Remember when sandwiches were more than just turkey and cheese between two slices of bread? There was a time when Americans ate some truly wild combinations that would make most people today scratch their heads in confusion. From beef jelly made with pig feet to peanut butter mixed with mayonnaise, these forgotten sandwiches tell the story of American creativity, necessity, and sometimes just plain weirdness. Most of these disappeared for good reason, but some might actually surprise modern eaters with how tasty they could be.
Beef jelly sandwiches used every part of the animal
Back in the 1920s, throwing away food wasn’t an option, especially the expensive parts of animals. Butchers got creative with beef hearts, pig feet, and beef tongues, cooking them together until everything became tender and fell apart. The mixture went into the icebox to cool down and turn into a firm, sliceable jelly that could be spread on bread with mustard, mayo, or pickles.
This resourceful sandwich provided protein at a fraction of the cost of regular lunch meat. The gelatinous texture might sound gross today, but it was actually pretty smart food science. Modern hot dogs and lunch meats use similar techniques, just with better marketing and packaging. Most people today can afford regular deli meat, so there’s no need to go back to making jelly from pig feet.
Emergency sandwiches combined whatever was available
The Great Depression forced families to get creative with whatever sat in their pantries. The aptly named emergency sandwich mixed hard-boiled eggs and pickles with mustard and peanut butter, creating a protein-packed meal from shelf-stable ingredients. If the mixture turned out too thick, people thinned it with vinegar to make it spreadable.
These depression-era combinations prioritized nutrition and calories over taste. The ingredients lasted forever without refrigeration and provided enough energy to get through long work days. While the combination sounds bizarre now, it actually makes sense from a nutritional standpoint. Modern protein bars often contain similarly strange ingredient combinations, just processed differently and marketed better.
Plain banana sandwiches satisfied sweet cravings cheaply
Kids during the Depression got tired of peanut butter every single day, so parents looked for affordable alternatives that still provided energy. Sliced or mashed bananas on dark bread became a popular treat because bananas stayed cheap and available even when other produce disappeared from stores. Lucky kids might get a bit of butter or sugar sprinkled on top for extra sweetness.
Unlike other fruits that spoiled quickly or cost too much, bananas remained accessible throughout the economic crisis. They didn’t need cooking and provided quick energy for school-age children. Today, banana sandwiches seem too simple for most people’s tastes, but they’re actually not that different from the trendy banana toast that shows up on social media. The main difference is that modern versions use expensive artisan bread and fancy toppings.
Makeshift sandwiches used condiments as main ingredients
When money ran out completely, people made sandwiches from whatever condiments they could find in their kitchens. Ketchup sandwiches, butter sandwiches, and even salt and pepper sandwiches became actual meals when there was nothing else available. These weren’t gourmet choices – they were survival food that kept families from going hungry.
Bread stayed cheap compared to other foods, so people loaded it with anything that added calories or taste. These makeshift meals were far from delicious, but they served their purpose during desperate times. Some older adults still eat butter sandwiches occasionally for nostalgic reasons, but most of these combinations disappeared as soon as better options became available. The idea of eating a plain ketchup sandwich today seems almost impossible to imagine.
Elvis sandwiches combined sweet and salty extremes
Elvis Presley made one sandwich combination famous with his love for bananas, bacon, and peanut butter grilled together and sometimes deep-fried. The King would eat two to four of these massive sandwiches regularly and order them at his favorite diners around the country. The combination of sweet bananas, salty bacon, and rich peanut butter created an indulgent treat that matched his larger-than-life personality.
While this celebrity sandwich still appears on some diner menus, especially in places where Elvis performed, it never became mainstream. The extreme calorie count and rich combination of fats make it more of a novelty item than regular food. Some restaurants have adapted the idea into milkshakes and donuts, but the original sandwich remains mostly a piece of rock and roll history rather than everyday eating.
Frosted sandwich loaves looked like cakes but tasted savory
Picture a layer cake, but instead of chocolate and vanilla, it contained egg salad, chicken salad, pickles, and deviled ham stacked between bread slices. The whole thing got “frosted” with a mixture of mayonnaise and cream cheese, creating an elaborate centerpiece for fancy tea parties and women’s luncheons. These took hours to assemble and were meant to impress guests with their cake-like appearance.
The frosted sandwich loaf represented sophisticated entertaining in the mid-20th century, but it was also incredibly heavy and rich. The combination of multiple mayo-based salads covered in more mayo and cream cheese proved too much for most people’s stomachs. As women entered the workforce and had less time for elaborate meal preparation, these time-consuming showpieces disappeared from social gatherings completely.
Welsh rarebit used beer and cheese instead of meat
Despite its name suggesting rabbit, Welsh rarebit contained no meat at all. Instead, it featured a rich cheese sauce made with beer, Worcestershire sauce, and hot sauce poured over sourdough bread and served open-faced. This hearty combination provided a filling meal using simple, affordable ingredients that most families could manage during tight economic times.
Popular in lunch counters through the 1970s, Welsh rarebit satisfied appetites when meat prices stayed high. The cheese and bread combination offered plenty of calories and protein without breaking family budgets. Once meat became more affordable and accessible, people moved away from these cheese-based alternatives. Today, the closest thing might be fancy grilled cheese sandwiches, but those lack the beer and spice elements that made Welsh rarebit unique.
Oyster club sandwiches treated seafood like everyday food
Hard to believe now, but oysters used to be cheap street food that regular working people ate for lunch. Oyster club sandwiches featured fried oysters with lettuce, tomato, and spicy horseradish sauce, giving the classic club sandwich a seafood twist. The crispy texture and bold sauce made these feel luxurious even though they cost about the same as other lunch counter options.
Starting in the 1920s, oyster sandwiches were as common as turkey clubs are today. But overharvesting and pollution made oysters expensive and harder to find, pushing them into the luxury category. Now oysters cost so much that putting them in a sandwich seems wasteful to most people. Modern seafood sandwiches usually feature fish or shrimp instead, leaving oysters for special occasions and fancy restaurants.
Peanut butter and mayo combinations sound gross but made sense
When grape jelly became too expensive during the Depression, people mixed peanut butter with mayonnaise instead. This combination provided plenty of calories and fat to keep workers going through long days, even though the taste was definitely an acquired one. Some recipes added banana slices to make the sandwich more appealing, especially for children who needed the extra nutrition.
The peanut butter and mayo sandwich stuck around longer than expected, even showing up in 1960s Hellmann’s advertisements with suggestions for adding bacon, pickles, or pineapple. Some people, particularly in the South, still eat these occasionally, though they’re more of a curiosity now than regular food. The combination actually works better than it sounds – the mayo adds creaminess without the sweetness of jelly that some people find too intense.
These forgotten sandwiches remind us that food trends come and go, often driven by economics rather than taste preferences. While most of these combinations disappeared for good reasons, they represent American creativity and resilience during challenging times. Some, like the Elvis sandwich or Welsh rarebit, might actually be worth trying again, while others like beef jelly probably belong in the history books where they currently reside.
