View source for Jell-O

{{Short description|Dessert brand made by Kraft Foods}}
{{About|the brand of dessert products|gelatin desserts in general|gelatin dessert|other uses|Jello (disambiguation)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox brand
| name           = Jell-O
| logo           = Jell-O new logo (2023).svg
| logo_size   = 150
| image          = 2019-10-10 22 15 43 Gelatin from a single opened cup of Jell-O strawberry gelatin snack being lifted by a spoon in the Franklin Farm section of Oak Hill, Fairfax County, Virginia.jpg
| image_size   = 200
| producttype    = [[Gelatin dessert]], [[pudding]]
| currentowner   = [[Kraft Heinz]]
| producedby     = [[Kraft Foods]]
| country        = United States
| introduced     = {{start date and age|1897}}
| discontinued   = 
| related        = 
| markets        = 
| previousowners = 
| trademarkregistrations = 
| ambassadors    = 
| tagline        = 
| website        = {{url| https://www.kraftheinz.com/jell-o}}
| module         = <!-- or: misc -->
| module1        = <!-- or: misc1 -->
| footnotes     =
}}
{{Infobox food
| name               = Jell-O
| image              = 
| caption            = 
| alternate_name     = 
| place_of_origin    = [[United States]]
| region             = 
| associated_cuisine = 
| creator            = Pearle Bixby Wait
| year               = 
| time1              = 
| time2              = 
| course             = 
| type               = [[Gelatin dessert]]s, [[pudding]]s
| served             = 
| main_ingredient    = Powdered [[gelatin]], sugar or artificial sweetener, artificial flavors, food coloring
| minor_ingredient   = 
| variations         = Many flavors and various snacks
| serving_size       = 21g – 23gr
| calories           = 80
| calories_ref       = &nbsp;[regular], {{convert|10|kcal|abbr=on}} [sugar-free]
| protein            = 2
| fat                = 0
| carbohydrate       = 19
| glycemic_index     = 
| similar_dish       = 
| other              = 
| no_recipes         = false
}}

'''Jell-O''' (stylized in [[all caps]]) is an American [[brand]] offering a variety of powdered [[gelatin dessert]] (fruit-flavored gels/jellies), [[pudding]], and no-bake <!-- Please don't link this, because it has not been created yet. --> [[cream pie]] mixes. The original [[gelatin]] dessert ([[genericized]] as '''jello''') is the signature of the brand. "Jell-O" is a [[registered trademark]] of [[Kraft Heinz]], and is based in [[Chicago, Illinois]].

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 (fruit)|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 a gel.

==Description==
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 sweetener]]s. 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.{{Cn|date=February 2025}}

Some non-gelatin pudding and pie-filling products are sold under 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.{{Cn|date=February 2025}}

==History==
===Early history===
{{multiple image
| align             = right
| total_width       = 300
| image1            = Pearl bixby wait.jpg
| image2            = St. Nicholas (serial) (1873) (14783211442).jpg
| footer            = (Left): Pearle Bixby Wait, creator of the "Jell-O" brand; (right): Jell-O advertisement by the Genesee Pure Food Company, {{circa|1910}}
}}

[[Gelatin]], a protein produced from [[collagen]] extracted from boiled bones, connective tissues, and other animal products, has been a component of food, particularly desserts, since the 15th century.<ref>{{cite news|last=Purdom|first=Candace|title=Program on History of Gelatin Breaks the Mold: Shedding Light on Familiar Dessert|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2001/04/10/program-on-history-of-gelatin-breaks-the-mold/|access-date=June 20, 2013|newspaper=[[Chicago Tribune]]|date=April 10, 2001|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131021205618/http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2001-04-10/news/0104100235_1_gelatin-jell-jell-o|archive-date=October 21, 2013|url-status=live}}</ref>

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 the first American [[steam]]-powered [[locomotive]], the ''[[Tom Thumb (locomotive)|Tom Thumb]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://patents.google.com/patent/US4084A|title=US4084A – Improvement in the preparation of portable gelatine<!-- A patent witness was Abram S. Hewitt, Cooper's future son-in-law and future NYC mayor -->|work=Google Patent Search|date=June 20, 1845|access-date=November 2, 2021|archive-date=November 2, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211102113950/https://patents.google.com/patent/US4084A|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="autogenerated1">{{cite web | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/04/nyregion/04jello.html?ex=1210564800&en=11a9dce77358ac6b&ei=5070 | title=Upstate, Where It Was First Made, Unwavering Devotion to Jell-O | work=The New York Times | date=May 4, 2008 | access-date=July 15, 2012 | last=Belson |first=Ken | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131021205640/http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/04/nyregion/04jello.html?ex=1210564800&en=11a9dce77358ac6b&ei=5070 | archive-date=October 21, 2013 | url-status=live }}</ref>  This powdered gelatin was easy to manufacture and easier to use in cooking.

In 1897, in [[Le Roy (town), New York|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 (fruit)|orange]], and [[lemon]] flavoring to granulated gelatin and sugar.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.jellogallery.org/jellohistory.html|title=History of Jello|work=The Jell-O Gallery|publisher=Le Roy Historical Society|date=October 27, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140213131934/http://www.jellogallery.org/jellohistory.html|archive-date=February 13, 2014}}</ref> In 1899, Wait sold Jell-O to "Orator Francis Woodward", whose Genesee Pure Food Company produced the successful Grain-O health drink. Part of the legal agreement between Woodward and Wait dealt with the similar Jell-O name.<ref>{{cite book|last=Wyman|first=Carolyn|title=Jell-O: A Biography&nbsp;— The History and Mystery of America's Most Famous Dessert|year=2001|publisher=Mariner Books|isbn=978-0156011235|pages=[https://archive.org/details/jellobiography00wyma/page/4 4–5]|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/jellobiography00wyma/page/4}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.jellogallery.org/history.html |title=History|work=The Jell-O Gallery |access-date=March 26, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180805081344/http://www.jellogallery.org/history.html |archive-date=August 5, 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref>
[[File:No Dessert More Attractive (Jell-O ad,1904).jpg|left|1904 advertisement|thumb]]

===Going mainstream===
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.<ref name=slate>{{cite news |title=Mormonism's Jell-O Mold |first=Christy |last=Spackman |date=August 17, 2012 |work=[[Slate.com]] |url=http://www.slate.com/articles/life/food/2012/08/jell_o_and_mormonism_the_stereotype_s_surprising_origins_.html |access-date=August 17, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120817204704/http://www.slate.com/articles/life/food/2012/08/jell_o_and_mormonism_the_stereotype_s_surprising_origins_.html |archive-date=August 17, 2012 |url-status=live  }}</ref>

Initially, Woodward struggled to sell the powdered product. Beginning in 1902, to raise awareness, Woodward's Genesee Pure Food Company placed [[advertisements]] in the ''[[Ladies' Home Journal]]'' proclaiming Jell-O to be "America's Most Famous Dessert."<ref name=Surprises>{{cite web|title=The New JELL-O Book of Surprises|url=http://www.chemheritage.org/discover/collections/collection-items/archives/ephemera/the-new-jell-o-book-of-surprises.aspx|website=[[Chemical Heritage Foundation]]|url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160313123229/http://www.chemheritage.org/discover/collections/collection-items/archives/ephemera/the-new-jell-o-book-of-surprises.aspx|archive-date=March 13, 2016}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.jellomuseum.com/index.html#History|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080229061258/http://www.jellomuseum.com/index.html#History|title=The Jell-O Museum and Gallery|archive-date=February 29, 2008|access-date=August 12, 2015}}</ref>

[[File:Jell-O - America's Most Famous Dessert.pdf|thumb|150px|"America's Most Famous Dessert", 1910s advertisement]]

Within a decade, Genesee Pure Food Company added three new flavors, [[chocolate]] (discontinued in 1927), [[cherry]], and [[peach]], and it launched the brand in Canada.<ref name=Surprises/> [[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 the [[General Foods Corporation]].

[[File:Quick, Easy Jell-O Wonder Dishes 1930 Cover.jpg|thumb|left|150px|''Quick, Easy Jell-O Wonder Dishes'', Jell-O Cookbook of 1930]]

By 1930, there appeared a vogue in [[Cuisine of the United States|American cuisine]] for [[congealed salad]]s, and the company introduced [[Lime (fruit)|lime]]-flavored Jell-O, to complement the add-ins that cooks across the country were combining in these [[aspic]]s and salads. Popular Jell-O recipes often included ingredients like cabbage, celery, green peppers, and even cooked pasta.<ref name=Surprises/>

In 1934, sponsorship from Jell-O made comedian [[Jack Benny]] the dessert's spokesperson.<ref name="timeline">{{cite news | url=http://www.deseretnews.com/article/640190382/A-timeline-set-in-Jell-O.html?pg=all | work=Deseret News (Salt Lake City) | title=A timeline set in Jell-O | date=June 28, 2006 | access-date=July 15, 2012 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130805015456/http://www.deseretnews.com/article/640190382/A-timeline-set-in-Jell-O.html?pg=all | archive-date=August 5, 2013 }}</ref> At this time Post introduced a [[jingle]] ("featured" by the agency [[Young & Rubicam]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.lubbockonline.com/stories/091000/bus_091000020.shtml |title=Business – Jell-O pulls plug on longtime ad firm 09/10/00<!-- Bot generated title --> |access-date=October 14, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081025013645/http://www.lubbockonline.com/stories/091000/bus_091000020.shtml |archive-date=October 25, 2008 |url-status=live }}</ref>) 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."<ref>{{cite news|title=Jello Again|url=https://archive.org/stream/variety141-1940-12#page/n97/mode/1up|access-date=November 18, 2015|work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|date=December 11, 1940|page=35|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151119041644/http://www.archive.org/stream/variety141-1940-12#page/n97/mode/1up|archive-date=November 19, 2015|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 1936, chocolate returned to 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 (pie)|flan]], and [[rice pudding]].

By the 1950s, salads became so popular that Jell-O responded with savory and vegetable flavors such as [[celery]], [[Italian cuisine|Italian]], mixed vegetable, and seasoned [[tomato]]. These flavors have since been discontinued.<ref name=Surprises/>

===Baby boom===
{{external media | width = 170px | float = right | headerimage= [[File:Kitchen Chemistry savory jello.png|170px]] | video1 = [https://www.sciencehistory.org/distillations/video/kitchen-chemistry-jell-o Kitchen Chemistry: Jell-O, Tracing Jell-O’s rise to fame], [[Science History Institute]] }}

Though much of 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 the early 20th century included exotic fruits like [[Common fig|fig]]s, [[Date (fruit)|date]]s and [[banana]]s, or lemon flavored jello paired with [[maraschino cherries]] and other ingredients like [[marshmallow]]s and [[almond]]s.<ref>Sherrie A. Inness, Dinner Roles: American Women and Culinary Culture, p. 62-66</ref> 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 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.<ref name=dmrc>''The Des Moines Register Cookbook, 1995''</ref>

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.<ref name=dmrc />

The [[baby boom]] saw 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.<ref name=slate/>

New flavors were continually added and unsuccessful flavors were removed: in 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|Jell-O 1∗2∗3]] (later Jell-O 1•2•3), 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 [[chocolate mousse|mousse]]-style dessert, was introduced and widely promoted; it remains available in limited areas today.  A similar dessert called Jell-O Soft Swirl was introduced in 1972, flavors included Chocolate Creme, Strawberry Creme, Vanilla Creme, and Peach Creme.  [[Florence Henderson]] appeared in TV ads for this product.

===Sales decline and turnaround===
[[File:Day 18 - Still Eating The Green Jello (gifrancis).jpg|thumb|150px|Lime Jell-O]]

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, a "fast-paced" lifestyle and women's increasing employment. By 1986, a market study concluded that mothers with young children rarely purchased Jell-O.<ref name=slate/>

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 a massive marketing campaign, notably featuring [[Bill Cosby]] as spokesman. The campaign was a huge success, causing a significant market gain.<ref name=slate/>

Cosby became the  brand's spokesperson in 1974, and he continued as the voice of Jell-O for almost thirty years.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Cross |first1=Mary |title=A Century of American Icons: 100 Products and Slogans from the 20th-Century Consumer Culture |date=2002 |publisher=Greenwood Press |isbn=978-0313314810  |access-date=September 4, 2020 |url=https://archive.org/details/centuryofamerica00cros/page/165/ |pages=165–167}}</ref> 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); 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]]''.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/05/17/bill-cosby-jell-o-togethe_n_578592.html | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100520091034/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/05/17/bill-cosby-jell-o-togethe_n_578592.html| archive-date= May 20, 2010| url-status= dead| first= Emily| last= Frederix| work=Huffington Post | title=Bill Cosby & Jell-O: Together Again | date=May 16, 2010}}</ref>

In 1990, General Foods was merged into [[Kraft Foods Inc.]] by parent company [[Altria Group|Philip Morris]] (now 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 foodways|Mormon cuisine]] such as [[Jello salad|Jell-O salad]], and [[Governor of Utah|Governor]] [[Michael O. Leavitt]] declared an annual "Jell-O Week."<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/1156021.stm|work=BBC News|title=Utah loves Jell-O|date=February 6, 2001|first=Katty|last=Kay|location=Washington|access-date=August 12, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150715085844/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/1156021.stm|archive-date=July 15, 2015|url-status=live}}</ref> During the [[2002 Winter Olympics]] in Salt Lake City, the souvenir pins included one depicting green Jell-O.<ref>{{cite news| url= https://www.deseret.com/2002/2/6/20704070/there-s-green-jell-o-on-your-lapel| first= Valerie| last= Phillips| title= There's green Jell-O on your lapel... Abundance of food pins are unique to Salt Lake Olympics| website= [[Deseret News]]| date= February 6, 2002| access-date= April 21, 2016| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160428081819/http://www.deseretnews.com/article/893691/Theres-green-Jell-O-on-your-lapel---.html| archive-date= April 28, 2016| url-status= live}}</ref>

In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Jell-O's family-friendly reputation was slightly tarnished by [[Jello shot|Jell-O shots]] and Jell-O wrestling.<ref name=slate/>

[[File:Original Jell-O Factory Le Roy NY Aug 10.jpg|thumb|right|The original Jell-O Factory in [[Le Roy, New York]], pictured in 2010]]

{{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.<ref>{{cite news|work=Sunday Morning|title=Wiggle Room|publisher=CBS|date=November 27, 2011|access-date=August 1, 2016|url=https://archive.org/details/KPIX_20111127_140000_CBS_News_Sunday_Morning?q=420+million+boxes#start/4881/end/4941|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161022062033/https://archive.org/details/KPIX_20111127_140000_CBS_News_Sunday_Morning?q=420+million+boxes#start/4881/end/4941|archive-date=October 22, 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> {{As of|2016}}, there were more than 110 products sold under the Jell-O brand name.<ref>[http://www.jello.com/products Jell-O Products] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160807071456/http://www.jello.com/products |date=August 7, 2016 }}. Kraft. Retrieved August 4, 2016.</ref>

Jell-O is used as a substantial ingredient in a well-known dessert, the "Jell-O mold", which requires a [[Mold (cooking implement)|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 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.<ref>{{cite AV media|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=38EVoUsVH1A|title=Pineapple Jelly.MPG|date=March 23, 2010|work=[[YouTube]]|access-date=August 12, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150718213544/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=38EVoUsVH1A|archive-date=July 18, 2015|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Jell-O shots==
{{Main|Jello shot}}
[[File:Tray of jello shots.jpg|thumb|Tray of jello shots]]

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 a boil.<ref>{{cite news |last=Sampson |first=Susan |date=September 9, 2006 |title=Jell-O shots pack a bang |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-toronto-star-jell-o-shots-pack-a-ban/169821578/ |access-date=2025-04-08 |newspaper=[[The Toronto Star]] |page=M.4 |via=[[Newspapers.com]] |quote=A Jell-O shot is a cocktail you can eat.}}</ref> 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 [[Denaturation (biochemistry)|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.<ref name="myscience">[http://www.myscienceproject.org/j-shot.html My Science Project – What is the Ultimate Jell-O Shot?] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131030095655/http://www.myscienceproject.org/j-shot.html |date=October 30, 2013 }}.</ref>

[[Vodka]] or [[rum]] 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 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 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.<ref>[http://www.drinkstreet.com/searchresults.cgi?drinkid=916 The Art & Science of the Jello Shot] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120303135624/http://www.drinkstreet.com/searchresults.cgi?drinkid=916 |date=March 3, 2012 }} DrinkStreet.com</ref>

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.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.sfweekly.com/2000-04-19/news/that-was-the-wit-that-was/ |title=That Was the Wit That Was |newspaper=[[SF Weekly]] |date=April 19, 2000 |access-date=October 1, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130512190125/http://www.sfweekly.com/2000-04-19/news/that-was-the-wit-that-was/ |archive-date=May 12, 2013 |url-status=dead  |first1=Jack|last1=Boulware}}</ref> 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 (bartender)|Jerry Thomas]]: his recipe for "Punch Jelly" calls for the addition of [[isinglass]] or other [[gelatin]] to a punch made from [[cognac]], rum, and lemon juice.<ref name="thomas">{{cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_QDUEAAAAYAAJ|page=[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_QDUEAAAAYAAJ/page/n28 24]|title=How to Mix Drinks, Or, The Bon-vivant's Companion|publisher=Dick & Fitzgerald|author-link=Jerry Thomas (bartender)|first=Jerry|last=Thomas|access-date=March 13, 2016}}</ref><ref>''The Joy of Mixology'' by Gary Regan. Clarkson Potter, 2003. Pages 15–16, 150.</ref> Thomas warns that strength of the punch is "artfully concealed" by the gelatin.<ref name="thomas"/>

==Manufacturing and tourism==
[[File:Jell-O Museum Le Roy NY Aug 10.JPG|thumb|right|200px|Jell-O Museum in [[LeRoy, New York]]]]

{{As of|2012}}, [[Le Roy (village), New York|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]].<ref name="autogenerated1" /> The Jell-O Gallery museum 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.<ref name="nris">{{cite web|url=https://www.nps.gov/subjects/nationalregister/index.htm|title=National Register Information System|date=March 13, 2009|work=National Register of Historic Places|publisher=[[National Park Service]]|access-date=January 17, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110122004641/http://www.nps.gov/nr/|archive-date=January 22, 2011|url-status=live}}</ref>

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.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2006-06-28 |title=Unmolding history: N.Y. museum chronicles Jell-O's success |url=https://www.deseret.com/2006/6/28/19960871/unmolding-history-n-y-museum-chronicles-jell-o-s-success/ |access-date=2025-03-05 |website=Deseret News |language=en}}</ref>

The Jell-O plant (Kraft Heinz) in [[Mason City, Iowa|Mason City]], [[Iowa]], produces [[United States|America]]'s supply of ready-to-eat Jell-O gelatin dessert and [[pudding]] cups.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-05-16 |title=Kraft Heinz will spend $63 million to expand, retool Iowa Jell-O pudding plant |url=https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/money/business/2019/05/16/kraft-heinz-spend-63-million-expand-iowa-jell-o-pudding-plant/3695866002/ |access-date=2025-03-30 |website=Des Moines Register |language=en}}</ref>

== Advertising ==
{{multiple image
| total_width       = 300
| image1            = 1920 Jell-O Cookbook.jpg
| image2            = Jell-O Again! 1948.jpg
| image3            = Jell-O Thermometer.jpg
| footer            = (Left) 1920 Jell-O recipe pamphlet featuring the "Jell-O Girl"; (center): 1948 ad published in ''The Ladies' Home Journal''; (right): a Jell-O thermometer
}}

{{see also|Bill Cosby in advertising}}

Jell-O's early advertising campaign, initially directed by William E. Humelbaugh and later Frank LaBounty, first appeared in 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 the recognizable "Jell-O Girl".<ref name="timeline"></ref>

[[Jack Benny]]'s top-rated radio program began its Jell-O sponsorship in 1934.<ref name="timeline"></ref> 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]]'', 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]] was associated with Jell-O and, more famously, Jell-O pudding, and he appeared in many commercials promoting both before he was later dismissed due to [[Bill Cosby sexual assault cases|the accusations]] in 2014.<ref>{{cite news |author1=Brian Steinberg |author2=Angelique Jackson |author3=Brent Lang |title=Bill Cosby Is Out of Prison but He's Not Welcome in Hollywood: 'He Is Toxic' |url=https://variety.com/2021/tv/news/bill-cosby-hollywood-comeback-chances-1235010086/ |access-date=July 3, 2025 |work=Variety |date=1 June 2021}}</ref> Later shows like ''[[Mad TV]]'', ''[[The Simpsons]]'' and ''[[Saturday Night Live]]'' parody Cosby, using Jell-O references like "pudding pop".  In 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 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 Video|Amazon Prime Video]] titled "JELL-O Wobz" in partnership with [[DreamWorksTV (YouTube channel)|DreamWorksTV]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.marketingdive.com/news/jell-o-teams-with-dreamworkstv-on-animated-series-for-youtube-amazon-prime/529246/|title=Jell-O teams with DreamworksTV on animated series for YouTube, Amazon Prime Video|work=Marketing Dive|access-date=August 6, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180806145724/https://www.marketingdive.com/news/jell-o-teams-with-dreamworkstv-on-animated-series-for-youtube-amazon-prime/529246/|archive-date=August 6, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 2023, 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.<ref>{{cite web |title=Dezeen – Playful Jell-O rebrand  |url=https://www.dezeen.com/2023/08/09/brandopus-jell-o-rebrand/ |access-date=September 10, 2024 |website= dezeen.com |date=August 9, 2023 }}</ref>

In September 2024, Jell-O launches The Jelly Collection inflatable furniture series inspired by the iconic Jell-O molds.<ref>{{cite web |title=Dezeen – Jell-O creates series of inflatable chairs |date=September 11, 2024 |url=https://www.dezeen.com/2024/09/11/jell-o-jelly-collection-inflatable-chairs-iconic-molds }}</ref>

==In culture==
Jell-O is mentioned in the 1936 popular song "[[A Fine Romance (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.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Furia|first1=Philip|last2=Patterson|first2=Laurie|title=The Songs of Hollywood|date=2010|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=9780199792665|page=[https://archive.org/details/songsofhollywood0000furi/page/98 98]|url=https://archive.org/details/songsofhollywood0000furi|url-access=registration|quote=A Fine Romance song jello.|access-date=February 16, 2018}}</ref> 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]].<ref>{{cite web|last1=Bolcom|first1=William|last2=Morris|first2=Joan|title=Lime jello marshmallow cottage cheese surprise|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/work/80930501?selectedversion=NBD46882065|publisher=Melville, N.Y. : E.B. Marks Music Corp|access-date=February 16, 2018|date=1980|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180217024541/https://trove.nla.gov.au/work/80930501?selectedversion=NBD46882065|archive-date=February 17, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="forstie">{{cite web|last1=Forstie|first1=Clare|title=From Rosy to Regrettable: Mixed Nostalgia and the Meanings of Jell-O Salad|url=http://digest.champlain.edu/vol1/article1_2.html|website=Digest: A Journal of Foodways and Culture|publisher=American Folklore Society|access-date=February 16, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180216145044/http://digest.champlain.edu/vol1/article1_2.html|archive-date=February 16, 2018|date=2012|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 1992, Ivette Bassa won the second ever [[Ig Nobel Prize]] in chemistry for inventing blue Jell-O.<ref>{{cite news|newspaper=The Tech|url=http://tech.mit.edu/V112/N47/ignobel.47n.html|date=October 6, 1992|title=Second Ig Nobel Ceremony Held|first=Eric |last=Richard|access-date=October 14, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111224052047/http://tech.mit.edu/V112/N47/ignobel.47n.html|archive-date=December 24, 2011|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|newspaper=Harvard Crimson|title=Ig Nobel Tickets Go on Sale:Awards Ceremony Set to Honor Unusual Achievements|date=September 25, 1995|first=Jonathan N. |last=Axelrod}}</ref>

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.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Herbert |first1=Geoff |title='World's worst band' Green Jellÿ to perform St. Patrick's Day concert in Syracuse |url=https://www.syracuse.com/entertainment/2020/02/worlds-worst-band-green-jelly-to-perform-st-patricks-day-concert-in-syracuse.html |access-date=January 19, 2021 |work=Syracuse.com |date=February 14, 2020 |archive-date=November 25, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201125225313/https://www.syracuse.com/entertainment/2020/02/worlds-worst-band-green-jelly-to-perform-st-patricks-day-concert-in-syracuse.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Mormonism===
Jell-O is especially popular among [[Mormons]], so much so that the [[Mormon Corridor]] region is nicknamed the ''Jell-O Belt''.<ref>{{cite news |first= Michael Alison |last= Chandler |title= Big-Screen Religion |url= https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/25/AR2006012502320_pf.html |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |date= January 26, 2006 |quote= [...] the Jell-O Belt (the self-referential term for Utah and Idaho, home to large Mormon families that consider the colorful gelatin a staple food for dinner and church socials)[.] |access-date= December 12, 2017 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20161022062102/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/25/AR2006012502320_pf.html |archive-date= October 22, 2016 |url-status= live }}
</ref><ref>{{cite news |last= Crump |first= Steve |title= Don't ask me. Getting jiggly outside the Jell-O Belt |newspaper= [[Times-News (Idaho)|The Twin Falls Idaho Times-News]] |date= March 21, 2004 |page= B01 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Snider |first=Eric D. |date=August 17, 2003 |title=Locally produced film headed to 6 festivals |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-herald-locally-produced-film-h/169821690/ |access-date=2025-04-08 |newspaper=[[Provo Daily Herald]] |page=B1 |via=[[Newspapers.com]] |quote='A film that was locally produced will find an audience beyond the Jell-O Belt [...]'}}</ref><ref>
{{cite news |first= Carole |last= Mikita |title= Mormon Moviemakers: The Sequel |date= November 17, 2003 |publisher= [[KSL-TV]] }} Reprinted at [http://www.ldsfilm.com/SS/SaintsAndSoldiers4.html ldsfilm.com entry] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120218141910/http://www.ldsfilm.com/SS/SaintsAndSoldiers4.html |date=February 18, 2012 }} for ''[[Saints and Soldiers]]''.
</ref><ref>{{cite news |author= Editorial board |title= Does Jell-O belong at Legislature |url= http://www.heraldextra.com/news/opinion/article_f2ab02c4-270c-5472-a8bf-514b437219a1.html |date= February 1, 2001 |newspaper= [[Provo Daily Herald]] |access-date= August 17, 2012 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160327133136/http://www.heraldextra.com/news/opinion/article_f2ab02c4-270c-5472-a8bf-514b437219a1.html |archive-date= March 27, 2016 |url-status= live}}</ref>  Jell-O was recognized in 2001 as "a favorite snack food of Utah" by the Utah Senate,<ref>{{cite web |year=2001 |title=Resolution Urging Jell-O® Recognition |url=http://www.le.state.ut.us/~2001/bills/sbillenr/SR0005.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170204050540/http://www.le.state.ut.us/~2001/bills/sbillenr/SR0005.htm |archive-date=February 4, 2017 |access-date=October 27, 2014 |publisher=Utah State Legislature}}</ref> 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.<ref name="Resolution">{{cite web |title=Utah Legislature SR0005 |url=http://www.le.state.ut.us/~2001/bills/sbillenr/SR0005.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150920041527/http://www.le.state.ut.us/~2001/bills/sbillenr/SR0005.htm |archive-date=September 20, 2015 |access-date=August 12, 2015 }}</ref> The culture of Utah, petitions by Utahns, and campaigning by students of [[Brigham Young University]] were also mentioned as reasons for recognizing Jell-O.<ref name= Resolution /> [[Bill Cosby]], longtime spokesperson for 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."<ref>{{cite news |first= Brett |last= Merritt |title= The pudding Papa: Jell-O pitchman Bill Cosby jiggles onto the stage at Abravanel Hall |url= http://www.heraldextra.com/entertainment/article_09897356-c302-5534-82ba-17a33a832601.html |archive-url= https://archive.today/20130125050735/http://www.heraldextra.com/entertainment/article_09897356-c302-5534-82ba-17a33a832601.html |url-status= dead |archive-date= January 25, 2013 |date= October 16, 2003 |newspaper= [[Provo Daily Herald]] }}</ref>

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 a 1988 article mentions Jell-O as a [[Lutheranism|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.<ref>{{cite web |last=Spackman |first=Christy |date=August 17, 2012 |title=Why Do We Associate Jell-O With Utah and Mormonism? |url=https://slate.com/human-interest/2012/08/jell-o-and-mormonism-the-stereotypes-surprising-origins.html |access-date=May 5, 2022 |website=Slate Magazine |archive-date=May 5, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220505192938/https://slate.com/human-interest/2012/08/jell-o-and-mormonism-the-stereotypes-surprising-origins.html |url-status=live }}</ref> In 1997, [[Kraft Foods|Kraft]] released sales figures revealing [[Salt Lake City]] to have the highest per-capita Jell-O consumption.<ref name=slate/>

==Current flavors==
{{Time-context|section|date=April 2017}}

The following are the flavors of Jell-O products that are currently being produced:<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.kraftbrands.com/Jello/|title=JELL-O|work=Recipes|access-date=August 12, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130209143946/http://www.kraftbrands.com/jello/|archive-date=February 9, 2013|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Gelatin===
{{div col|colwidth=20em}}
* [[Apricot]]
* Berry Blue
* [[Prunus serotina|Black Cherry]]{{Ref|a|a}}
* Blueberry Pomegranate
* Cherry{{Ref|a|a}}
* Cherry Lemonade
* [[Cranberry]]
* Fruit Punch
* [[Grape]]
* [[Jolly Rancher]] Sour Green Apple
* [[Lemon]]{{Ref|a|a}}
* [[Lime (fruit)|Lime]]{{Ref|a|a}}
* [[Mango]]
* [[Margarita]]{{Ref|b|b}}
* [[Melon]] Fusion
* Mixchief [[Grape]] Color-Changing
* Mixchief [[Juice]]
* Mixchief [[Soft drink|Soda Pop]]
* [[Orange (fruit)|Orange]]{{Ref|a|a}}
* [[Peach]]{{Ref|a|a}}
* [[Piña colada|Piña Colada]]{{Ref|b|b}}
* [[Pineapple]]
* [[Raspberry]]{{Ref|a|a}}
* [[Strawberry]]{{Ref|a|a}}
* Strawberry [[Daiquiri]]
* Strawberry-[[Banana]]{{Ref|a|a}}
* [[Tropical]] Fusion
* [[Watermelon]]
{{div col end}}

===Pudding===
{{div col|colwidth=20em}}
* Banana Cream{{Ref|a|a}}
* [[Boston cream pie|Boston Cream Pie]]{{Ref|c|c}}
* [[Butterscotch]]{{Ref|a|a}}
* [[Candy cane|Candy Cane]]{{Ref|b|b}}
* [[Caramel]]
* [[Cheesecake]]{{Ref|a|a}}
* [[Chocolate]]{{Ref|a|a}}
* Chocolate [[Fudge]]{{Ref|a|a}}
* Chocolate-[[Vanilla]] Swirl{{Ref|c|c}}
* Classic Turtle{{Ref|b|b}}
* [[Coconut]] [[Cream]]
* [[Crème brûlée]]{{Ref|c|c}}
* [[Custard]]
* Dark Chocolate{{Ref|c|c}}
* [[Devil's food cake|Devil's Food]]
* Double Chocolate{{Ref|a|c}}
* [[Dulce de leche|Dulce De Leche]]{{Ref|a|a}}{{Ref|c|c}}
* [[Flan (pie)|Flan]]
* [[French Vanilla]]
* [[Gingerbread]]{{Ref|b|b}}
* [[Lemon]]{{Ref|a|a}}
* Mixchief Vanilla Color-Changing
* [[Orange (fruit)|Orange]] [[Ice Cream]]{{Ref|c|c}}
* [[Oreo]] [[Cookies and Cream|Cookies 'n Creme]]
* [[Pistachio]]{{Ref|a|a}}
* [[Pumpkin]] [[Spice]]{{Ref|b|b}}
* Red Velvet
* [[Rice pudding|Rice Pudding]]
* S'more pudding
* [[Strawberry]] [[Cheesecake]]{{Ref|c|c}}
* Strawberry Crème
* Strawberry [[Ice Cream]]{{Ref|c|c}}
* [[Tapioca]]
* Vanilla{{Ref|a|a}}
* [[White Chocolate]]{{Ref|a|a}}
{{div col end}}

<br/><small>{{Note|a|a}}Also available in a sugar free/low calorie product.</small>
<br/><small>{{Note|b|b}}Available seasonally.</small>
<br/><small>{{Note|c|c}}Only available as a prepared product.</small>

==See also==
{{Portal|Food}}
{{columns-list|
*[[Aeroplane Jelly]]
*[[Aspic]]
*[[Jell-O Museum]]
*[[Jello Biafra]]
*[[Jello salad]]
*[[Green Jellÿ|Green Jellö]]
}}

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==External links==
*{{url|https://www.kraftheinz.com/jell-o|Official website}}
* [http://www.jellogallery.org/ Jell-O Gallery Museum] ({{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201212212731/http://www.jellogallery.org/ |date=December 12, 2020 }})
* [http://www.wikihow.com/Make-Jello ''How to Make Jello''] ({{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201112041924/http://www.wikihow.com/Make-Jello |date=November 12, 2020 }})

{{Kraft Foods Group}}
{{The Kraft Heinz Company|state=collapsed}}

[[Category:American desserts]]
[[Category:American snack foods]]
[[Category:Animal products]]
[[Category:Brand name desserts]]
[[Category:Brands that became generic]]
[[Category:Canadian cuisine]]
[[Category:Cuisine of California]]
[[Category:Food powders]]
[[Category:Gelatin desserts]]
[[Category:Kraft Foods brands]]
[[Category:Latter Day Saint culture]]
[[Category:Products introduced in 1897]]
[[Category:Symbols of Utah]]
[[Category:Cuisine of Utah]]