10 Ways to Master the Midwestern Dessert Salad

Popularized in potluck-heavy Midwest states like Minnesota, Indiana, North and South Dakota, and Iowa, dessert salads are nothing like their starter salad cousins—in fact, considering them relatives is a major stretch. In the Midwest, dessert salads made with Cool Whip, Jell-O, candy bars, pretzels, canned fruit, nuts, and more are all the rage and are often the first dishes to disappear at parties. Made famous at church gatherings and lunch counters like those at circa 1930s F.W. Woolworth department stores in Indiana, these salads are the recipes that retro dreams are made of. Try one of these Allrecipes fan-favorite dessert salads.