Today our kids not only know how to pronounce quinoa (“KEEN-wah”), but their breakfast often consists of chia seeds mixed with organic raisins. How far we’ve come—we grew up eating processed sugar, bleached flour and food dye disguised as healthful options from the Four Food Groups. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. At least once a year we still mix Pop Rocks with a Coke. Scroll down to take a walk down memory lane with these 1970s and 1980s foods.
Fleischmann's Margarine
"I can't believe it's not butter!" Nope, just ingredients you can't pronounce.
Hi-C's Ecto Cooler
You could watch your fave episodes of The Real Ghostbusters and sip Hi-C's Ecto Cooler in all its glory.
Nerds
You may still have one of these teeny-tiny pebble-like candies stuck in one of your molars today.
Beech-Nut Fruit Stripe Gum #fontsunday #ChewingGum pic.twitter.com/G99lVrYc3h
— Mark Kaufman (@Drawmark) March 7, 2021
Beech-Nut Gum: Yipes! Stripes!
Dinky Donuts Cereal
Did you write a letter to Ralston Cereal to enter to win the Atari video game?
Swanson Frozen Dinner
A turkey dinner and a new episode of the Brady Bunch starring Davy Jones. Heaven.
Wonder Bread
The best thing since sliced...wait a minute.
Kool-Aid
Yup, we drank the Kool-Aid.
Tab, the Un-Cola
For those who want to keep "tabs" on their weight.
WHO REMEMBERS WHEN TWINKIES CAME IN THESE BOXES?
— 80sThen80sNow (@80sThen80sNow) June 21, 2019
Don’t forget to check out THE BIGGEST 1980s Website on the ENTIRE PLANET:https://t.co/Eqikq9f9mD@Hostess_Snacks #Twinkies #Summer #Cake #Snacks #Snack #Tasty #Yummy #Yum #Nom #OldSchool #OldSkool #1980s #80s pic.twitter.com/mLpNMg4pXS
Twinkies
Way before they were deep-fried or used as a murder defense, they were the perfect addition to your Bionic Woman lunchbox.
Quisp Cereal
Which cereal was better, Quisp or Quake?
Hunt's Snack Pack
Not quite a good as the brand Bill Cosby was hawking.
Koogle
Chocolate Peanut Spread, a Nutella predecessor?
#tbt to Fonzies, formerly "Twisties," which are still sold in Italy under the name Fonzies. 🤔Want more #cheese snacks? Check our all our puffs & extruded content here: https://t.co/bnaIKLNtQE pic.twitter.com/EKETe4NgZL
— SF&WB (@SFWB) January 18, 2018
Fonzies
When your product doesn't sell (Twisties), rename it after a popular TV character!
🧀1980 Retro Ad:
— RetroNewsNow (@RetroNewsNow) December 29, 2018
— Nabisco’s Snack Mate Cheese Spread pic.twitter.com/bNADBA4AFh
Snack Mate Cheese Spread
A new food group category unto itself.
🍫1984 Retro Candy:
— RetroNewsNow (@RetroNewsNow) February 17, 2020
— Willy Wonka’s Oompas pic.twitter.com/C0VpA4XUkG
Wonka's Oompas Candy
If you lived in the UK, you enjoyed them with flavors of jam doughnut, snozzberry, popcorn, caterpillar and mashed potato!
Oh what we wouldn't give for a Carnation breakfast bar today. pic.twitter.com/9PeSjTJGOb
— Bergquist Inc. (@Bergquistinc) August 9, 2019
Carnation Breakfast bar
Behold, the grandfather of the "bar" phenomenon!
Fanta Soda
"Flavoured Beverage" just about sums it up.
BooBerry Cereal
The 1980s ushered in a new segment of monster-themed foods. Count Choc-ula, anyone?
—Jacqui B
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15 Foods You Only Ate if You Grew Up in the ’70s
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