Trends come and go, but they also come back – we’ve seen it in fashion, pop culture, and food. From devilled eggs to stuffed dates, retro foods are making a comeback. Once forgotten in dusty 80s cookbooks, these foods have been rediscovered by a nostalgic generation and plastered all over TikTok and Instagram. We list our favourite retro food trends making the rounds on social media, and travel back in time to explore their origins.

Stuffed Dates

Turkey, chicken Kyiv, chile relleno – stuffed foods have been the star at potluck dinners and Thanksgiving table spreads for centuries, and the list doesn’t end there. Stuffed dates are one of the most retro food trends, so retro that the ancient snack dates to the Babylonian empire. Locally, Medjool dates are popular, but in Middle Eastern regions, multiple varieties exist and stuffed dates are one of the most beloved methods of enjoying this dainty snack.

The appeal of stuffed dates lies in their simplicity.

Often called ‘nature’s candy’, dates have a deliciously sweet and natural caramel-like flavour that pairs well with most ingredients. One of the most common preparations includes depitting the dates and filling the centres with walnuts, cream cheese or peanut butter. The appeal of stuffed dates lies in their simplicity, but if you really want to be over-the-top, feel free to roll them in prosciutto for a satisfying sweet and salty combination.

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Tomato Sandwiches

Tomato season is here and we can’t wait to take advantage of this retro food trend. Seasoned slices of beefy tomatoes sandwiched between toasted sourdough, brushed with garlic and smeared with Hellmann’s mayo – we’re officially dubbing this as the quintessential summer snack. Though tomatoes are currently in season in South Africa, The States just concluded a juicy season, with popular dishes like Pan con Tomate, Tomato Ezme, and tomato sandwiches appearing on Instagram.

Chef Jon Kung has taken it to the extreme with an entire series dedicated to tomato sandos – prepped with every type of bread, tomato and condiment you can imagine. As for this sarmie’s origins, historians are on the fence about whether it’s from New England or the southern States. The timeless snack was first published in 1911, and credited to the Virginia Chronicles – either way, we’re grateful that this tasty trend is here to stay.

For a zhuzhed-up version, try these Charred Tomato & Lemon Cottage Cheese Tartines.

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Possets

It doesn’t get more retro than these sensational summer treats. Traditionally, possets were prepared as a warm drink consisting of milk curdled with wine or ale, often spiced with ginger, nutmeg or cinnamon; sometimes enhanced with rose water, sugar and fruit.

Today, possets are a lot sweeter and lemony…

Though present-day possets taste and look very different, they have a long history as a medicinal remedy for colds and fevers. One of the most popular references was made by William Shakespeare in Hamlet. Sack (an Old English term for ‘wine’) possets were also enjoyed at wedding ceremonies; the occasional lemon posset also appeared during the 18th century. Today, possets are a lot sweeter and lemony, don’t have much curing power, and are prepared as a refreshing dessert, similar to syllabub. Either served in a glass or lemon rinds, possets are easy to make and you only need a handful of ingredients.

Try these posset-inspired LemonGold Cups

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Devilled Eggs

These sinfully delicious snacks might look like they belong in an 80s cookbook, but Devilled Eggs go way back to ancient Rome. While Devilled Eggs are pretty common today, they were traditionally reserved for wealthy Romans at fancy ‘dinner parties’ – and with the current shortage of eggs in South Africa, this notion doesn’t seem so antiquated.

Before the 13th century, boiled eggs were enjoyed with hot sauces, thus earning the name ‘devilled’. As for the addition of mayo, we have Fannie Farmer to thank. The popular serving suggestion is rumoured to have appeared in her Boston Cooking-School Cook Book (1896).

Try these Devilled Eggs with creamy avo and Parma ham

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Grated Egg Toast

One of the more recent retro food trends is ‘grated egg toast’. The trend went viral on TikTok when Sarah Thomas-Drawbaugh (@healthyishfoods) posted the recipe in 2022, but has since reemerged – some are even calling it ‘the new avo toast’.

The food trend involves topping toast with sliced or smashed avocado, finely grated hard-boiled eggs over, and then seasoning it with salt and pepper. Some prefer adding grated cheese, a squeeze of Kewpie mayo and hot sauce – all great additions if you want something other than just boiled eggs on toast. While we love this trend, it’s high time South African moms tell FoodTok about grated polony and vienna toast – if you know, you know.

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Upsidedown Cake

Cottagecore is all the rage right now – but in a toned-down, slow-living type of way. While the movement mostly focuses on countryside aesthetics like rustic interior design and sustainable wardrobes, it’s also shifted to the kitchen. Younger people are revisiting older cooking methods, from fermenting pickles to making cheese and good old-fashioned bakes – especially when it comes to upside-down cakes.

The trend arose as a baking hack when owning a conventional oven wasn’t widely popular, as the cake was cooked on stove top-style.

Upside-down cakes rose to fame in the 1920s, with American housewives rushing to grocery stores to buy canned pineapples and maraschino cherries. Though pineapple remains the most popular fruit for this ‘self-saucing’ cake, other varieties like peach, apple and plum upside-down cake exist – even prunes were used at one stage. The trend arose as a baking hack when owning a conventional oven wasn’t widely popular, as the cake was cooked on stove top-style. Thankfully, most people own ovens today – nonetheless, this classic treat is still favoured for its simplicity and versatility.

Similar to tarte Tatin, brown sugar and butter are combined to form a syrup, which is placed on parchment paper in a cake tin, and then the fruit is arranged before pouring the cake batter over. Once flipped, the fruit juices run down, keeping the cake moist. The beauty about upside-down cake is that you can make it with any fruit you want, even prunes – though, we urge you to be more creative.

For a local take, try this upside-down Naartjie, Thyme & Marigold Cake.

Want more? Find out why baking feels nostalgic.