JELL-O shots have become somewhat of a punch line; something you make every few years when you and your friends want a night you all can look back on and think, That was the best...and I never want to do it again. I’m here to tell you this pigeonholing of a timeless alcoholic beverage (?) is a tired way of thinking. Not only should we stop labeling JELL-O shots as juvenile, but we should also champion how seamlessly they fit into adulthood: They’re single-serve (hello, pandemic!) delights that can be made in bulk. Meal-prepping, but make it alcohol! The dream!
First, name another drink that allows you to mix and match flavors with such ease. And now that sharing drinks and straws is no longer an option? IDEAL. Plus, if you’re anything like me—an exhausted puddle of a human who ends the day with a crushing desire to have something deliciously alcoholic at the ready— you can dedicate an hour or so of the rest of your Sunday afternoon to making these bursts of joy and you’ll be all set for the rest of the week.
OK. I see you. You think you’ve moved on from the chapter of your life these shots defined. But this isn’t about recreating the furtive thrill of congregating in basements, sneaking sips behind your parents’ backs; it’s about the delight you felt with friends while you did so. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to revisit the happiness of a simpler time. Maybe it’s something I’m looking for more of these days. Or maybe a JELL-O shot is just a damn JELL-O shot. Either way: Cheers.
