In Defense of Dining Hall Jell-O

Picture this — you’re in de Nobili Dining Hall. Wednesday night. 10 p.m. Chicken bones litter the tables, ranch-soaked napkins fall to the floor and student after student line up for their share of BBQ sauce-covered poultry.

One section of the dining hall, however, remains eerily empty. At the dessert station, untouched and overlooked, lies a shunned sweet treat — Jell-O. 

Cut into rectangular prisms, the luminous confection glows under de Nobili’s lights. Its translucence makes the multitude of colors resemble ethereal treasures. The green lime flavor evokes kryptonite, while the orange flavor resembles a shard of ancient amber.

Even more entrancing than its fantastical looks are its sweet taste and refreshing attributes — the ideal way to end a Wing Wednesday.

Created in 1897 by Pearle B. Wait while trying to find a cough remedy, Jell-O exploded in popularity soon after the patent’s sale to Orator F. Woodward in 1899.

By the beginning of the 20th century, Jell-O was seen as an easy meal alternative. Long gone were the laborious hours of boiling and reboiling calves’ feet to extract collagen. Now jelly could be prepared by simply boiling a single pot of water.

Trying to establish itself as an American staple, Jell-O commissioned famed American artist Norman Rockwell — among others, such as Angus MacDonall and Rose O’Neill — to design advertisements in the 1920s.

Jell-O’s versatility has also contributed to its success, with recipes ranging from differing Jell-O flavors and cream to the more infamous savory dishes, like the fellow capital “O” brand of 1950s SpaghettiOs and hot dog jelly bunt or the Canadian canned chicken “Meal-in-a-Mould” — a block of chicken, peas, deviled eggs and Jell-O.

While the mid-20th century Jell-O recipes coalescing citrusy gelatin with fishy flavors may not always work up an appetite, these missteps shouldn’t taint its tangy legacy.

Like many Ramblers, my friends and I uphold the weekly tradition of attending de Nobili’s Wing Wednesday. However, after all the wings are devoured and we pick our desserts, I’m always singled out for selecting the jiggly sweet. 

Looks of utter horror and disgust befall my friends’ faces when I set my bowl of Jell-O on the table. Mocked and ridiculed by my peers, I have no other choice but to stand strong and embrace my chosen treat.

After a heavy, messy meal of chicken wings, the refreshing and dainty Jell-O alleviates the sluggish post-eating stupor.

Like a mystery box, part of the fun of dining hall Jell-O is the uncertainty of which flavors will be out on any given day. Luckily, the myriad of options — ranging from cherry, to berry blue and everything in between — guarantee students stay entertained day after day.

Since the delicacy is served across all dining halls, any Rambler, regardless of their location on campus, can access the cubes of fruity bliss. Long gone are the moments of uncertainty at the dessert station, as the eccentrically colored jelly is here to save the day. Even now, over 125 years since its invention, the gelatinous wonder that is Jell-O never fails to be the perfect addition to any dining hall meal.