Some recipes are more than just ingredients. They’re time machines. Wrapped in foil, baked until golden, and passed from one generation to the next—they show up at birthdays, during Lenten Fridays, or on any ordinary evening and quietly become something sacred.
For our family, one of those meals has a name that still makes us laugh every time we say it out loud: Hot Teen Tuna Buns.
Yes. That’s really what they were called. And yes, they were amazing.
This recipe first appeared in a school newsletter from Gordon Technical Catholic High School, which used to sit on the northeast corner of Addison and California in Chicago. These foil-wrapped buns were especially popular during Lent, when we didn’t eat meat on Fridays, but they also made their way into our birthday dinners.
Growing up, my mom always made us a meal of our choice for our birthdays—and at least 50% of the time, I asked for Hot Teen Tuna Buns or taco salad. Something about the creamy tuna filling, melty cheese, and warm toasted bun hit all the comfort-food notes.
They’re not fancy. They’re definitely not healthy. But they are loaded with flavor and family memories.
This past weekend, during my son’s family birthday party weekend, my brother Michael decided to make Hot Teen Tuna Buns for the very first time.
And just like that, we were back in our childhood kitchen.
Mom was there, of course, supervising the whole operation—as moms do.
“Roll tighter!”
“Not too much tuna!”
Michael followed the general idea of the recipe but gave it his own twist: he swapped out the Velveeta for cheddar and used mayo instead of Miracle Whip.
That’s when I realized something funny—I’ve never actually had the original recipe. I’d only ever had my mom’s version, and I didn’t even realize how different it was until I looked at the recipe again, today.
My mom had always used black olives instead of green, and Miracle Whip instead of mayo. Me? I’d skip the olives entirely and toss in some diced jalapeños. Everyone seems to have their own take on this retro classic.
Michael served the buns to his twins for the first time. One devoured it, and the other took three whole bites—which, if you know kids, is basically a standing ovation.
We all laughed about the name. For years, we weren’t sure if it was really called Hot Teen Tuna Buns, or if we had just misremembered it.
But recently, while flipping through one of our grandmother’s old cookbooks—its pages soft with age, handwritten notes in the margins—we found it:
A yellowed clipping, carefully tucked between the pages.
There it was, in bold type: HOT TEEN TUNA BUNS.
We burst out laughing. It was real. The name had somehow survived decades, moves, and generations. That silly little recipe had found its way full circle.
Laughter is a constant in our family. We joke, we play games, we tease each other, and we eat—loudly, often, and with joy. Meals aren’t just about the food; they’re about the full experience: the stories, the inside jokes, the exaggerated retellings of “remember when…” moments.
And somehow, this goofy little tuna bun brought all of that to the table once again.
We sat around the table, eating, laughing, and reminiscing. It was one of those moments where time folds in on itself—when something you grew up eating is now being shared with the next generation.
A dish my grandma once made for her family, my mom then made for her family, made by my brother, served to his twins, on a weekend honoring my son.
The food brought us together, but family is what made it unforgettable.
Later that night, after playing with his cousins long past his bedtime, my son—who’s an only child—curled up beside me and whispered, “Hey Mom… you’re still my best friend. But I have another best friend now. Simon.”
My heart just melted.
A recipe passed down.
A room full of laughter.
A new generation of best friends.
These are the kinds of memories food makes possible—not because of what’s on the plate, but because of who’s around the table. And this is one I’ll remember for a long time—the night we ate Hot Teen Tuna Buns, and my little guy, just for a moment, grew a tiny bit less attached to his mama. I watched him take a small, sweet step toward his cousins—growing up right before my eyes, in the best possible way.
The (Infamous) Recipe: Hot Teen Tuna Buns 💛
Straight from the 60s/70s and still making us smile today.
Original Ingredients (as printed in the newsletter):
- ¼ lb cubed Velveeta cheese
- 2 tbsp pickle relish
- 1 tbsp minced green pepper
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 3 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
- 7 oz can tuna, drained
- 2 tbsp minced onion
- 3 tbsp chopped green olives
- 8 hot dog buns
Mom’s Version (the one we grew up on):
- Miracle Whip instead of mayo
- Black olives instead of green
Our Family’s Other Twists:
- Michael’s Version: Mayo + cheddar
- Anne’s Version: No olives + diced jalapeños
- You Do You: Add chopped celery, shredded carrot, or swap in your favorite cheese
Instructions
Combine all ingredients and use to fill buns. Wrap each bun in foil. Refrigerate. Bake wrapped at 400 degrees for approximately 15 minutes. Makes 8. Add additional ingredients or substitute as you wish.
They may not be trendy. But they are delicious!
Want to Share a Memory?
Do you have a family recipe that’s stood the test of time (and taste)?
A dish that makes its way to every birthday, every holiday, or every quiet weekend?
💌 We’d love to feature it in an upcoming For the Love of Food post.
Send your story and recipe to info@tinylotustea.com
And of course, after anything from the 1970s—or anything rich and creamy—we always follow up with a warm cup of DIGEST.
Because comfort food shouldn’t come with digestive drama. 😉
#ForTheLoveOfFood #HotTeenTunaBuns #FamilyTraditions #TinyLotusTea #DIGEST #RetroRecipes #NostalgiaWrappedInFoil
With love & gratitude,
Anne & Julie
