21 Vintage Dinners Moms Kept Making Back in the 1970s

21 Vintage Dinners Moms Kept Making Back in the 1970s

Dinner in the 1970s was shaped by routines, tight schedules, and moms who needed meals they could count on. These were the dinners that showed up again and again because the ingredients were familiar, the timing was predictable, and everyone knew what they were getting. From casseroles to slow cooker staples, these meals kept households fed without extra fuss. These 21 vintage dinners reflect the food many moms relied on to get dinner on the table night after night.

21 Vintage Dinners Moms Kept Making Back in the 1970s
Tuna Noodle Casserole Recipe With Ripples Chips. Photo credit: Thermocookery.

Easy Chicken and Dumplings Skillet

A bowl of chicken and dumplings soup with carrots, celery, and herbs, with a spoon inside.
Easy Chicken and Dumplings Skillet. Photo credit: Thermocookery.

Easy Chicken and Dumplings Skillet is a one-pan dinner ready in about 40 minutes and built around comfort. It includes chicken, vegetables, soft dumplings, and creamy sauce. The flavor is savory and gentle with a stew-like texture. It delivered warmth without needing extra dishes.
Get the Recipe: Easy Chicken and Dumplings Skillet

Easy Weeknight Slow Cooker Chicken Marinara

A bowl of penne pasta topped with shredded meat and garnished with fresh basil leaves. A fork is placed in the bowl. Red tomatoes and additional fresh basil leaves are on the marble surface nearby.
Easy Weeknight Slow Cooker Chicken Marinara. Photo credit: Thermocookery.

Easy Weeknight Slow Cooker Chicken Marinara is a hands-off dinner that cooks in about 4 hours and stays simple. It uses chicken breasts simmered in tomato sauce with basic seasoning. The taste is savory and tomato-forward with tender meat. It worked well when schedules were full and energy was low.
Get the Recipe: Easy Weeknight Slow Cooker Chicken Marinara

Crock Pot Pork Roast with Potatoes and Carrots

A bowl of shredded pot roast with baby potatoes and carrots, garnished with parsley, on a woven placemat.
Crock Pot Pork Roast with Potatoes and Carrots. Photo credit: Thermocookery.

Crock Pot Pork Roast with Potatoes and Carrots is a slow-cooked dinner that takes about 6 hours and requires little attention. It includes pork roast, potatoes, carrots, broth, and simple herbs. The flavor is mild and savory with tender meat and vegetables. It suited busy days when dinner needed to be ready without hovering.
Get the Recipe: Crock Pot Pork Roast with Potatoes and Carrots

Slow Cooker Cranberry Chicken

Glazed chicken breasts with cranberries, green beans, and stuffing on a white plate, garnished with parsley.
Slow Cooker Cranberry Chicken. Photo credit: Thermocookery.

Slow Cooker Cranberry Chicken is a slow-cooked dinner that takes about 4 hours and blends sweet and savory flavors. It uses chicken breasts, cranberry sauce, and seasoning simmered together. The taste is tangy with a mild sweetness. It offered something different while still feeling dependable.
Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Cranberry Chicken

Buckwheat Kasha With Camarelized Mushrooms And Onions

Three bowls of buckwheat kasha with mushrooms and greens.
Buckwheat Kasha With Camarelized Mushrooms And Onions. Photo credit: At the Immigrant’s Table.

Buckwheat Kasha With Caramelized Mushrooms And Onions is a stovetop dinner ready in about 45 minutes and rooted in practical home cooking. It combines buckwheat groats, mushrooms, onions, and butter into a hearty base. The taste is nutty, earthy, and deeply savory without being heavy. It was the kind of grain-based meal that quietly filled plates and held its place.
Get the Recipe: Buckwheat Kasha With Camarelized Mushrooms And Onions

Ground Turkey Stuffed Peppers

One stuffed pepper on platewith pot in background.
Ground Turkey Stuffed Peppers. Photo credit: At the Immigrant’s Table.

Ground Turkey Stuffed Peppers are a baked dinner that comes together in about 50 minutes and balance protein with vegetables in one dish. They are filled with ground turkey, grains, herbs, and seasoning tucked into tender bell peppers. The flavor is savory and lightly seasoned with a soft texture throughout. It offered a dependable way to serve a complete meal without extra sides.
Get the Recipe: Ground Turkey Stuffed Peppers

Brown Sugar Veggies and Ham Steak Sheet Pan

A white plate with a serving of glazed ham garnished with rosemary, surrounded by roasted sweet potato chunks and green beans. A gray napkin and a bottle of syrup are beside the plate.
Brown Sugar Veggies and Ham Steak Sheet Pan. Photo credit: Thermocookery.

Brown Sugar Veggies and Ham Steak Sheet Pan is an oven dinner ready in about 45 minutes with everything cooked together. It features ham steaks, sweet potatoes, green beans, and a brown sugar glaze. The taste is sweet and savory with caramelized edges. It offered a balanced plate using ingredients families already knew well.
Get the Recipe: Brown Sugar Veggies and Ham Steak Sheet Pan

Slow Cooker Chicken Spaghetti

A plate of creamy spaghetti with shredded chicken, topped with chopped parsley and black pepper.
Slow Cooker Chicken Spaghetti. Photo credit: Thermocookery.

Slow Cooker Chicken Spaghetti is a one-pot dinner that cooks in about 4 hours and feeds a crowd easily. It combines chicken, pasta, cheese, and a creamy sauce cooked together until tender. The taste is rich, cheesy, and familiar with a soft texture. It worked well for evenings when dinner needed to wait while the day carried on.
Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Chicken Spaghetti

Easy Chilli Con Carne

A bowl of chili topped with shredded cheese, diced avocado, and a dollop of sour cream, with a fork resting in the bowl. The food is served in a light green bowl on a green napkin.
Easy Chilli Con Carne. Photo credit: Thermocookery.

Easy Chilli Con Carne is a stovetop dinner ready in about 45 minutes and built around pantry staples. It includes ground beef, beans, tomatoes, onion, and spices. The flavor is savory with mild heat. It worked well for feeding families without stretching the budget.
Get the Recipe: Easy Chilli Con Carne

Cheesy Zucchini Casserole

A baked dish with a golden-brown crumb topping is in a rectangular baking dish, which has a white and blue checkered cloth nearby. A serving is on a round plate to the right. The surface is a light marble texture.
Cheesy Zucchini Casserole. Photo credit: Thermocookery.

Cheesy Zucchini Casserole is an oven-baked dish that takes about 40 minutes and stretches vegetables into a main-worthy side. It combines zucchini, cheese, garlic, and a creamy base. The flavor is mild, savory, and balanced with soft textures. It helped vegetables earn their place on the dinner table.
Get the Recipe: Cheesy Zucchini Casserole

Chicken and Rice Casserole with Minute Rice

A plate of cheesy vegetable casserole with broccoli, peas, and cauliflower, with a fork lifting a bite.
Chicken and Rice Casserole with Minute Rice. Photo credit: Thermocookery.

Chicken and Rice Casserole with Minute Rice is an oven-baked dinner ready in about 45 minutes using quick-cooking rice. It includes chicken, cheese, Minute Rice, and a creamy sauce. The flavor is mild, savory, and familiar. It reflects the shortcut meals families leaned on during busy weeks.
Get the Recipe: Chicken and Rice Casserole with Minute Rice

Pillsbury Chicken Pot Pie Casserole

Golden biscuits on creamy chicken pot pie filling with vegetables in a baking pan, one biscuit being served.
Pillsbury Chicken Pot Pie Casserole. Photo credit: Thermocookery.

Pillsbury Chicken Pot Pie Casserole is an oven-baked dinner that takes about 50 minutes and leans on familiar shortcuts. It uses rotisserie chicken, mixed vegetables, creamy sauce, and flaky refrigerated dough. The flavor is rich and savory with a soft filling and golden top. It suited nights when dinner needed to feel complete without starting from scratch.
Get the Recipe: Pillsbury Chicken Pot Pie Casserole

Easy 5-ingredient Crockpot Chicken and Rice

A bowl of creamy chicken stew garnished with chopped herbs and served with a spoon.
Easy 5-ingredient Crockpot Chicken and Rice. Photo credit: Thermocookery.

Easy 5-ingredient Crockpot Chicken and Rice is a slow cooker dinner that cooks in about 4 hours with minimal prep. It features chicken thighs, seasoned rice, broth, and pantry staples. The taste is savory and comforting with tender meat and soft rice. It suited routines where simplicity mattered most.
Get the Recipe: Easy 5-ingredient Crockpot Chicken and Rice

Easy Four Cheese Mac and Cheese

Baked four-cheese macaroni in a rectangular white casserole dish.
Easy Four Cheese Mac and Cheese. Photo credit: Thermocookery.

Easy Four Cheese Mac and Cheese is a baked pasta dinner that takes about 40 minutes and focuses on comfort. It combines macaroni with Colby Jack, cheddar, mozzarella, and smoked gouda. The flavor is creamy and rich with a lightly browned top. It filled the role of a dependable main dish on many tables.
Get the Recipe: Easy Four Cheese Mac and Cheese

Cheesy Turkey Burrito Casserole

A cheesy slice of layered Mexican casserole being lifted from a baking dish, with melted cheese stretching.
Cheesy Turkey Burrito Casserole. Photo credit: Thermocookery.

Cheesy Turkey Burrito Casserole is a baked meal that comes together in about 45 minutes and feeds a group easily. It layers ground turkey, tortillas, beans, sauce, and cheese. The taste is savory with mild spice and a creamy finish. It shows how casseroles adapted while staying practical.
Get the Recipe: Cheesy Turkey Burrito Casserole

Cheesy Chicken and Potato Bake

A rectangular glass baking dish filled with a baked casserole topped with melted, browned cheese sits on a white surface beside a folded gray cloth and a wooden utensil.
Cheesy Chicken and Potato Bake. Photo credit: Thermocookery.

Cheesy Chicken and Potato Bake is an oven dinner that takes about 55 minutes and keeps everything in one dish. It combines chicken, sliced potatoes, cheese, and a creamy sauce. The taste is rich and filling with soft textures throughout. It suited nights when dinner needed to feel settled and complete.
Get the Recipe: Cheesy Chicken and Potato Bake

Sheet Pan Mini Meatloaf and Veggies

A baking sheet lined with foil holds three glazed meatloaf portions, surrounded by roasted sweet potato cubes and broccoli florets. A yellow and white towel is partially visible to the left.
Sheet Pan Mini Meatloaf and Veggies. Photo credit: Thermocookery.

Sheet Pan Mini Meatloaf and Veggies is an oven dinner ready in about 50 minutes with everything on one pan. It features ground beef meatloaves with sweet potatoes and broccoli. The flavor is savory and straightforward with roasted vegetables. It kept dinner simple while covering protein and sides.
Get the Recipe: Sheet Pan Mini Meatloaf and Veggies

Chicken Hash Brown Casserole

A dish in a black baking pan filled with baked casserole. The top is golden brown with crispy edges and garnished with sliced green onions. A portion has been removed, revealing a creamy interior.
Chicken Hash Brown Casserole. Photo credit: Thermocookery.

Chicken Hash Brown Casserole is a baked dinner ready in about 50 minutes and built around familiar freezer staples. It includes cooked chicken, hash browns, cheese, and a seasoned cream sauce. The taste is savory and mild with a soft interior. It made weeknight dinners feel filling without extra effort.
Get the Recipe: Chicken Hash Brown Casserole

Tuna Noodle Casserole Recipe With Ripples Chips

21 Vintage Dinners Moms Kept Making Back in the 1970s
Tuna Noodle Casserole Recipe With Ripples Chips. Photo credit: Thermocookery.

Tuna Noodle Casserole Recipe With Ripples Chips is a baked dinner ready in about 45 minutes and rooted in pantry cooking. It uses tuna, egg noodles, creamy sauce, and crushed potato chips. The flavor is creamy and savory with a salty crunch. It was a reliable way to stretch ingredients into a full meal.
Get the Recipe: Tuna Noodle Casserole Recipe With Ripples Chips

Easy Beef Pot Pie

A close-up of a beef and vegetable pie with a golden, flaky crust. A triangular segment is removed, revealing chunks of beef and vegetables in a savory sauce inside the pie. The crust is lightly seasoned with herbs.
Easy Beef Pot Pie. Photo credit: Thermocookery.

Easy Beef Pot Pie is a baked dinner that takes about one hour and delivers a filling, structured meal. It combines beef, vegetables, savory gravy, and a flaky crust. The taste is rich and deeply savory. It suited nights when dinner needed to feel steady and complete.
Get the Recipe: Easy Beef Pot Pie

Vintage Tuna Rice Casserole (No Canned Soup!)

A baked casserole topped with melted cheese and herbs, with rice and green peas visible inside.
Vintage Tuna Rice Casserole (No Canned Soup!). Photo credit: Thermocookery.

Vintage Tuna Rice Casserole is an oven-baked dinner that takes about 55 minutes and focuses on simple ingredients. It features tuna, rice, vegetables, broth, and a crisp topping. The taste is mild and savory with a creamy texture. It reflects the casseroles that showed up often on weeknights.
Get the Recipe: Vintage Tuna Rice Casserole (No Canned Soup!)

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