Back in the ’70s and ’80s, children didn’t need imported chocolate or gourmet cheese to feel like they were eating a fancy treat. All it took was a flashy box, a unique texture, or a commercial that made the food look luxurious. These products promised fun, flavor, and a sense of cool.
Let’s discuss some of these forgotten favorites below.
Hostess Pudding Pies
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Forget plain pudding cups. These hand-held pies were pretty upscale with their flaky crust and gooey center. The chocolate, in particular, had the young ones drooling. They weren’t cheap by school lunch standards, which only added to their status.
Lunchables
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Assemble-your-own snacks seemed futuristic at the time. Meat, cheese, crackers, and even dessert came neatly packed, and you didn’t need a parent to make anything. Lunchables made cold cuts look glamorous, especially if you got the pizza version with a Capri Sun tucked inside.
Jell-O 1-2-3
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This layered dessert separated into three tiers—mousse, custard, and gelatin—all from one mix. Watching it form in the fridge and then eating it was a badge of culinary trendiness in the era of shortcuts and novelties.
Chicken Kiev (Frozen)
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The name is premium, but cutting into the breaded chicken and seeing the herbed butter oozing out is enough to get anyone’s appetite rolling. Kids who had this for dinner knew they were having something more delicious than meatloaf.
Shake 'n Bake
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Home cooks became instant chefs with a shake of the bag. The crisp coating gave off big restaurant vibes, mainly when served with a side of boxed mashed potatoes.
Swanson TV Dinners
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Eating from a divided tray while enjoying prime-time shows was peak indulgence. The Salisbury steak, mashed potatoes, and brownie combo made you feel like you were dining out from your living room. Even the foil trays gave these TV dinners a formal appearance.
Hawaiian Punch in Cans
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Sure, it came in jugs, but the canned kind only gave it a premium upgrade. The bright red color, artificial fruit flavor, and cartoon mascot sealed its status. It was served cold with a bendy straw.
Fondue (At Home)
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Melting cheese or chocolate in a fondue pot at home brought a sense of European style to American households. Skewering bread or strawberries and dipping them was interactive and fun, particularly for those who weren’t used to “dining” as an activity.
Tang
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This powdered drink was orange-flavored, and it was astronaut-approved. Tang came with the cool factor built in thanks to its NASA connection. Stirring it into a pitcher was part of the ritual, and its zingy taste was like rocket fuel for children.
Grape Nuts Cereal
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This cereal was marketed as hearty and grown-up, despite its gravel-like texture. Having Grape Nuts Cereal with warm milk was oddly sophisticated. Some little ones didn’t love it, but having it for breakfast anyway gave them a sense of maturity.
Triscuit Crackers with Spray Cheese
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This was the closest many kids got to hors d’oeuvres. The salty crunch of a Triscuit combined with a swirl of aerosol cheese was innovative. It was perfect for pretending you were hosting a party, though it was just after school.
Deviled Ham in a Can
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This spreadable meat came in a tiny paper-wrapped tin and gave sandwiches a “rare occasion” feel. It wasn’t a meal you had every day, which added to the ham’s appeal. The tiny devil mascot only added mystery and intrigue.
Betty Crocker Rainbow Chip Cake
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Brightly colored chips inside a moist cake? That was a celebration. This cake made birthday parties much like culinary events, more so if you baked it from the box yourself and topped it with matching frosting.
Canned Pineapple Rings
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A slice of pineapple perched on a ham or layered on a cake made everything look fancier. The syrupy rings came with their own shine. Serving them chilled or with a maraschino cherry was the ’80s version of fine dining.
Beef Stroganoff (Hamburger Helper Edition)
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Creamy sauce over noodles with browned meat sounded foreign and elegant. Children who grew up with the boxed type Hamburger Helper still remember thinking they were eating something with real taste, even if it came from powder.
Kool-Aid in a Pitcher
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It was the flavor as much as it was the ritual. Stirring that vibrant powder into water, watching it swirl, and adding cups of sugar gave it the flavor of a homemade specialty. Kool-Aid flavors were bold and colorful and almost always tied to fun memories.
