It’s 2020, and we’re welcoming in a new decade. However, many of us are also hearkening back to a hundred years ago, what are commonly referred to as the “roaring twenties”. This era in American history is well-known for being the decade of jazz and speakeasies, with The Great Gatsby playing at the forefront of many people’s minds. But what did they eat and drink a hundred years ago? How much have food trends changed? And perhaps most importantly, what should you serve or expect to be served at a 1920’s-themed party this year?

Orange juice was popular in the 1920’s, which isn’t so different from today. In The Great Gatsby, Gatsby himself orders large quantities of oranges to be freshly squeezed for his parties. This decade was also known for its excess, since World War I had only recently ended, and with it the exhortations to conserve food for the troops. During the war, which America joined in 1917 and lasted until 1918, efforts to ration food had created trends like Meatless Mondays and Wheatless Wednesday, where families would try to abstain from eating certain foods. This sounds pretty familiar to some of the dieting and conservation efforts taking place today, with recipes designed specifically to avoid meat or other foods (either for health reasons or environmental concerns).

In a cookbook from the era, The Fifty-Two Sunday Dinners, one meal suggestion included baked ham, boiled carrots and peas, clam broth, potatoes with cheese, fried cauliflower, stuffed celery, walnut bread and custard for dessert. This menu is a little more intricate than many contemporary dinners, but most of the food items themselves are fairly standard for our day and age. Canned foods were now becoming accessible, as canning had become a convenient method of storing and transporting food to troops during World War I. Fruits and vegetables started to be featured more in people’s diets since produce could be available out-of-season with the boom of canned foods.

But this doesn’t exactly mean that the 1920’s was a healthy time. Take a look at these products created during this decade: Wonder Bread, Baby Ruth candy bars, Popsicles, Hostess cakes and Kool-Aid. Oh, and don’t forget Velveeta. Technology was making food more processed and more convenient, which had both pros and cons for the people living in the 20s. Our age faces similar problems; with our busy lifestyle, especially those of us who are students, convenient food often works better for our schedules and processed foods are often cheaper, but neither of these factors positively impact our health.

Okay, but let’s be honest, 20’s parties probably aren’t going to be serving canned peas. So how do people today usually reinterpret roaring twenties’ food and drinks for today’s palates and expectations?

Cocktails and/or mocktails are usually standard for the occasion. In the roaring twenties, speakeasies served the majority of the illegal alcohol produced during the Prohibition era. However, bathtub gin wasn’t exactly the tastiest alcohol out there, so cocktails rose in popularity to cover up the flavor of the poor quality alcohol. Some common cocktails of the era include mint juleps and Sidecars, and there are dozens of twenties-inpsired mocktails online as well.

Deviled eggs are still in style, though not quite as beloved as back in the 1920’s. Anybody out there put paprika on deviled eggs? Well, so did the Americans a hundred years ago, thanks to the Hungarian immigrants who popularized the spice. Pastry pigs were also mentioned in The Great Gatsby, though most people nowadays would call them pigs in a blanket. Jello was a big deal; some jello desserts involved layering different colored jellos in a rainbow, and others incorporated pieces of fruit or other ingredients into the jello mold. Aspics were also served in the 20s, which is a savory version of jello, often with chicken and vegetables inside. It’s unlikely that any party this decade will be serving up an aspic, but an adventurous host might just surprise you. One more staple of the period was macaroni and cheese, which many people don’t necessarily associate with the 20’s. However, almost every cookbook contained a recipe for it, so it really does seem to be a popular dish of the time.

Food has changed a lot over the past one hundred years, but there are still plenty of surprising similarities. If you’re celebrating the new year, raise a glass of orange juice and hope that meat jello doesn’t come your way.

Candy canes, hot chocolate, marshmallows… these immediately come to mind as American Christmas staples. However, this isn’t the case for many other countries around the world. Here are ten dishes that you may not be so familiar with; perhaps one of these could become your new Christmas favorite!

Japan: Fried Chicken and Kurisumasu Keiki— The first time I read this, I didn’t believe it, but several articles later, I’ve become convinced. Apparently Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) ran a very successful marketing campaign around the 1970’s that linked their fried chicken to Christmas in the minds of many Japanese people. Kurisumasu Keiki is also served around Christmastime in many Japanese homes; the dessert resembles a strawberry shortcake, with layers of vanilla sponge, whipped cream, and strawberries.

Italy: Feast of Seven Fishes and Panettone— While not all of Italy celebrates this tradition, some areas do. Seven is a number recurring in the Bible as associated with God, so in this holiday feast, various types of fish are prepared seven different ways. Popular versions of the meal include salt cod, fried calamari, linguini with clams, and shrimp scampi, though there are many possible variations. Almost all of Italy does, however, celebrate Christmas with panettone, which is sweet bread similar to a fruitcake.

Venezuela: Hallacas— This dish is similar to a tamale and traditionally only prepared during the holiday season in Venezuela. It can take a long time to make, with some families starting to make theirs in the morning. The ingredients can involve pork, chicken, capers, raisins, and other fillings all rolled into corn dough and wrapped in a banana leaf.

France: Buche de Noel— A common translation of this French dessert is the Yule log. I know my mum always made one of these growing up; while many Yule logs are flavored with chestnut and decorated to look like a log, complete with marzipan mushrooms, my mum’s are always chocolate, with a liberal helping of raspberry sauce. The Yule log is made by baking a thin sponge, spreading a layer of whipped cream over it, and rolling it tightly.

Phillipines: Roasted Pig— The Phillippines are known, among many other things, for their Christmas celebration. Many traditional dishes are involved in this meal, including puto bumbong, which is a mixture of black and white rice that appears purple. The rice is soaked in salt water, steamed, and served with butter, sugar, and shredded coconut, which sounds absolutely delicious to me. However, one of the biggest stars of the show is often the roasted pig.

Germany: Christmas Goose— The Weihnachtsgans, otherwise known as roasted goose, is usually the centerpiece for the Christmas meal in Germany. Side dishes can include red cabbage, and some delicious Christmas desserts in Germany are stollen, a type of fruit cake made with rum, spices and a sugary crust, and Lebkuchen, a soft gingerbread cookie.

Greece: Melomakarona— These Greek cookies are often made with cinnamon, cloves, and oranges, then dipped in a light syrup and sprinkled with nuts. There is also a less-traditional version of the cookie that is dipped in dark chocolate rather than syrup; either way, sign me up for some melomakarona!

England: Christmas Pudding and Mince Pies— I’m half English, and I can attest to the predominance of mince pies around Christmastime. My mum’s recipe for mince pies include several types of raisins and other dried fruit soaked in rum and spices, then baked into little, muffin-tin sized pies. When they’re cooking, they make the whole house smell like Christmas. However, I have never had a Christmas Pudding, which is made with raisins, nuts and cherries and often set alight with brandy just before being served.

Ethopia: Doro Wat on Injera— Doro wat is a type of meat stew made in Ethopia; it often served on top of a thin, spongy light brown bread known as injera. Injera has a slightly acidic taste, which cuts through the spiciness of the doro wat. The injera is also used in place of a utensil in many cases, as the bread can be scoop up the stew.

Mexico: Bacalao— This dish is made with rehydrated salted cod cooked with tomatoes, anchovies, onions, potatoes, olives, and other ingredients. It dates back to the days when refrigeration was much less of an option than it is today, when meat and fish were often salted to preserve it.

Advent season is coming up, and while many Christians and non-Christians alike associate this time of the year with calendars filled with chocolate, holiday music, and celebration with friends and family, the Orthodox Christian community also observes fasting during this season of the Church calendar.

According to the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese website’s page on Nativity fasting, there are different rules for different periods during the fast, but overall it is a less strict fast than some of the other fasts of the year, such as Lent. In general, fasting is the practice of abstaining from certain foods for the purpose of focusing on the Heavenly rather the earthly. During the Advent fast, most Orthodox Christians abstain from meat and dairy, with more specific restrictions on wine, oil and fish for certain days.

In an interview, Hannah Conover, the president of the Orthodox Christian Fellowship (OCF) on campus, discussed her relationship with fasting.

“Fasting to me is a way to govern one’s relationship with God, through sacrifice and denying oneself. It is a way to understand we need God and not to over-value the things of this earth,” Conover said. It is important to note that fasting is not done as an act of penance or seen as a way to please God. Instead, importance is placed on the spiritual discipline of the person fasting, and so fasting is not supposed to be done alone.

“Advent fasting is significant in the Church to prepare ourselves for the Nativity of our Lord,” Conover said. “We focus on prayer, almsgiving, and fasting.” All three of the activities are an important part of the Advent season, not simply the act of fasting in and of itself.

Fasting certainly does restrict the eating options for those participating during this season, especially when there isn’t enough awareness surrounding the issue of finding healthy and nutritious meals for people on a fast.

“I usually try to get salads, veggie burgers, usually anything that is available,” Conover said. “Some days there are things at the salad bar that are vegan, but most days there are not. On days we can eat fish, I will try to get a tuna sandwich. I just try to find the best, healthiest options available.” However, Conover admits that the dining options aren’t always accommodating, and sometimes it’s a struggle to make sure she’s not only eating, but eating well enough to take care of her body. Conover is both a dancer and a Nursing major, so she has to be both mentally and physically fit; finding foods that can provide her with the energy she needs isn’t as easy at school as it had been at home.

“It is hard because usually there are not vegan options, or at least not healthy ones,” Conover said. “I wish Eastern had a bigger salad bar with more healthy toppings and some healthy vegan breakfast options like smoothies or oatmeal. I wish we had a vegan soup offered at all times, and maybe more cooked vegetables, beans, and whole, vegan foods.”

Oftentimes, it’s easy to forget the massive role that food plays in our lives. After all, we consume it everyday, usually without a second thought. However, fasting can be a way of making that process intentional, of teaching us to be both wise and virtuous in what we consume and how we consume, thereby teaching us how better to devote ourselves to God. Fasting is an act of preparation; for after fasting, there comes the feast, in which the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ is celebrated with great joy.

It’s spooky season once again, and that means candy. Whether you’re trick-or-treating or taking advantage of those day-after bargains, there may come a point when chowing down on one more candy bar no longer seems so appetizing. But don’t worry— here are six things to do with all those leftovers!

1. Freeze it. You might not be able to stomach one more Milky Way at the moment, but that might change in a couple of weeks. Chopped-up frozen candy bars can last much longer than unfrozen ones, and they can be added to ice cream, smoothies, and even do-it-yourself milkshakes (Recipe: Blend up vanilla ice cream, a splash of milk and a couple candy bars and you’ve got yourself a classy milkshake).

2. Trail Mix. Ever gotten snacky in between classes (or if you’re me, in the middle of the night)? Leftover M&Ms make great additions to trail mix, and it’s cheaper to buy nuts in bulk and make your own trail mix packages than to buy the pre-packaged versions. Besides saving money, making your own trail mix allows you to personalize your trail mix however you like it. Goodbye raisins, and hello craisins!

3. Dorm-Friendly Snickers Popcorn. For all the times you’re craving something sweet and salty, Snickers Popcorn can be a lifesaver, and all this recipe needs is a microwave. Heat up a bag of microwave popcorn and pour it into a big bowl. Then, chop up Snickers bars and melt in the microwave for two to three minutes or until melted. Pour the melted candy over the popcorn and stir, adding more melted candy if desired. It can be eaten hot or cold, though it does take a little while to cool in the fridge. If you can, spreading it out on a tray or plate will help it cool faster.

4. Bake with them. When in doubt, there are tons of recipes on the internet that involve candy bars as garnishes atop brownies or folded inside cookies. You could even reserve the KaGe for a couple hours and make an evening of it with some friends to de-stress! Many of these recipes even use traditional brownies mixes and pre-packaged dough, which can be super convenient for students who don’t really want to keep an extra pound of flour in their dorm room until the day they graduate.

5. Make paint. Fun fact: you can make paint using leftover Skittles and corn syrup. Separate the Skittles by color into containers, cover with corn syrup, and let marinate overnight (make sure to cover the containers so you don’t attract ants). While the paints might take a little while to dry, depending on thickly you layer them, they’ll have a glossy finish and vibrant color.

6. Donate it. Many dentists in the area offer to buy back candy at a dollar per pound, and they’ll donate it to various charities, usually sending the candy to troops overseas. The website halloweencandybuyback.com allows you to search for participating businesses by zip code and it will provide links to the websites so you can find out when and where the buy-back is happening. Alternatively, the Ronald McDonald House charities often accept donations of unopened candy for sick children and their loved ones. You can find more information about this charity and others online, as well as other opportunities to donate, such as senior living communities or programs that donate candy to homeless children.

Hopefully these fun ideas have inspired you to do something with all that leftover candy! Whether you choose to eat it in another form, repurpose it or give it away, now there’s no reason to let any Halloween candy fall by the wayside.