Jell-O Is Practically An Obsession In Utah

Salt Lake City eats more Jell-O than any other U.S. city — in fact, it’s the official state snack of Utah. They even have a Jell-O week, celebrated every year in the 2nd week of February.

Utah’s obsession with Jell-O didn’t start until the 1990s. Back then, it was known more for Jell-O shots and frat parties, so the company rebranded with a more family-friendly focus, creating more recipes for kids and marketing it to moms. Utah has one of the highest birth rates in the country, which makes it a perfect market to sell food aimed at families.

Utah’s image as the Jell-O state was further popularized during the 2002 Winter Olympics in the state. The state sold a collectable pin in the shape of a bowl of green Jell-O.

62% of the state’s population are members of the Church of Latter-Day Saints and a popular theory says that Utahns love Jell-O because Mormons don’t drink alcohol, coffee, or tea — so it ended up becoming somewhat of their sugary-sweet vice. But it might actually be more about connections and being a good host to the people you love, because Jell-O is a simple and fun way to feed a group of people.