9 Foods That Were Considered Exotic in America in the 1960s

It’s hard to imagine now, but many foods that Americans eat every day were once considered strange and foreign. In the early 1960s, the typical American dinner was meat, potatoes and a vegetable, with maybe a gelatin salad on the side. Anything with spices, raw fish or an unfamiliar name was seen as daring.

That started to change during the decade. Air travel became more common, immigrants opened restaurants, and TV cooks like Julia Child introduced Americans to new ways of eating. Foods that once seemed exotic slowly became familiar. Here are nine foods that were considered exotic in America in the 1960s and are now everyday staples.

1. Pizza

Pizza had been around in Italian American neighborhoods for decades, but in many parts of the country, it was still a novelty in the early 1960s. People in small towns might never have tasted it, and some thought of it as foreign food.

The spread of pizza chains, frozen pizza and returning soldiers who had tasted it in Italy helped it catch on. Pizza Hut opened its first restaurant in Wichita, Kansas, in 1958, and Domino’s started in 1960. By the end of the decade, pizza was on its way to becoming one of America’s favorite foods.

2. Tacos

For most Americans outside the Southwest, tacos were unfamiliar in the early 1960s. Mexican food was seen as spicy and exotic, and many people had never tried it.

Taco Bell opened its first restaurant in 1962 in Downey, California, and helped introduce tacos to the rest of the country. Grocery stores began selling taco kits and shells, and tacos became a family favorite.

3. Yogurt

Yogurt was considered a health food for a small group of people in the 1960s. It was sour, unfamiliar and often seen as something only health enthusiasts ate.

Companies began adding fruit and sugar to make yogurt more appealing, and its popularity grew in the 1970s. Today, yogurt is a breakfast staple and comes in endless flavors and styles.

4. Avocados

Avocados were grown in California, but many Americans had never seen one in the 1960s. They were sometimes called “alligator pears,” and people didn’t know how to eat them.

Growers launched campaigns to teach Americans how to use avocados in salads and dips. Over time, guacamole became a party favorite, and avocados became a staple. The Hass Avocado Board now promotes them as an everyday food.

5. Kiwifruit

The kiwifruit, originally from China and grown commercially in New Zealand, was almost unknown in America in the early 1960s. Its fuzzy brown skin and bright green inside looked strange to shoppers.

A California produce distributor named Frieda Caplan is credited with helping introduce the kiwifruit to American grocery stores in the early 1960s. Slowly, it caught on, and today it’s sold in supermarkets across the country.

6. Sushi

Raw fish was unthinkable for most Americans in the 1960s. Sushi was almost unknown outside of Japanese American communities. The idea of eating raw fish seemed shocking.

Sushi bars began appearing in Los Angeles in the mid-1960s, mostly serving Japanese businessmen. The California roll, created later, helped introduce sushi to American tastes. Today, sushi is sold in grocery stores, food courts and restaurants across the country.

7. Bagels

Bagels were a staple in Jewish neighborhoods in cities like New York, but they were largely unknown in much of the country in the 1960s. Many Americans had never seen or tasted one.

Frozen bagels and bagel chains helped spread them nationwide. By the 1980s and 1990s, bagels had become a popular breakfast food everywhere, sold in supermarkets and coffee shops.

8. Fondue

Fondue, a Swiss dish of melted cheese served in a pot for dipping bread, became a sensation in the 1960s and 1970s. Fondue parties were trendy, and fondue sets were popular wedding gifts.

It was seen as sophisticated and exotic, a way for hosts to show off. Fondue faded as a trend but never completely disappeared, and many families still bring out the fondue pot for special occasions.

9. French Cooking

When Julia Child published Mastering the Art of French Cooking in 1961 and launched her TV show The French Chef in 1963, she introduced millions of Americans to dishes like coq au vin, boeuf bourguignon and quiche. These foods seemed fancy and foreign to many home cooks.

Julia Child made French cooking approachable, showing that anyone could make it at home. Her influence helped change the way Americans thought about food, encouraging them to try new flavors and techniques.

How American Tastes Changed

Several things changed American eating habits in the 1960s. Immigration laws changed in 1965, opening the door to more immigrants from Asia, Latin America and elsewhere, who brought their food with them. Air travel became more affordable, allowing more Americans to taste food in other countries. TV and magazines introduced new recipes.

Grocery stores also began stocking a wider variety of foods, making it easier for home cooks to experiment. By the end of the decade, Americans were more adventurous eaters than ever before.

Television Changed the Menu

Television played a big role in introducing Americans to new foods. Cooking shows, commercials and travel programs showed viewers dishes they had never seen. Julia Child’s show, in particular, encouraged home cooks to try French recipes, and many said she made cooking feel fun instead of intimidating.

Magazines and newspapers also ran recipes for international dishes, and cookbook sales boomed. Hosting a dinner party with an “exotic” menu became a way for families to show they were modern and worldly. Many of the dishes that impressed guests in 1965 are now standard weeknight fare.

From Exotic to Everyday

Today, many of these foods are so common that it’s hard to believe they were ever considered strange. Kids eat tacos, sushi and avocado toast without a second thought. The once-exotic has become part of everyday American life.

Not every 1960s food trend aged as well, though. Some still make people cringe, like many of the 1960s food trends that deserve to stay buried. Which of these foods did you first try in the 1960s, and what did you think of it?