Some were weird. Some were wild. Some should’ve been banned. But they were ours.
Let’s take a stroll down the grocery aisle of memory lane—just try not to gag at #17.
1. Lunchables (Cold Pizza Edition)
Who decided cold tomato paste on cardboard crust was a gourmet lunch? Still, we felt fancy AF stacking those tiny toppings.
Did you know? Introduced nationally in 1989, Lunchables were created to boost bologna sales. The pizza variant allowed kids to assemble their own mini pizzas, making lunchtime interactive.
2. Jell-O in Every Color of the Rainbow
Especially the green one that showed up at every potluck in a mold shaped like… we never really knew what.
Did you know? Lime Jell-O was introduced in 1930, expanding the brand’s colorful offerings. Jell-O salads became a staple in American households, often molded into intricate shapes.
3. SpaghettiOs
A circle-shaped mystery pasta swimming in sweet sauce. Add sliced hot dogs and it was a gourmet dinner night.
Did you know? Launched in 1965 by the Campbell Soup Company, SpaghettiOs were marketed as a less messy alternative to traditional spaghetti, appealing to both kids and parents.
4. Kool-Aid With Enough Sugar to Stun a Rhino
Let’s be real: we didn’t drink Kool-Aid—we drank sugar with a hint of color.
Did you know? A single serving of prepared Kool-Aid can contain anywhere from 15 to 30 grams of sugar, depending on the flavor and amount of sugar added during preparation.
5. Tang (aka Astronaut Juice)
NASA-approved! (Or so they said.) It tasted like orange dust—but somehow we felt like we were drinking the future.
Did you know? Tang gained popularity after NASA used it during John Glenn’s Mercury flight in 1962 and subsequent Gemini missions, associating the drink with space exploration.
6. TV Dinners With That Weird Brownie
The chicken was meh, the mashed potatoes were glue, but the brownie? Always lava-hot on the outside and ice cold in the middle.
Did you know? Early TV dinners introduced in the 1950s didn’t include desserts. By 1960, options like brownies were added, becoming a sweet staple in these convenient meals.
7. Vienna Sausages Straight From the Can
Salty, mushy meat tubes packed in goo water. A texture crime… but we still ate them.
Did you know? In North America, Vienna sausages became popular in the early 20th century as short, smoked, and canned sausages, differing from their European counterparts.
8. EZ Cheese
Who thought cheese in a can was a good idea? (Answer: all of us.) Bonus points if you sprayed it directly into your mouth.
Did you know? Invented in 1965 and originally called Snack Mate, this spray cheese was marketed as a convenient and fancy addition to snacks. Kraft later rebranded it as Easy Cheese in 1984.
9. Pop-Tarts (Eaten Cold, Like Animals)
We could have toasted them. But why waste time when you could crunch through a half-frozen Frosted Strawberry like a champion?
Did you know? Introduced in 1964, the original flavors were Strawberry, Blueberry, Brown Sugar Cinnamon, and Apple-Currant. The latter was eventually dropped due to low popularity.
10. PB&J on Wonder Bread
The bread was so soft it basically disintegrated on contact. But it was childhood in a bite.
Did you know? Wonder Bread, established in 1921, became synonymous with soft, white sliced bread, making it a popular choice for peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.
11. Cap’n Crunch (The Mouth Destroyer)
Tasted like heaven, chewed like gravel. The roof of your mouth never stood a chance!
Did you know? First appearing in 1963, Cap’n Crunch was developed over nearly two and a half years, becoming a beloved cereal with a memorable mascot.
Who can remember the very first Cap’n Crunch commercial?
12. Hamburger Helper
Mom’s way of saying, “I cooked,” even though it came from a box. Honestly, kinda still slaps?
Did you know? Introduced by General Mills in 1971 in response to rising meat prices, Hamburger Helper provided a way to extend ground beef into a full meal.
13. Toaster Strudel (With Inadequate Icing)
Let’s be real: that tiny icing packet never covered the whole thing. We fought siblings over who got to use two.
Did you know? Launched in the U.S. in 1985 by Pillsbury, Toaster Strudel offered a warm, flaky pastry filled with various flavors and an icing packet for customization.
14. Flintstones Push Pops
Sticky, messy, and melted in .02 seconds. But that orange flavor hit different in summer.
Did you know? Known as Push-Ups, these sherbet treats featured Flintstones branding, making them a nostalgic favorite among kids in the ’90s
15. Gushers
Fruit snack? Candy? Science experiment? All of the above. Nothing like biting in and getting a surprise goo explosion.
Did you know? Introduced by Betty Crocker in 1991, Gushers are fruit snacks with a liquid center, providing a unique burst of flavor upon biting.
16. Chef Boyardee Ravioli
Basically a can of marinara-filled pillows. Sometimes still good when you’re sad at 2 a.m. (No judgment.)
Did you know? Chef Boyardee, founded by Italian immigrant Hector Boiardi, introduced canned pasta products, including ravioli, becoming a convenient meal option for families.
17. Kid Cuisine Frozen Meals
They always looked amazing on the box, but tasted like cardboard sadness. Still, we begged for them.
Did you know? Marketed towards children, Kid Cuisine offered frozen meals with child-friendly options, often including a dessert like a brownie or pudding.
18. Laffy Taffy / Tangy Taffy
So chewy you feared for your fillings. But you stayed for the bad jokes on the wrapper.
Did you know? Known for its chewy texture and jokes on the wrapper, Laffy Taffy has been a popular candy among children for decades.
19. Pickle Juice Shots
Some kids drank it for fun. Others dared their friends. Either way, it’s burned into our memories (and taste buds).
Did you know? Drinking pickle juice has been a trend among some children and athletes, valued for its salty taste and electrolytes.
20. Ice Cream Sandwiches That Melted on Contact
The paper stuck to them, the chocolate smeared your fingers, and somehow, they were perfect.
Did you know? Classic ice cream sandwiches, with vanilla ice cream between two soft chocolate wafers, have been a staple treat, though they tend to melt quickly in warm hands.
21. Bologna and American Cheese Roll-Ups
Zero nutrition. Maximum nostalgia. Bonus points if you dipped it in ketchup (monsters only).
Did you know? A simple snack involving rolling a slice of bologna around a piece of American cheese, reflecting the processed food trends of past decades.
Final Thoughts:
Some of these snacks were comfort. Some were chaos. But all of them defined a generation. Would we eat them now? Probably not. But do they deserve their spot in food history? Absolutely.
If You Made It This Far, You’ll Definitely Have Opinions on These
- 17 Snacks From Our Childhood That Today’s Kids Wouldn’t Touch With a 10-Foot Pole
- 12 Toys From Childhood That Would 100% Be Banned Today
Want more debates like this?
💬 Drop your grossest or greatest childhood food memory in the comments!