Are you sure it's just the Mormons? I could have sworn that there were more than JUST Mormons in Utah.

Comedian Bill Cosby appeared before a rare joint convention of the Utah State Legislature in 2001 to urge legislators to vote for a resolution that proclaims Jell-O® gelatin the Official Snack of Utah.

Jello as Utah's Official Snack Food. Many Utahns already claim Jell-O gelatin is their state's unofficial snack, so Cosby hopes the legislators will make the designation official, placing Jell-O gelatin alongside the sego lily (the state's official flower) and the blue spruce (the state's official tree).

During his visit, Cosby - who has been the Jell-O spokesperson for more than 25 years - will receive honorary Utah citizenship from Utah Lieutenant Governor Olene Walker. In addition, Walker, on behalf of Governor Leavitt, will announce February 4-10 "Jell-O Week" in Utah.

For years, residents of the Beehive State have had a strong affinity for the wiggly snack. Utah and Jell-O gelatin are so undeniably linked together that Salt Lake Magazine once ran a cover story declaring Utah "The Jell-O State." In addition, a commemorative 2002 Winter Olympic pin featuring a quivering bowl of green gelatin sold out of Utah stores immediately. And some Utah popular culture buffs find it no mere coincidence that Jell-O gelatin was patented just one year after Utah gained statehood.

Not surprisingly, Salt Lake City has traditionally been No. 1 in per capita Jell-O gelatin consumption in the nation. But Salt Lake City fell from the No. 1 position in late 1999 when Des Moines, Iowa slipped past Utah on the Jell-O charts, resulting in front page news stories along the Wasatch Front.

Incensed that Utah was now No. 2, Bambara Restaurant chef, Scott Blackerby, held a "Take Back the Jell-O Title" Recipe Contest at his Salt Lake restaurant, hoping to help Salt Lake City surpass Des Moines. His efforts were successful as Salt Lake City has once again attained No.1 status.

During the time Des Moines sat on top of the Jell-O gelatin charts, Blackerby, Kraft Foods (the makers of Jell-O gelatin), and a handful of Brigham Young University students began grassroots efforts to get Jell-O gelatin named the official snack of Utah. Approximately 15,000 Utahns signed petitions in support of the effort during various events throughout the year.

"Jell-O (gelatin) is as much a part of Utah as the Great Salt Lake, our world famous powder skiing, and our scenic national parks," said Blackerby. "The time has come to officially recognize a food that has brought millions of smiles to Utahns."

If the effort is successful, Jell-O gelatin will stand - or wiggle - proudly next to cherries, Utah's official fruit, and the Rocky Mountain elk, Utah's official animal.

Regardless of the outcome of today's vote, Jell-O will continue to remain No.1 in bringing smiles to Utah.

http://tinyurl.com/6ac4x

I hadn't heard this. Bill Cosby will be so pleased.

It's because there's a lot of kids and becasue, of their church parties. Trust Me I am LDS.

uh, dude have you tried green jello? it's like a party in your mouth!

there's more than just mormons in Utah, my friend is from there he can vouch for it.

It is cheap tomake and sweet and cool and state. That way they do not have to spend money. They love to hang on to that stuff.

Well, it comes down to this. Easy food storage, easy calories, and doesn't taste that bad. When you need something sweet, but can hide nutrition in, jello seems to be the answer. You can put fruit or veggies in it (shredded carrots seem to be choice) and its an easy dessert. Plus mormons like to spread their religion, so what better way that a jello mold? bringin it to a new neighbor gets you in, and them having to return the mold is a guarantee to see them again. Thus a friendship is started and you can share religion. Casseroles are very similar, you throw a bunch of crap together and viola...
Now the green part? No clue ......sorry.

I think there are many not so rich people in Utah and Jell-O is a poor people food. It has not necessarily to do with Mormonism.

1) "The Mormon Corridor is a term for the areas of the Western North America that were settled between 1850 and approximately 1890 by members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, who are commonly known as Mormons.

In academic literature, the area is also commonly called the "Mormon culture region." It has also been referred to as the "Book of Mormon belt" as a cultural reference to the Bible Belt of the southeastern United States, and the Book of Mormon."

"The region has also been identified as the "Jell-O Belt", referring to the 20th century stereotype that Mormons have an affection for Jell-O (a gelatin-based food). In support of this image, Jell-O was designated Utah's official state snack food in 2001. When drafting the resolution, the Utah Legislature gave many reasons to recognize Jell-O, including that Utah had been the highest per capita consumer 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. The culture of Utah, petitions by Utahns, and campaigning by students of Brigham Young University were also mentioned as reasons for recognizing Jell-O."
Source and further information:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mormon_Corridor


2) "What it Means to be a Utah Mormon Top Ten List

- I don’t know how to describe one, but I know one when I see one.

- “Utah Mormons” take Mormonism to the extreme

- “Utah Mormons” are characterized by their explicitives (Gosh!, Darn!, Heck!, and Fetch!)

- “Utah Mormons” think General Authorities are like rock stars (my wife loved this one…she shared with me an experience she had a BYU when some of her friends waited to see Elder Eyring and get their pictures and his autograph. When they came back they were pumped and going crazy…like you’d see at a rock concert

- “Utah Mormons” love green Jell-o

- Except for being on a mission, a Utah Mormon has never ventured outside of the “Mormon Corridor”

- “Utah Mormons” are nice, kind, and loving people

- “Utah Mormons” may take for granted what they have

- “Utah Mormons” are innocent in their knowledge of other faiths and/or cultures

- A “Utah Mormon” is someone who would be content living in Utah County all of their days"
Source and further information:
http://graceforgrace.com/.../


3) "It's more of a "Utah" Mormon thing then an overall "Mormon" thing. We grew up in homes where costs were cut on things including food. Jello was easy and cheap to make. That is why I think it became a Mormon staple food."
Source and further information:
http://nz.answers.yahoo.com/question/index


4) "A majority of the state's residents are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, commonly referred to as the Mormons or the LDS Church. As of 2007, the percentage of Utahns that are counted as members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is 60.7 percent of the state's population. Mormons are now a minority in Salt Lake City, while rural areas tend to be overwhelmingly Mormon."
Source and further information:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Utah

It is interesting to notice that nearly 40% of the population are *not* Mormons.

Further information:
- "Mormons and Jell-O":
http://www.furiousblog.com/.../...s-and-Jell-O.html
- "Utah Mormon Culture":
http://www.bordeglobal.com/foruminv/index.php
- "Pertaining to Jell-O":
http://mormonfoodie.blogspot.com/.../...g-to-jell-or.html
- "Mormons, what is the deal with Jello Salad?":
http://nz.answers.yahoo.com/question/index
- "funeral potatoes, green jello salad, zucchini casserole, homemade garlic pickles or Brigham's Brownies":
http://www.exmormon.org/mormon/mormon065.htm
- "Popular Foods of Utah":
http://www.davis.k12.ut.us/.../...C4BA695D9E84C.pdf
- "The Absolutely Worst Places to Live in America By Dave Gilmartin":
http://books.google.com/books
- "I heart Utah Mormons":
http://segullah.org/small-epiphanies/i-heart-utah-mormons/