15 Retro British Foods That Defined 1970s Cuisine
The 1970s filled British tables with colorful, quirky dishes that still spark smiles and a hint of nostalgia today. Wobbly desserts shimmered under kitchen lights, playful party starters carried bold aromas, and every gathering felt like a cheerful experiment in flavor.
Anyone who grew up in that era can almost smell the sweet custards and savory bakes, while curious newcomers get a fun peek into what families once served with pride. Time to enjoy a tasty stroll down memory lane and revisit the decade’s most unforgettable bites.
Disclaimer: Information is intended for general culinary and historical interest. Recipe variations, ingredient availability, and regional traditions may differ, so consider checking reliable sources for the most accurate details.
Prawn Cocktail
Picture this: prawns nestled in a glass dish, drowning in pink Marie Rose sauce, perched on a bed of iceberg lettuce. This retro starter screamed sophistication at every British dinner party in the 70s.
Fancy restaurants served it, and home cooks copied it religiously. The combination of ketchup, mayo, and Worcestershire sauce became the signature flavor of an entire era, making everyone feel like a gourmet chef.
Black Forest Gateau
When you wanted to impress guests in the 70s, you wheeled out this chocolate-and-cherry showstopper. Layers of chocolate sponge, whipped cream, and kirsch-soaked cherries made every birthday feel like a royal celebration.
Bakeries sold them by the thousands, and home bakers spent hours perfecting those chocolate curls on top. Just saying, no dessert trolley was complete without this German-inspired beauty gracing British tables nationwide.
Arctic Roll
Vanilla ice cream wrapped in sponge cake with a swirl of jam – what could be simpler or more delightful? Families pulled this frozen treat from the freezer for Sunday pudding throughout the decade.
Though it sounds basic now, Arctic Roll felt like magic back then. Kids loved watching it slice into perfect spirals, and mums loved that it required zero effort beyond unwrapping the box from the freezer.
Angel Delight
Add milk, whisk for two minutes, and boom – instant dessert that tasted like clouds made of butterscotch or strawberry. Angel Delight became a weeknight superhero for busy parents across Britain in the late 60s and throughout the 70s.
However, not everyone appreciated its synthetic sweetness or artificial colors. Still, kids devoured it by the bowlful, and that distinctive flavor remains burned into the memory of an entire generation.
Trifle
Layers of sponge soaked in fruit juice or jelly, plus fruit, custard, and cream piled high in a glass bowl – trifle was the undisputed champion of British party desserts. Every family had their own secret recipe passed down through generations.
Christmas, birthdays, or Sunday gatherings all demanded this wobbly masterpiece. Though it looked complicated, even novice cooks could assemble one, making it the perfect crowd-pleaser for any celebration throughout the decade.
Blancmange
This wobbly, milk-based dessert came in pastel pink, yellow, or white, molded into elaborate shapes that jiggled on the plate. Blancmange felt old-fashioned even in the 70s, but families still served it regularly.
Kids giggled watching it wobble, though many found the texture strange and the flavor too subtle. Despite mixed reviews, blancmange held its place on British tables as a nostalgic nod to Victorian-era puddings that refused to disappear.
Baked Alaska
Ice cream and sponge cake hidden under a fluffy meringue shell, then torched until golden – Baked Alaska was pure theater on a plate. When someone brought this to the table, everyone gasped at the contrast of hot and cold.
Though tricky to execute, ambitious home cooks attempted it for special occasions. If you pulled it off without the ice cream melting, you basically earned superhero status among dinner party guests throughout the decade.
Cheese Fondue
Fondue sets became the must-have gadget for 70s entertaining, with bubbling Gruyère and Emmental cheese in the center of the table. Guests speared bread cubes and swirled them through the melted goodness, creating a communal dining experience.
Swiss in origin, fondue found a warm welcome in British homes during this decade. Dinner parties felt instantly more sophisticated with that little burner flickering away, even if half the bread ended up at the bottom.
Vol-Au-Vents
These delicate puff-pastry cases filled with creamy prawn, chicken, or mushroom mixtures dominated every buffet spread in the 70s. Bite-sized and elegant, vol-au-vents made hosts feel like French chefs even if they bought them frozen.
Where would a cocktail party be without a platter of these golden beauties? They disappeared fast, leaving only flaky crumbs behind as evidence. Their popularity proved that anything in pastry automatically became party-worthy during this era.
Quiche Lorraine
Bacon, eggs, and cream baked in a pastry shell – Quiche Lorraine became wildly fashionable in British homes during the 70s. Once considered exotic French fare, it quickly became a staple at lunch parties and picnics across the country.
How did something so simple become so trendy? The answer lies in its versatility and make-ahead convenience. Serve it hot or cold, for brunch or dinner, and everyone thought you were the height of sophistication.
Coronation Chicken
Created for Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation in 1953, this curried chicken salad with raisins and apricots stayed popular well into the 70s. Cold, creamy, and mildly spiced, it appeared in sandwiches and buffets everywhere.
Though designed for royalty, ordinary Brits embraced it wholeheartedly. The combination of mayo, curry powder, and fruit felt adventurous yet safe – perfect for a nation just beginning to explore international flavors without straying too far from home.
Chicken Kiev
Breaded chicken breast stuffed with garlic butter, when you cut into Chicken Kiev, that molten butter explosion felt like hitting the jackpot. Restaurants served it, and frozen versions filled supermarket freezers throughout the decade.
Eastern European in origin but embraced by British diners, this dish represented exotic dining without leaving your hometown.. Just saying, trying to eat one without butter squirting everywhere became a rite of passage for 70s dinner guests nationwide.
Spam Fritters
Slices of Spam dipped in batter and fried until crispy, served alongside chips, this thrifty meal evokes strong nostalgia for many Brits. School dinners and working-class kitchens relied on this quick, filling option throughout the decade.
Though some turn their noses up at tinned meat now, Spam fritters represented comfort food in its purest form back then. Cheap, easy, and satisfying, they fed families on tight budgets while still tasting absolutely delicious with a splash of vinegar.
Devilled Eggs
Hard-boiled eggs halved and filled with seasoned yolk mixed with mayo, mustard, and paprika – devilled eggs were buffet royalty in the 60s and 70s. Every party platter included these bite-sized protein bombs, often garnished with a sprinkle of cayenne.
Simple to make yet impressive to present, they disappeared within minutes at any gathering. If you arrived late to a party, chances were these would already be gone, leaving only empty serving dishes behind.
Pineapple Upside-Down Cake
Golden sponge cake topped with caramelized pineapple rings and glacé cherries, this dessert looked as good as it tasted. Baked upside down then flipped for the big reveal, it brought a touch of tropical sunshine to British teatimes.
Why did tinned pineapple feel so glamorous in the 70s? Perhaps because exotic fruit still seemed special before supermarkets stocked everything year-round. This cake remains a nostalgic favorite, reminding us when dessert was pure, uncomplicated joy.
