive ring-shaped molds) when it won the long-running Pillsbury Bake-Off contest in 1966. The butter, sugar, cocoa, and nuts in the mix form a 'tunnel' of oozing fudge through the cake as it bakes. It's still a nostalgic favorite that's enjoyed across the country today. 

Sold by Hunt's, Snack Pack's original aluminum cans of pudding were notoriously hazardous when they came out in 1968; they had pull-tab tops, and many people hurt their fingers or tongues trying to get in. The desserts are still eaten today (in plastic pots) in a range of flavors, including Banana Cream Pie, Butterscotch, and Tapioca.

The ultimate thrifty dinner, tuna casserole makes use of canned tuna and mushroom soup, and it often has a delightfully crispy top created by chips, cornflakes, or breadcrumbs. Casseroles really started to take off in the 1950s – and by the 1960s, tuna casserole was a meal firmly in rotation in many American households.

While the origins of this huge, gooey cake are hotly debated, there's no arguing that Texas sheet cake was synonymous with the 1960s. Topped with frosting, pecans, and walnuts, this cake became a regular at Texan funerals, as its enormous size and comforting qualities made it the perfect dessert to feed mourners; so much so that it also became known as Texas funeral cake. 

Although a patent for Ruffles was granted in 1956, it was the 1960s when the brand was taken over by Frito Lay – and the crinkled chips quickly became a household name. Still around today, the chips' deep ridges make them perfect for scooping up dip. The brand comes in a multitude of flavors, from Sour Cream & Onion to Jalapeño Ranch.

When chef Julia Child's cookbook Mastering the Art of French Cooking was published in 1961, it became a runaway bestseller. Americans embraced all things Gallic, and dishes such as beef bourguignon – beef stew made with red wine, beef stock, vegetables, and bacon – were a hot topic.

Launched in the UK in the early 1960s as Opal Fruits, these individually wrapped candies came in lemon, lime, orange, and strawberry flavors. Following much success, the fruity chews crossed the Atlantic in 1967, renamed Starburst for the US market. These days, the candies come in a variety of styles, including Gummies, Swirlers, and Sours. 

'Once you pop, you can’t stop' – never was a truer advertising slogan created. These addictive chips were first sold in the US in 1967, before becoming a global sensation in the early 1990s. The colorful tubes come in an array of flavors, from classics like Sour Cream & Onion to new favorites like Honey Mustard and Texas BBQ Brisket.

When you think of classic comfort food, meatloaf is sure to be somewhere at the top of the list. Often served with mashed potatoes and green beans, meatloaf had been around for a long time before the 1960s – but it became even more popular in the mid-20th century. Though it’s often eaten hot, many 1960s recipes intended for it to be eaten cold instead, which helped the mix of ground meat hold its shape.

This cereal of toasted oat pieces and multicolored marshmallow moons, stars, clovers, and hearts proved irresistible to kids when it first launched in 1964. Six decades later, the brand's packaging still features its leprechaun mascot, Lucky. These days, kids enjoy endless bowls of Lucky Charms for breakfast, or bake the cereal into Rice Krispie–inspired squares.

Complete with a breadcrumbed fish filet, tartar sauce, and American cheese, this McDonald’s menu item landed on nationwide menus in 1965. It was invented by McDonald’s Cincinnati franchisee Lou Groen two years earlier to boost sales on Fridays, when Catholics usually abstain from consuming meat. Still on the menu today, it's a popular choice across the globe.

No, it’s not an urban myth – Doritos really were invented at a Mexican-style restaurant in Disneyland. The seasoned snacks, renowned for their triangular shape and crunchy texture, were such a hit with customers that they were produced commercially for the local market before being rolled out nationwide in 1966. The snack brand has gone on to become a global sensation, available in an array of tasty (and sometimes unusual) flavors, including Nacho Cheese, Cool Ranch, and even Wasabi & Beef (available in Japan).

A controversial dish since its invention, we have Sam Panopoulos to thank for the world-famous Hawaiian pizza. The Canadian chef first put pineapple on a ham pizza at his Ontario joint, Satellite Restaurant, in the early 1960s. Despite being a crowd divider, the dish quickly caught on, with restaurants, stores, and home cooks now adding the tropical fruit to ham pizzas all over the world.

This kid-friendly food was invented in 1965 when Donald Goerke, who worked for Campbell’s Franco-American brand, was challenged to create a pasta dish for children that could be eaten with a spoon. It took a number of ideas before he finally settled on the O shape, but SpaghettiOs are now a staple in cupboards across the country.

A Canadian staple since 1964, Tim Hortons has gone on to become a global chain renowned for its glazed donuts and coffee. The brand was originally set up by National Hockey League player Tim Horton in Hamilton, Ontario before rapidly expanding over the following decades. The chain's iconic mini Timbits didn’t launch until the mid-1970s, so in the 1960s fans only had the classic donut variety to choose from.

A classic restaurant appetizer, this tasty dish is made up of freshly cooked, chilled shrimp and cocktail sauce (usually a mix of ketchup, Tabasco, Worcestershire sauce, and lemon juice), and it comes served with a wedge of lemon. Its popularity really began to soar during the late 1950s, when it became a must-try dish at casinos and restaurants throughout Las Vegas. By the 1960s and 1970s, it was enjoyed across the US.

Famed for its loaded pan pizzas, Domino’s was founded in Michigan in 1960. Since then, it's gone on to become the largest pizza delivery chain on the planet. Thanks to the world’s insatiable appetite for takeout pizza, Domino’s – and its long-running Two for Tuesday marketing scheme – are still going strong today.

It's hard to imagine a time without this pantry favorite. Produced by Kellogg's, Pop Tarts first landed on supermarket shelves in 1964, and they've been a roaring success ever since. Nowadays, the breakfast food comes in a host of different flavors, from Banana Bread to S'mores.

The finer details as to how this finger-licking chicken dish was invented are hotly disputed – but most people believe it was conceived at the Anchor Bar in Buffalo, New York, in 1964. Buffalo wings are still popular today, especially while watching a big game; in fact, the National Chicken Council released a study showing that on Super Bowl Sunday alone, the nation consumes a whopping 1.4 billion wings.

Taco Bell began serving its signature Mexican-influenced fast food to eager diners in the 1960s, launching with a simple menu filled with tostadas, burritos, and tacos. One dish that hasn’t stuck around despite its initial success is its hearty Chili Burger, which was replaced in the 1970s with the Bellburger (featuring ground beef, lettuce, tomato, and Taco Bell’s signature sauce). The Bellburger went on to be replaced in the 1980s, too. Despite this, six decades later, the brand has become an international sensation.

McDonald's fast food restaurants had been popping up across the US since the mid-1950s, but its most iconic burger didn't start appearing on menus until 1967. The Big Mac is made up of two beef patties, special sauce, iceberg lettuce, American cheese, pickles, and onions, all sandwiched inside a three-part sesame seed bun. It continues to be a fan favorite all these years later. 

Now discover 36 nostalgic foods that made a comeback

Last updated by Laura Ellis.