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shrimp dip and clam dip collage

Does anyone else have fond memories of being in Grandma’s kitchen while she cooked dinner? You just stared at her in amazement as she seamlessly made her way around every recipe, never missing a beat. While you observed, you sat, greedily stuffing your face with crackers dunked in whatever dip she whipped up and laid out as an appetizer. 

These are those dips: six old-fashioned dips that might not sound like much at first but are absolutely scrumptious every time.

1. Shrimp Dip

shrimp dip
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There are about 101 iterations of this stuff, but my favorite was brought to me by my husband’s grandma. Spread a layer of cream cheese onto a dish of your choosing, pour over a layer of your favorite cocktail sauce, and top it with those adorable cooked baby salad shrimps. Grab a couple of sleeves of Ritz crackers and dig in! It’s like a shrimp cocktail with a salty and creamy spin.

Recipe: Seeking Good Eats

2. Olive Dip

olive dip
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Olives and “old-fashioned” go hand-in-hand. This recipe basically just requires you to throw together some cream cheese, green olives, and an assortment of seasonings, but it’s darn tasty with crackers or chips.

Recipe: Sweet Caramel Sunday

3. Clam Dip

clam dip
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Looking for a recipe to transform the canned clams you always have on hand? Okay, so maybe it’s not a grocery item you buy very often, but as repulsive as this dip might sound when you rattle off the ingredients, it just works.

Recipe: Tastes Better from Scratch

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4. French Onion Dip

Homemade French Onion Dip in a Bowl
bhofack2/istockphoto

You didn’t think we’d leave the O.G. of dips off this list, did you? French Onion dip is where it’s at. Get yourself a bag of Wavy Lays and go to town. Chef’s. Freaking. Kiss.

Related: We Sampled 16 Kinds of Potato Chips — These Are the Best (and Worst)

5. Pimento Cheese Spread

Homemade Pimento Cheese Spread with Crackers and Veggies
bhofack2/istockphoto

Even people who don’t like olives like pimentos. This dip is universal, lending itself beautifully to everything from crackers and breads to carrots and celery.

Recipe: A Southern Soul

Related: King Ranch, Sweet Potato, and More Tasty Southern Casseroles

6. Bologna Salad

bologna dip
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Does it look like wet cat food? Yes. Does it still sound gross when you read what’s in it? Yes. Do we still love it for some odd reason? Also yes.

Recipe: The Country Cook

Related: 30 Strange But Surprisingly Tasty Local Foods to Try

Meet the Writer

Rachel is a Michigan-based writer who has dabbled in a variety of subject matter throughout her career. As a mom of multiple young children, she tries to maintain a sustainable lifestyle for her family. She grows vegetables in her garden, gets her meat in bulk from local farmers, and cans fruits and vegetables with friends. Her kids have plenty of hand-me-downs in their closets, but her husband jokes that before long, they might need to invest in a new driveway thanks to the frequent visits from delivery trucks dropping off online purchases (she can’t pass up a good deal, after all). You can reach her at [email protected].