Pioneer Day is such a fun holiday. For my family, it’s a chance to remember our pioneer ancestors and gather to enjoy delicious food. As I prepared for this article, I was curious so I looked at my family tree. I’m lucky enough to have 8 sets of Great something grandparents who were pioneers. They accomplished amazing things, traveling thousands of miles for a new life.
Education, remembrance, and treats
As part of the celebrations, there are three key aspects to Pioneer Day; education, remembrance, and delicious food. We share stories of the adventures of the pioneers.
Some people dress up to help with the pageantry. This Is The Place Heritage Park has a festival I highly recommend.
They have a pioneer-era village set up with carriages and the whole thing. It’s very authentic. Of course, there are gatherings at many other locations, but the one at Pioneer Heritage Park will be great. They do charge admission, so check their site before you go.
But the main reason for this article is the food of Pioneer Day. Now you know where to go to the party, here is the food that will make it amazing.
Jello
No Pioneer Day celebratory gathering is complete without jello. I remember as a kid, there was one lady in my congregation who always made green jello with shredded carrots. Someone else always makes layered jello and even Jello Jigglers.
There are a lot of other jello-based treats. I make a great fruit salad with powdered jello mixed into the sauce. I will include a recipe at the bottom.
Did you know that for a long time, Jello was the official Utah state treat? When the 2002 Olympics were in town they even made a green jello collectable pin.
Potato everything
There are always potato casseroles at these gatherings. My favorite version of these fabulous dishes is Funeral Potatoes. They are called that because they used to be a traditional funeral dish. But they are too good to be tied to such a sad event. Funeral Potatoes are a cheesy potato casserole that you will flip over.
I will include a recipe for these too because when I moved to Utah and tried them for the first time I fell in love with them. I could eat them every day for the rest of my life. They really should call it Crack Potato casserole instead of Funeral Potatoes.
Delicious food of all kinds
The third dish I am going to share today is a fantastic broccoli and bacon salad my brother introduced me to. I never would have thought of combining broccoli and red onions with bacon but once you try it you will never forget it. I beg my brother and his wife to bring it for every major holiday, it’s that good.
And before I forget, I have an adaptation of a Frogs Eye Salad that you will love if you are a fan of Tapioca pudding. The recipe is below. I’ve even adapted it to be gluten-free friendly.
Every region will have its special treats for the holidays. What do you celebrate with? I’d love to hear it. In the meantime, here are the recipes I promised you.
Abby’s Frog Eye Salad – Google Docs
Abby’s Fruit Salad – Google Docs
Funeral Potatoes AKA Cheesy potatoes (a Utah Tradition) – Google Docs
Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In