Food, ’70s-Style: 31 Photos That Capture What Eating Out (and at Home) Looked Like in the ’70s

You would have found it difficult to find someone counting calories at the 1970s dinner table. More likely, you would have found someone counting the number of pieces of fried chicken on their plate.

Grease was "the word." It wasn't something to apologize for. Grease was a flavor before we called it "mouthfeel." It was kind of the whole point.

Peel back the foil and dig in.

Vintage 1970s frozen TV dinner served in a classic compartmentalized foil tray with Salisbury steak and mixed vegetables.

This "convenience over guilt" attitude was rampant at home. As moms headed into the workforce more than ever, some families rejoiced when TV dinners (although they were made in the oven, if you can imagine) were pulled from the freezer, and while they looked like prison-food trays with mystery meat, kids (and hungry dads) loved them.

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And when the '70s decided to actually have some fun with food and go all out, it went all in: enormous Jell-O molds, volcanic fondue pots, ice-cold shrimp cocktails — and if you were at a certain neighbor's house, a bowl of keys by the front door [wink, wink].

When the face of fried chicken did his own commercials.

1970s photo of Colonel Sanders visiting a Kentucky Fried Chicken booth during a vintage commercial shoot in a classic fast-food restaurant.

It's hard not to notice how much less fun fast food feels today. Gone are the nearly amusement-park vibes with cartoonish characters and bold designs, replaced by minimalist logos, gray dining rooms, and an overall vibe that's been thoroughly neutralized.

We did some digging and rounded up photos that we think perfectly capture what eating in the 1970s — both at home and out and about — looked like. It wasn't always healthy, but it sure was fun.