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60-493: The dessert was especially popular in the first half of the 20th century. The original gelatin dessert began in Le Roy, New York , in 1897, when Pearle Bixby Wait trademarked the name Jell-O . He and his wife May had made the product by adding strawberry , raspberry , orange , and lemon flavoring to sugar and granulated gelatin (which had been patented in 1845). The powder is mixed with boiling water and then cooled to produce

120-523: A "fast-paced" lifestyle and women's increasing employment. By 1986, a market study concluded that mothers with young children rarely purchased Jell-O. To turn things around, Jell-O hired Dana Gioia to stop the decline. The marketing team revisited the Jell-O recipes published in past cookbooks and rediscovered Jigglers, although the original recipe did not use that name. Jigglers are Jell-O snacks molded into fun shapes and eaten as finger food. Jell-O launched

180-480: A 1988 article mentions Jell-O as a Lutheran tradition. In the late 1980s, Jell-O had a marketing campaign promoting the snack and its Jigglers recipe as fun for children and easy for parents, which played well among family-oriented Mormons. In 1997, Kraft released sales figures revealing Salt Lake City to have the highest per-capita Jell-O consumption. The following are the flavors of Jell-O products that are currently being produced: ^a Also available in

240-525: A boil. A serving of the resulting mixture is called a "Jell-O shot", or the genericized "Jello shot", at parties. The quantity and timing of the addition of the liquor are vital aspects; it is not possible to make Jell-O shots with liquor alone, as the colloidal proteins in dry gelatin consist of chains which require a hot liquid to denature them before they can then reform as a semisolid colloidal suspension. Pure alcohol cannot be heated sufficiently to break down these proteins, as it evaporates. Vodka or rum

300-408: A colored gelatin background, and so the dish can be appreciated for its colorful visual appeal. For example, a jello salad might have green from a lime-flavored gelatin, brown from nuts or pretzels, white from bits of cottage cheese, and red and orange from fruit cocktail . Therefore, it has a "salad appearance" (small pieces of food) although it is held firm in gelatin (like aspic ). The "salad" theme

360-532: A component of food, particularly desserts, since the 15th century. Gelatin was popularized in New York in the Victorian era with spectacular and complex jelly molds. Gelatin was sold in sheets and had to be purified, which was time-consuming. Gelatin desserts were the province of royalty and the relatively well-to-do. In 1845, a patent for powdered gelatin was obtained by industrialist Peter Cooper , who built

420-454: A gel. Jell-O is sold prepared (ready-to-eat), or in powder form, and is available in various colors and flavors. The powder contains powdered gelatin and flavorings, including sugar or artificial sweeteners . It is dissolved in hot water, then chilled and allowed to set. Fruit, vegetables, and whipped cream can be added to make elaborate snacks that can be molded into shapes. Some non-gelatin pudding and pie-filling products are sold under

480-522: A gelatin dessert that separated into three layers as it cooled, was unveiled. Until 1987, Jell-O 1•2•3 was readily found in grocery stores throughout most of the United States, but the dessert is now rare. In 1971 packaged prepared pudding called Jell-O Pudding Treats were introduced. Jell-O Whip 'n Chill, a mousse -style dessert, was introduced and widely promoted; it remains available in limited areas today. A similar dessert called Jell-O Soft Swirl

540-404: A massive marketing campaign, notably featuring Bill Cosby as spokesman. The campaign was a huge success, causing a significant market gain. Cosby became the brand's spokesperson in 1974, and he continued as the voice of Jell-O for almost thirty years. Over his tenure as the mouthpiece for the company, he helped introduce new products such as frozen Jell-O Pops (in gelatin and pudding varieties);

600-582: A neurologist treating most of the girls, was given permission to share the diagnosis of conversion disorder and mass psychogenic illness . Unsatisfied with the investigation's results, the girls and their parents spoke out publicly against their diagnosis, stating they believed the situation warranted further scrutiny from outside sources. Alternative medical theories were suggested, including Tourette syndrome and PANDAS , which Mechtler and his team ruled out. Erin Brockovich , noted environmental activist,

660-469: A significant increase in sales for Jell-O. Young mothers didn't have the supporting community structures of earlier generations, so marketers were quick to promote easy-to-prepare prepackaged foods. By this time, creating a Jell-O dessert required simply boiling water, combining the water with Jell-O, and putting the mixture into Tupperware molds and refrigerating it for a short time. New flavors were continually added and unsuccessful flavors were removed: in

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720-465: A sugar free/low calorie product. ^b Available seasonally. ^c Only available as a prepared product. Le Roy, New York Le Roy , or more commonly LeRoy , is a town in Genesee County , New York , United States. The population was 7,662 at the time of the 2020 census . The town is named after one of the original land owners, Herman Le Roy. The town lies on

780-404: Is an American salad made with flavored gelatin , fruit , and sometimes grated carrots or (more rarely) other vegetables . Other ingredients may include cottage cheese , cream cheese , marshmallows , nuts , or pretzels . Jello salads were popular in the early 20th century and are now considered retro . Because of its many elements, the result has speckled bits of interior color against

840-453: Is commonly used in Jell-O shots, but the shots can be made with almost any liquor or blends of multiple liquors. It is important to adjust the proportions of alcohol and cold water to ensure that the mixture sets when experimenting with various liquors. The Jell-O shots can be served in shot glasses and/or small paper or plastic cups; the paper or plastic cups are easier to eat from, but shot glasses are more attractive. The alcohol in Jell-O shots

900-614: Is contained within the Jell-O, so the body absorbs it more slowly, causing people to underestimate how much alcohol they have consumed. Drinkers must monitor their intake because of this. American singer-songwriter Tom Lehrer claims to have invented the Jell-O shot in the 1950s to circumvent restrictions on alcoholic beverages at the army base where he was stationed. An early published recipe for an alcoholic gelatin drink dates from 1862, found in How to Mix Drinks, or The Bon Vivant's Companion by Jerry Thomas : his recipe for "Punch Jelly" calls for

960-439: Is more pronounced in variants containing mayonnaise , or another salad dressing . When the dish has plain gelatin instead of sweetened gelatin, the use of vegetables is more common (e.g. tomato aspic ). Early gelatin-based precursors to the jello salad included fruit and wine jellies and decorative aspic dishes, which were made with commercial or homemade gelatin . Gelatin was time-consuming to cook, and commercial gelatin

1020-1073: Is operated by the Le Roy Historical Society at the Le Roy House and Union Free School , listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1997. At the museum, visitors can learn about the history of the dessert from its inception. Visitors starting on East Main Street, follow Jell-O Brick Road, whose stones are inscribed with the names of former factory employees. The museum offers looks at starting materials for Jell-O, such as sturgeon bladder and calves' hooves, and various molds. The Jell-O plant in Mason City , Iowa , produces America 's supply of ready-to-eat Jell-O gelatin dessert and pudding cups. Jell-O's early advertising campaign, initially directed by William E. Humelbaugh and later Frank LaBounty, first appeared in

1080-422: Is used as a substantial ingredient in a well-known dessert, the "Jell-O mold", which requires a mold designed to hold gelatin, and the depositing of small quantities of chopped fruit, nuts, and other ingredients before it hardens to its typical form. Fresh pineapple, papaya, kiwifruit, and ginger root cannot be used because they contain enzymes that prevent gelatin from "setting". In the case of pineapple juice and

1140-511: The Ladies' Home Journal in 1904. The print ads were often accompanied by recipes and color illustrations and became very popular. Artists such as Rose O'Neill , Maxfield Parrish , Coles Phillips , Norman Rockwell , Linn Ball, and Angus MacDonall contributed to the campaign. Franklin King, working for ad agency Dauchy Company, depicted his daughter Elizabeth in many of the illustrations, making her

1200-408: The Ladies' Home Journal proclaiming Jell-O to be "America's Most Famous Dessert." Jell-O was a minor success until 1904, when Genesee Pure Food Company sent armies of salesmen into the field to distribute free Jell-O cookbooks, a pioneering marketing tactic. Within a decade, Genesee Pure Food Company added three new flavors, chocolate (discontinued in 1927), cherry , and peach , and it launched

1260-568: The General Foods Corporation . By 1930, there appeared a vogue in American cuisine for congealed salads , and the company introduced lime -flavored Jell-O, to complement the add-ins that cooks across the country were combining in these aspics and salads. Popular Jell-O recipes often included ingredients like cabbage, celery, green peppers, and even cooked pasta. In 1934, sponsorship from Jell-O made comedian Jack Benny

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1320-558: The Great Depression and World War II . The release of lime-flavored Jell-O during the Great Depression heightened the popularity of savory jello salads. Jello salads were especially fashionable in the suburbs in the 1950s. They were seen as a marker of sophistication, elegance and status, indicating that a housewife had time to prepare jello molds and that her family could afford a refrigerator. In response to

1380-429: The 1950s and 1960s, apple , black cherry , black raspberry , grape , lemon-lime, mixed fruit, orange-banana, pineapple- grapefruit , blackberry , strawberry-banana, tropical fruit, and more intense "wild" versions of the venerable strawberry, raspberry, and cherry. In 1966, the Jell-O "No-Bake" dessert line was launched, which allowed a cheesecake to be made in 15 minutes. In 1969, Jell-O 1∗2∗3 (later Jell-O 1•2•3),

1440-410: The 1960s, the cast of the sitcom Hogan's Heroes did a commercial with Carol Channing featuring Colonel Hogan, his men, Kommandant Klink and Sergeant Shultz having Jell-O and Dream Whip for dessert. Also, in the first few seasons of the first of Lucille Ball's two 1960s television series, The Lucy Show , cast members including Vivian Vance often did commercials for Jell-O. In 1995, Jell-O carried

1500-513: The 3,037 households 31.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.3% were married couples living together, 9.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.0% were non-families. 26.9% of households were one person and 11.3% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 3.04. The age distribution was 25.2% under the age of 18, 6.9% from 18 to 24, 29.4% from 25 to 44, 23.5% from 45 to 64, and 15.1% 65 or older. The median age

1560-612: The Altria Group). New flavors were introduced: watermelon , blueberry , cranberry , margarita , and piña colada , among others. In 2001, the state Senate of Utah recognized Jell-O as a favorite snack food of Utah, recognizing the fundamental basis of Jell-O in Mormon cuisine such as Jell-O salad , and Governor Michael O. Leavitt declared an annual "Jell-O Week." During the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City,

1620-545: The Jell-O brand, appeared before the Utah Legislature in support of the resolution. "He told the assembly that he believes the reason people in Utah love Jell-O is that the snack is perfect for families – and the people of Utah are all about family." The stereotype of Mormons loving Jell-O does not have a long history. Media reports in 1969 and 1988 on foods popular among Mormons or in Utah make no mention of Jell-O, and

1680-415: The Jell-O brand. Ordinary Jell-O pudding is cooked on the stove top (with milk) then eaten warm or chilled, whereas Jell-O instant pudding is mixed with cold milk and chilled; it sets without cooking. To make pie fillings, the same pudding products are prepared with less liquid. Gelatin , a protein produced from collagen extracted from boiled bones, connective tissues, and other animal products, has been

1740-473: The Jell-O lineup, as an instant pudding made with milk. It proved enormously popular, and over time other pudding flavors were added such as vanilla , tapioca , coconut , pistachio , butterscotch , egg custard , flan , and rice pudding . By the 1950s, salads became so popular that Jell-O responded with savory and vegetable flavors such as celery , Italian , mixed vegetable, and seasoned tomato . These flavors have since been discontinued. Though much of

1800-650: The LeRoy Junior-Senior High School began reporting perplexing medical symptoms including verbal outbursts, tics , seizure activity and speech difficulty. In mid-January, five days after a community meeting in which the New York State Department of Health stated their diagnosis could not be revealed publicly due to privacy concerns, two of the girls appeared on NBC's Today Show to discuss their frustration with not getting adequate answers. The next day, Laszlo Mechtler,

1860-487: The addition of isinglass or other gelatin to a punch made from cognac , rum, and lemon juice. Thomas warns that strength of the punch is "artfully concealed" by the gelatin. As of 2012, LeRoy, New York , is known as the home of Jell-O and has the only Jell-O Museum in the world, located on the main road through the small town. Jell-O was manufactured here until General Foods closed the plant in 1964 and relocated manufacturing to Dover, Delaware . The Jell-O Gallery museum

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1920-559: The adolescent girls reported tic-like movements. Bartholomew et al reported twitching epidemics in the US as early as 1939, and wrote that the Leroy outbreak was the "third recorded school outbreak of conversion disorder with motor disturbances to occur in the USA since 2002", but the first in which reports of affected individuals spread via social networks. Congealed salad Jello salad

1980-569: The banks of Oatka creek. According to the United States Census Bureau , the town has a total area of 42.2 square miles (109.2 km ), all land. The east town line is the border of Monroe and Livingston counties . Oatka Creek , a tributary of the Genesee River , flows northward through the town and was a source of water power for early mills. The New York State Thruway ( Interstate 90 ) passes across

2040-534: The brand in Canada. Celebrity testimonials and recipes appeared in advertisements featuring actress Ethel Barrymore and opera singer Ernestine Schumann-Heink . Some Jell-O illustrated advertisements were painted by Maxfield Parrish . In 1923, the newly rechristened Jell-O Company launched "D-Zerta", an artificially sweetened version of Jell-O. Two years later, Postum and Genesee merged, and in 1927 Postum acquired Clarence Birdseye 's frozen foods company to form

2100-547: The canned fruit and the flavored gelatin, the fruits are added and the dessert salad is allowed to set in the fridge and served cool. One savory recipe collected by the Des Moines Register , published in Iowa , is for a tomato soup gelatin salad. The salad, served chilled, is made from lemon gelatin, tomato soup, cream cheese, stuffed olives combined with various other ingredients and seasonings. The baby boom saw

2160-434: The dessert's spokesperson. At this time Post introduced a jingle ("featured" by the agency Young & Rubicam ) that was familiar over several decades, in which the spelling "J-E-L-L-O" was (or could be) sung over a rising five-note musical theme. The jingle was written by Don Bestor , who, at the time, was the bandleader on Jack Benny's radio show, "The Jell-O Program Starring Jack Benny." In 1936, chocolate returned to

2220-467: The earliest examples of jello salad is Perfection Salad, developed by Mrs. John E. Cook of New Castle, Pennsylvania in 1904. The original salad called for chopped cabbage, celery and red peppers in a plain aspic mold. Perfection Salad won third prize in a Better Homes and Gardens recipe contest and popularized the concept of the jello salad in the United States. Jello acted as an easy and cheap addition to more labor-intensive or expensive recipes during

2280-408: The early 20th century included exotic fruits like figs , dates and bananas , or lemon flavored jello paired with maraschino cherries and other ingredients like marshmallows and almonds . One sweet gelatin-based fruit dessert called only "Good Salad" includes vanilla pudding, tapioca pudding, pineapple , mandarin oranges and orange gelatin. The pudding mixes are made with the reserved juice from

2340-577: The eastern part of the town is a community named Lime Rock. At the 2000 census there were 7,790 people, 3,037 households, and 2,034 families in the town. The population density was 184.7 inhabitants per square mile (71.3/km ). There were 3,219 housing units at an average density of 76.3 per square mile (29.5/km ). The racial makeup of the town was 96.01% White, 1.87% Black or African American, 0.27% Native American, 0.44% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.21% from other races, and 1.19% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 0.78%. Of

2400-586: The elaborate and dainty tea time fare served between the 1920s and 1950s was luxurious and decorative, using fancy ingredients like caviar or lobster , Jell-O became an affordable ornamental ingredient that women were able to use to create feminine, light, delicate dishes that were the standard of refined tea time fare during that period. By the Jazz Age nearly 1/3 of salad recipes in an average cookbook were gelatin-based recipes including varied fillings of fruit, vegetables or even cream cheese. Typical recipes from

2460-421: The enzyme bromelain that it contains though, the enzyme can be inactivated without denaturing through excessive heating and thus altering the flavor by the addition of a small measured amount of capsaicin sourced from hot chilies. An alternative recipe calls for the addition of an alcoholic beverage to the mix, contributing approximately one third to one half of the liquid added after the gelatin has dissolved in

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2520-606: The first American steam -powered locomotive , the Tom Thumb . This powdered gelatin was easy to manufacture and easier to use in cooking. In 1897, in LeRoy, New York , carpenter and cough syrup manufacturer Pearle Bixby Wait trademarked a gelatin dessert called "Jell-O". Wait and his wife, May, added strawberry , raspberry , orange , and lemon flavoring to granulated gelatin and sugar. In 1899, Wait sold Jell-O to "Orator Francis Woodward", whose Genesee Pure Food Company produced

2580-567: The girls' symptoms improved. By the end of the school year in June, one girl was diagnosed with Tourette syndrome, and most of the girls who received treatment for conversion disorder were healthy in time for graduation. No environmental causes were found after repeated testing around the school and surrounding areas of town. Bartholomew, Wessely and Rubin questioned in 2012 whether interaction on social media ( Facebook , Twitter , YouTube and Internet blogs) contributed to mass psychogenic illness when

2640-545: The iconic Jell-O molds. Jell-O is mentioned in the 1936 popular song " A Fine Romance " by Dorothy Fields (with music by Jerome Kern ), where it is humorously referred to as a mundane alternative to the excitement of romantic love. In 1980, the American composer William Bolcom wrote a popular humorous song about Jell-O, " Lime Jello Marshmallow Cottage Cheese Surprise ", satirising its use in combined sweet and savory dishes such as Jello salad . In 1992, Ivette Bassa won

2700-432: The mid-century popularity of jello salads, Jell-O released several savory flavors, including seasoned tomato and celery. Jello salad fell out of fashion in the 1960s and 70s. The rise of Julia Child and the popularization of French cooking in the United States made the jello salad appear less elegant, and dieting trends eventually turned against sugary food like Jell-O. Jello salad is now most popular in rural areas of

2760-422: The new Sugar-Free Jell-O, which replaced D-Zerta in 1984 and was sweetened with NutraSweet ; Jell-O Jigglers concentrated gummi snacks; and Sparkling Jell-O, a carbonated version of the dessert touted as the "Champagne of Jell-O". In 2010, Cosby returned as Jell-O spokesperson in an on-line web series called OBKB . In 1990, General Foods was merged into Kraft Foods Inc. by parent company Philip Morris (now

2820-482: The northern part of the town. The western terminus of Interstate 490 is also here. The town rests atop the Onondaga Formation which forms an escarpment that faces north and runs east/west, just north of the village. The limestone rock is highly fossiliferous , of Devonian age, and extensively quarried . It is used for road building as crushed rock, and for the manufacture of portland cement . In

2880-528: The radio predecessor to TV's I Love Lucy , was another popular program sponsored by Jell-O for much of its 124-episode run, beginning January 7, 1949. Ball's character Liz Cooper often opened the program with the lively greeting, "Jell-O, everybody!" Comedian Bill Cosby is associated with Jell-O and, more famously, Jell-O pudding, and he appeared in many commercials promoting both. Later shows like Mad TV , The Simpsons and Saturday Night Live parody Cosby, using Jell-O references like "pudding pop". In

2940-432: The recognizable "Jell-O Girl". Jack Benny 's top-rated radio program began its Jell-O sponsorship in 1934. The show did not break for commercials; instead, announcer Don Wilson incorporated speeches about Jell-O into the program at appropriate places, to Jack's feigned comic annoyance. The first show originated the five-note "J-E-L-L-O!" jingle retained in Jell-O's later advertising. Lucille Ball 's My Favorite Husband ,

3000-523: The second ever Ig Nobel Prize in chemistry for inventing blue Jell-O. The rock group Green Jellÿ was originally named Green Jellö, but had to change their name due to a lawsuit by Kraft Foods which claimed that the band was infringing the trademark for Jell-O. Jell-O is especially popular among Mormons , so much so that the Mormon Corridor region is nicknamed the Jell-O Belt . Jell-O

3060-521: The southwestern edge of Monroe County. Within the town is a village of Le Roy . The Jell-O gelatin dessert was invented and first manufactured in Le Roy. The area was first settled in 1793. The town of Le Roy was established in 1812 as the "Town of Bellona" from part of the town of Caledonia ( Livingston County ). The name was later changed to "Le Roy" in 1813, after New York City merchant and land speculator Herman LeRoy. The Jell-O gelatin dessert

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3120-413: The souvenir pins included one depicting green Jell-O. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Jell-O's family-friendly reputation was slightly tarnished by Jell-O shots and Jell-O wrestling. As of 2011, there were over 420 million boxes of Jell-O gelatin and over 1 billion Jell-O cups sold in the United States each year. As of 2016, there were more than 110 products sold under the Jell-O brand name. Jell-O

3180-498: The successful Grain-O health drink. Part of the legal agreement between Woodward and Wait dealt with the similar Jell-O name. Various elements were key to Jell-O becoming a mainstream product: new technologies, such as refrigeration , powdered gelatin and machine packaging, home economics classes, and the company's marketing. Initially, Woodward struggled to sell the powdered product. Beginning in 1902, to raise awareness, Woodward's Genesee Pure Food Company placed advertisements in

3240-528: The tagline "It's alive!" and had the phrase "J-E-L-L-OOOOOOO!". In August 2018, Jell-O released an animated series on YouTube and Amazon Prime Video titled "JELL-O Wobz" in partnership with DreamWorksTV . In 2023, Dessert brand Jell-O updated the brand design for the first time in a decade, making it more playful. The logo became bolder and blockier, and hyper-realistic images of pudding and jelly fruit appeared. In September 2024, Jell-O launches The Jelly Collection inflatable furniture series inspired by

3300-592: Was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.9 males. The median household income was $ 39,690 and the median family income was $ 49,189. Males had a median income of $ 36,810 versus $ 23,024 for females. The per capita income for the town was $ 19,342. About 3.8% of families and 5.6% of the population were below the poverty line , including 5.0% of those under age 18 and 10.8% of those age 65 or over. Beginning in August 2011, 14 students (13 girls and one boy) from

3360-423: Was called to town to investigate environmental pollution from the 1970 Lehigh Valley Railroad derailment as a possible cause. During this time, many of the girls appeared in the local and national media, as well as posting on social media. As this happened, the illness spread to 20 individuals. Eventually, as doctors encouraged their patients to stay away from the media and the media attention died down, many of

3420-634: Was introduced in 1972, flavors included Chocolate Creme, Strawberry Creme, Vanilla Creme, and Peach Creme. Florence Henderson appeared in TV ads for this product. In 1964, the slogan "There's always room for Jell-O" was introduced, promoting the product as a "light dessert" that could easily be consumed even after a heavy meal. Throughout the 1960s through the 1980s, Jell-O's sales steadily decreased. Many Jell-O dishes, such as desserts and Jell-O salads, became special occasion foods rather than everyday items. Marketers blamed this decline on decreasing family sizes,

3480-576: Was invented and first manufactured in Le Roy, and the Jell-O Museum is located in the town. General Foods closed the Jell-O factory in 1964 and relocated to Dover, Delaware . Le Roy was the home of Calvin Keeney , who was the first breeder to successfully produce a stringless green bean . Le Roy also has a 100-inch tall, 290 lb. replica of the Statue of Liberty located on Wolcott Street on

3540-503: Was produced in shreds or strips until the late 19th century and needed to be soaked for a long time before use. In 1894, the Knox Company produced the first commercial granulated gelatin, followed by Jell-O a few years later. The name "jello salad" is derived from the genericization of the Jell-O brand name. The convenience of jello made gelatin-based dishes easier to prepare at home, compared to early jellies and aspics. One of

3600-606: Was recognized in 2001 as "a favorite snack food of Utah" by the Utah Senate, observing that Utah had had the highest per-capita consumption of Jell-O for many years, and how citizens of Utah had rallied to "Take Back the Title" after Des Moines, Iowa , exceeded Utah in Jell-O consumption in 1999. The culture of Utah, petitions by Utahns, and campaigning by students of Brigham Young University were also mentioned as reasons for recognizing Jell-O. Bill Cosby , longtime spokesperson for

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