11 Nostalgic Recipes From Childhood To Take You Back In Time

There are as many reasons for eating as there are people in the world. We eat for sustenance, pleasure, experience, or culture. Within the why, there are just as many aspects that determine what we eat: availability, access, nutrition, and nutrition are some aspects. Few motivators are as powerful as nostalgia.

It's a known fact that food preferences and tastes change as we age. (And it's also a good thing that they do, or else there would be far fewer broccoli eaters in the world.) All the same, so much of our appetite and palate is formed when we are young. The desire to satisfy those early-learned cravings never really leaves us. It's the reason why comfort food exists (and why the climatic scene of Ratatouille is so universally loved). Even as we grow and change, food maintains its potential to be a time machine to our past; to take use back.

In honor of this, your Tasting Table staff has put together a collection of our favorite recipes for striking up nostalgia. Between a creamy pot of pasta or a hearty heart warmer, the simple smell of these dishes will make you feel like a kid again, even if this time, you're the one at the stove.

For several years as a kid, I essentially lived on a dinner rotation of French toast sticks, eggs in a basket, biscuits and jam, and butter noodles. Come to think of it, pasta was one of the only non-breakfast items that I would actually eat for dinner. Of course, nothing beat spaghetti coated in butter and topped with the most processed Parmesan cheese on the market. 

This recipe for garlic butter noodles makes my childhood staple more suited to an adult palate with minced garlic, chopped parsley, and the bright, citrusy notes of lemon juice. Yet, it's still a simple and quick dish that you can throw together on a weeknight. Now that I have a kid of my own, I also appreciate how it can be customized to suit different taste buds — proteins and vegetables can easily be mixed in at the end.

Recipe: Creamy Garlic Butter Noodles

Growing up in Western New York, we always had a vegetable garden. Peppers and tomatoes meant fresh (and canned) sauces, cucumbers meant relish and pickles, the strawberry patch meant jam, and the zucchini plants meant so much zucchini that we'd run out of people to give it away to by about the third week in July. Fortunately, my mother was the most amazing baker, and zucchini bread was always in the regular rotation.

When we needed a reprieve from the snow and cold in the dead of winter, it was a guarantee that a few bags of zucchini would come out of the freezer, and magic would happen. There are a ton of variations when it comes to zucchini bread, and this one from Kate Shungu brings some added spice from cinnamon, ginger, and cloves, along with a pecan crunch I know Mom would have appreciated.

Recipe: Classic Zucchini Bread

As a kid, my mom was the managing editor of a newspaper and my dad was in the Army, so the fact that a tasty dinner was always on the table for my sister and I at a reasonable hour during the week was a feat. On nights when my mom was working late at the paper and my dad was in charge of dinner, that meant one thing: beanie weenies, a meal he frequently ate when he was a tank commander. 

His version in those days came in a can and could easily be heated on the exhaust of his tank. For my sister and I, he classed things up a bit more, pouring baked beans into a large pot, sauce and all, with cut-up hot dogs. This recipe from Jennine Rye zhuzhes things up far beyond the classic preparation, giving my favorite childhood meal a bougie (and boozy) upgrade.

Recipe: Elevated Beanie Weenies

Nothing beats a casserole in the winter; the succulent proteins that melt in your mouth surrounded by luscious sauces usually made up of cream and butter are like a blanket for your stomach. One of my favorites is chicken Divan. I just love the combination of shredded chicken and broccoli swimming in an ocean of thick, rich cream of mushroom soup.

When the weather gets cold, I pull out this recipe. I guess I'm channeling my mother since it was always on those chilly, rainy evenings when I'd spot shredded chicken, fresh broccoli, and a can or two of Campbell's Cream of Mushroom Soup on the counter. As soon as I saw those ingredients, I knew we were in for a treat. While Campbell's is the classic way to create this dish, this recipe from Stephanie Rapone uses a cheesy béchamel sauce that substitutes cheddar and Gruyère for the Parmesan and adds plenty of curry powder for an elevated version that guarantees a second helping.

Recipe: Elevated Chicken Divan

I grew up on a handful of Persian dishes, and ghormeh sabzi is among them. The dish is a beautiful dark green color thanks to the fresh herbs used, including parsley, cilantro, and scallions. Although you can bet your bottom dollar that everyone's family has their own version and way to make it. I always ate a beef-based stew instead of the linked recipe's chicken, but it also goes to show how you can easily customize it to taste.

Ghormeh sabzi is warm and comforting but full of bright, bold flavors from the herbs and Persian dried limes that set it apart from soup classics like chicken noodle. If you can, top it off with a dollop of creamy kashk. This stew is like a soup and salad combined!

Recipe: Ghormeh Sabzi (Persian Chicken Stew)

Summer afternoons as a kid (which was apparently about a million years ago) meant the ice cream truck's inevitable twinkling carol, and serious temptation. But there was some guilt there, too: Dad was working long hours at a grueling job, just so lil' ol' me could pay a premium for ice cream sandwiches — one of his favorites — without him? Nah.

What did seem right was homemade sandwiches with freshly baked cookies — and this version from Miriam Hahn takes me right back, with all the chocolate-and-vanilla goodness that comes with Dutch cocoa and the best-ever vanilla ice cream. And sure, some were to share. But ... when Mom told me she had her own stash hidden in the depths of the freezer, well, it was like being allowed into an exclusive club. After all, you don't need to share everything with Dad, right?

Recipe: Homemade Classic Ice Cream Sandwiches

Growing up just shy of the Canadian border in the tiny hamlet of Grand Marais, Minnesota, it wasn't uncommon to see the thermometer drop below zero and refuse to budge for weeks at a time, and I often turned to hearty comfort foods to both warm my bones and lift my spirits. Enter tater tot hot dish. During my pre-teen and teen years, my parents worked 24/7 running two ski resorts and a busy restaurant, all while raising four kids under the age of 18. Their schedules didn't leave a whole lot of time for cooking, so tater tot hot dish was a regular fixture in my home.

There are a million and one recipes for hot dishes, which are (incorrectly, if you ask me) dubbed "casseroles" by non-Minnesotans. Most contain a hodgepodge of ground meat, veggies, a starch, and cream of something soup — the cornerstones of the Midwestern diet — but casseroles are infinitely customizable. This recipe from Jessica Morone removes the traditional ground beef in favor of cream cheese, sour cream, mayo, a shredded cheese blend, lots of seasoning, jalapeños, bacon, and, of course, tater tots. It's a quirky, playful, and scrumptious take on a wholesome dish that's ideal for game day, church potlucks, or a weeknight family dinner.

Recipe: Cheesy Jalapeño Popper Tater Tot Casserole

As a child, my mom would often treat us to her delicious Yorkshire puddings; we would emerge from seclusion at the first whiff of the baked goodness. If you're not familiar, a Yorkshire pudding, which hails from England, is not quite as the name suggests. It's a savory side dish that is most often served with roast beef, vegetables, and gravy. Similar to the popover, it features an airy, hollow center and a crisp exterior. If you're looking for a British savory addition to your Sunday roast, you won't be disappointed.

This Yorkshire pudding recipe from Miriam Hahn gives me an immense amount of nostalgia. It's almost exactly the way my mom prepared it. Give it a go — it'll make for a delicious addition to any roast.

Recipe: Billowy Yorkshire Pudding

Chili may be a popular choice during football season, but when I was growing up, it was our go-to when the temperature dipped and the fog rolled in. Another favorite from my mother, it was always different because she never had a recipe. Sure, there were the necessities like chopped tomatoes, ground beef, and kidney beans, but as far as spices go, she would always add a pinch here and a pinch there and then, after a taste, decide what was missing. Her one secret ingredient was always a cup or two of beef stock to add a little more depth.

The first savory dish I learned, chili is in constant rotation in my kitchen. While I love using a mixture of ground beef and pork, this version from Michelle McGlinn opts for bison, turning that comforting bowl of meaty goodness into a hearty and healthier rendition. Make sure to serve it with a side of cornbread and some shredded cheddar cheese for a delicious lunch or dinner.

Recipe: Bison Chili

I was an extraordinarily picky eater growing up. My main food groups were chicken nuggets, french fries, and buttered noodles — never touching other foods on the plate, thank you very much. One of the more "exotic" snacks my mother got me to eat was the classic pigs in a blanket (aka mini hot dogs wrapped in Pillsbury crescent rolls). This snack made me feel cultured, sophisticated. Though the classic pigs in a blanket feel a little childish to me now, sometimes I get a hankering for some pork-and-pastry nostalgia. When I do, our recipe for andouille sausage puffs with Cajun remoulade hits the spot.

It's an elevated take on the childhood staple, and it's just as easy to make. You'll wrap a whole andouille sausage in a pastry sheet, slice the log into ½-inch pieces, brush some egg wash on the pastry, and bake. Making the remoulade is as simple as stirring together a handful of ingredients. Voila! You have a tangy, savory, unctuous appetizer that'll please even the most sophisticated guests at your soiree, and it's delightfully easy, to boot.

Recipe: Andouille Sausage Puffs With Cajun Remoulade

Full disclosure: I hated school, unconditionally and for a whole bunch of reasons. Did I fake being sick in order to get out of it? Absolutely, and often, to be honest. Did Mom know? Also absolutely. I knew that she knew because on the days when things were bad and I just couldn't, she wouldn't just let me stay home to watch afternoon game shows and play video games; she'd bake something special. A lot of times, it was coffee cake, just like this one from Jessica Morone. (Is it the sugary, cinnamon-and-espresso crumb topping? I think it might be.)

Coffee cake was usually a Sunday-morning thing, but sometimes — when it felt like the whole world hated me — I'd come out to find a massive slice waiting, and I'd know that no matter what happened? Mom had my back.

Recipe: Espresso Crumb Coffee Cake