Favorite Foods from the 80s!

Does anyone else here miss all that there was (food wise) in the 80s? I guess because I am a child of the 80s I often look back at all of the wonderful food (although not all that wonderful for me) I ate back then and wonder if anyone else misses things from that decade?

My choices:

Smurf Cereal
Bonkers Candy
Reese's Peanut Butter Puffs
Squirt Soda
Push Pops
Ring Pops
Giggles Cookies (Way better than Oreos...they had two different flavors of creme..they were genius! )
http://www.x-entertainment.com/messages/583.html

Kool-aid flavors: Purple-saurus Rex and Ecto Cooler
The Bazooka Gum that came out of a tube like toothpaste
Jumpin Jack Cheese Doritos
Smores Cereal
Handy Snacks
Rocky Road Cereal
Hostess Pudding Pies
I know one person that said that the hostess chocolate cupcakes with the squiggly line on top in vanilla frosting used to be filled with chocolate pudding...man I wish I was around to taste those!

That's all I can think of at the moment.

Purple-saurus Rex Kool-Aid - was that the grape/lemonade flavored KoolAid? I remember when my son was little (in the 80's) that was our favorite flavor. It was only out for a short while. I miss it, tried making it myself by mixing Grape and Lemonade flavored packets together, but not the same!

Foxy, I'm not trying to be mean, but none of those things particularly resembles food, to my mind anyway.

in my opinion the 80's sucked.......cept for metallica and ozzy.....food came out of the closet in the 90's hate to say it but thanks to the foodnetwork......they have went to **** recently......my good food memories of the 80's were my mother and grandmothers cooking.....godbless and rip grandma and mom is still getting it done.
nuff said
ron

Fondue was the Craze and now it's coming back. Also that's when interest in Wines came into vogue.

Frankenberry and Pop Rocks.

quote:

Originally posted by Foodbme

Fondue was the Craze and now it's coming back. Also that's when interest in Wines came into vogue.

We have a fondue restaurant that opened here on the NE side of town a little over a year ago. I scratched my head thinking these people where crazy.. They're in an extremely high rent area by the IMAX (Celebration Cinema) theater. But, the doors are still open! Must be doing something right...

As for the wine, I hear ya.. A vintage week of Mad Dog 20/20 will be memorable for several days!

Foxy, I live in Michigan and can still get Squirt soda, ring pops, smores cereal, handy snacks and Hostess pudding pies (chocolate and lemon flavors).

I know I can get Squirt Soda over the internet...but I'm SOOO jealous that you can still get Pudding Pies! I may have to ask you to send me some sometime! I know that one of the cereal companies makes smores cereal but it doesn't appear to have the golden graham like "flakes" that the original had.

I figured they still made Handi Snacks and Ring Pops...they just haven't been on my shopping list since the 80s! : )

Thanks for your imput!

Magic Middles...oh what I would give to have just one more.

I miss the frozen pizza from the 80's. Back when it had some substance and flavor, unlike todays cardboard slices dusted with a topping or two..

Wine Coolers. I remember people really enjoyed drinking them back in the 1980s. Not such a big beverage any more.

quote:

Originally posted by Foxyfishy14

Does anyone else here miss all that there was (food wise) in the 80s? I guess because I am a child of the 80s I often look back at all of the wonderful food (although not all that wonderful for me) I ate back then and wonder if anyone else misses things from that decade?

My choices:

Smurf Cereal
Bonkers Candy
Reese's Peanut Butter Puffs
Squirt Soda
Push Pops
Ring Pops
Giggles Cookies (Way better than Oreos...they had two different flavors of creme..they were genius! )
http://www.x-entertainment.com/messages/583.html

Kool-aid flavors: Purple-saurus Rex and Ecto Cooler
The Bazooka Gum that came out of a tube like toothpaste
Jumpin Jack Cheese Doritos
Smores Cereal
Handy Snacks
Rocky Road Cereal
Hostess Pudding Pies
I know one person that said that the hostess chocolate cupcakes with the squiggly line on top in vanilla frosting used to be filled with chocolate pudding...man I wish I was around to taste those!

That's all I can think of at the moment.


File this as Exhibit A under "Why Americans and particularly their children are grossly overweight"

RJB:

I would like to disagree with you on that last comment regarding why kids in America today are grossly overweight.

My parents allowed me to eat "junk food" every so often, but it wasn't like I was eating this stuff left and right...I was actually a skinny kid! In fact, I ate more salads, tuna, chicken and veggies than any other kid I knew!

The reason why kids today are grossly overweight is because many parents don't take the time to actually worry about what their children are eating..and then in turn make sure that their children are getting educated on what is good vs. what is bad for them and also making sure that they are receiving well balanced meals.

So blaming the companies that produce sugary cereals, candy and over processed foods, is in my opinion, very similar to blaming tv stations for exposing children to inappropriate subject matter...don't blame the companies...blame the parents for not taking responsibility for their children.

I heard a great quote recently..."any moron can have a child, its raising them that's the hard part."

This thread was created for people that would like to share what they miss about 80s foods and to discuss it...so in the future, if you wish to comment on that, you are more than welcome, if not...please find another thread to express your opinions on.

Oh and American Adults are overweight because the majority of Americans are LAZY! Most adults would rather have something "pre-made" than cook a healthy meal!

Also, have you seen how many people will fight over a parking spot that is right next to the door? Or how many people would rather take an elevator than walk up a few flights of stairs? Americans today want everything handed to them on a silver platter...including their super sized Big Mac, fries and soda.

I would like to point out that my opinions do not include people who are in any way handicapped or have any other health problem that may contribute to gaining weight (ie..thyroid or taking meds that may cause someone to gain weight) etc.

I always wondered what the Big Leauge Chew chocolate candy bar tasted like....

I in no way blame food companies for producing this or any other product that people want to pay for, nor did I make any implication thereof in my post. They're just doing their job and responding to demand (which maybe they created via advertising -- if so good for them for serving their shareholders/owners).

And good for you for being a skinny kid eating your vegetables. But that doesn't change the fact that everything on your list except for the Doritos is loaded with sugar/hfcs and has an ingredient list that looks like an inventory roster at a Dupont warehouse.

Those that want to consume any or all of this stuff are more that welcome to -- no one's business but their own. And i've no doubt that your list of favorites -- all factory made and all but one toothachingly sweet and highly caloric -- is fairly represntative of much of the country. As is chronic and growing obesity.

And unless you're a moderator, I don't believe I require instructions as to whose posts to respond to.

Foxy,
I would be willing to send you pudding pies if you would like. If so, email me and we can work it out.

RJB:

Just to clarify...I wasn't "giving you instructions" on whose posts to respond to, I was just simply suggesting that this post was created for a friendly exchange of what foods people enjoyed from the 80s...not a discussion on why kids and adults are fat in america or what the fat/preservative etc content is of those foods...

And just one more thing and then i'm done with arguing over something so trivial: I acknowledged the fact that the foods in my original post we not good for me...but the point of the post was to share my memories of foods from the 80s. That's it.

Great topic. I was a kid in the 70's and 80's, so I may in error mention something from the 70's-sorry.

Does anyone remember Chocodiles? "It takes a while to eat a chocodile". They were similar to taking a twinkee and putting a hard chocolate shell on it-yummy.

Candy Cigarettes- I know they are not pc so please don't preach. I used to get them a lot and never smoked a day in my life.

Reggie Bars-did not last long but being a Yankee fan of course I loved these.

Fun Dip- Where you got those two white "sticks" and dipped them in the flavored powder.

Bottle Caps, Ring Pops, the ice cream shaped like a rocket-rocket pop maybe?

I know there is more I will try and remember.

Nicole thanks for the great post!

I loved those rocket pops as a kid..although they were always too big for me to finish...they still have them around today.

I agree with you on candy cigarettes...although not pc (and they didn't taste very good) I remember them and haven't smoked a day in my life as well. I remember chocolate cigarettes...my friends and I used to move the paper so the end looked like ashes! I think back in the 80s, while there was a huge campaign for the "war on drugs" there weren't nearly as many "smoking is horrible for you" commercials out there as there are today...although my mother hated when I ate the candy or the chocolate ones...and now I see her point.

Its funny that you mentioned Chocodiles because I was just searching on google for hostess pudding pies and those came up as a "substitute" for them...they still sell chocodiles in some parts of the country I guess.

Fun Dip and Ring Pops (to the best of my knowledge) are still available as well..I loved Ring Pops..as well as Push Pops! I also remember the Flintstones sherbert pops that worked in a similar way to push pops...those were great!

Shasta and Fresca Soda pop.

We still have Squirt here in the Safeway. In fact, when Aunts and Uncles come over for a visit I mix up "the house drink", which is a Whiskey Sour made with Jim Beam and Squirt, and of course a marachino cherry.

This was my Dad's favorite drink throughout the 70's and 80's, so it is always our little tribute to him at get-togethers.

quote:

Originally posted by Foxyfishy14

Nicole thanks for the great post!

I loved those rocket pops as a kid..although they were always too big for me to finish...they still have them around today.

I agree with you on candy cigarettes...although not pc (and they didn't taste very good) I remember them and haven't smoked a day in my life as well. I remember chocolate cigarettes...my friends and I used to move the paper so the end looked like ashes! I think back in the 80s, while there was a huge campaign for the "war on drugs" there weren't nearly as many "smoking is horrible for you" commercials out there as there are today...although my mother hated when I ate the candy or the chocolate ones...and now I see her point.

Its funny that you mentioned Chocodiles because I was just searching on google for hostess pudding pies and those came up as a "substitute" for them...they still sell chocodiles in some parts of the country I guess.

Fun Dip and Ring Pops (to the best of my knowledge) are still available as well..I loved Ring Pops..as well as Push Pops! I also remember the Flintstones sherbert pops that worked in a similar way to push pops...those were great!

Foxy-you made my day! I am going to order some chocodiles- I haven't had them in over 15 years!

Ok, once again I will be villified, Mr. Hoffman, please back me up. But what does this have to do with "Road" food. During the 70's and the 80's I was a cop in Baltimore. I ate at "Darley Lunch", "Sears Four Seasons", The "Blue Front" on Greenmonunt Ave. Sometimes, when I was lucky, one of the churches on my post would have a special fund raiseing dinner and I would buy the best fried chicken, cornbread, greens and bannana pudding that a person could want. Roadfood does not come from a factory it comes from the soul. Roadfood is not soda or the best cookies that you ever had. It should be about the best steak there is in Des Monies, the best crabcakes in Syrmna, De; where do I go to find a decent pizza in Yakima, Wa.?

Perhaps we have lost our compass. The last time I looked there were no pictures on the opening page of cereal that we miss or soda that we no longer can get. The photograph shows us a picture of food prepared from a restaurant that we might like to go one day, where the waitstaff are friendly...someplacle sort of like Darley Lunch. Sorry for bringing in my ancillary comments.

bb

Stouffers used to make "Chicken Divan" and "Ham & Asparagus Bake" entrees and I enjoyed them both in the 80's... they also introduced me to pesto with their "Pesto and Linguini" entree...

Can't find any of them anymore... I make my own pesto now, but miss the other two entrees...

Campbell's had a "Cream of Chicken" soup from their "Home Cookin'" brand... it was one of my favorite comfort foods along with a grilled cheese sandwich... can't find this one anymore either...

A wonderful drink and candy store has opened in the Fondren area of Jackson. They carry many of the things mentioned above, plus rarely seen soft drinks.

I was sooo happy to find he had Screaming Yellow Zonkers. Anybody else remember that? I have to limit myself to one bex per week.

I miss Summit candy bars. Some days, when I was a broke student, a Summit bar was the only thing I had to eat all day - but man, they were good.

quote:

Originally posted by BakersBoy

Ok, once again I will be villified, Mr. Hoffman, please back me up. But what does this have to do with "Road" food. During the 70's and the 80's I was a cop in Baltimore. I ate at "Darley Lunch", "Sears Four Seasons", The "Blue Front" on Greenmonunt Ave. Sometimes, when I was lucky, one of the churches on my post would have a special fund raiseing dinner and I would buy the best fried chicken, cornbread, greens and bannana pudding that a person could want. Roadfood does not come from a factory it comes from the soul. Roadfood is not soda or the best cookies that you ever had. It should be about the best steak there is in Des Monies, the best crabcakes in Syrmna, De; where do I go to find a decent pizza in Yakima, Wa.?

Perhaps we have lost our compass. The last time I looked there were no pictures on the opening page of cereal that we miss or soda that we no longer can get. The photograph shows us a picture of food prepared from a restaurant that we might like to go one day, where the waitstaff are friendly...someplacle sort of like Darley Lunch. Sorry for bringing in my ancillary comments.

bb

My sentiments exactly. Mass produced candy with baby-talk names doesn't quite square with roadfood -- as least as I interpret it.

Think this summer heat is getting on alot of folks nerves... (myself included)..

My favorite foods from the eighties --let"s see--that would be the turkey artichoke salad from the Charles Dickens in Aptos Ca---the 7 course Basque dinners from the Hotel Espana in San Francisco--Fishewrman"s Platter from Stagnaro's on the peir in Santa Cruz----whats that--oh--Favorite JUNK food from the eighties--probably the same one it is today--Milky Ways and Mounds

RJV and BakersBoy:

If you don't have anything to contribute that actually relates to the subject of the thread...why bother at all? The subject of this thread is "Favorite Food from the 80s"...not favorite roadfoods from the 80s...this whole site is full of "non-roadfood related threads"...but different people come to the site for different reasons and enjoy the exchange of ideas on a particular subject and I think you need to respect that. So unless you intend to go on each and every one of those other threads and chastise the people that are talking about non roadfood related items on those...then please don't ruin it for the rest of us. I don't know why you people feel the need to be so negative...if you don't like a particular subject that people are discussing..then just move on to a different one.

I'm just saying that there is no need to ruin a nice thread that people are enjoying with negativity.

You know, you're right. Having to hew to discussing roadfood on a site labeled Roadfood.com is so...constricting. Probably bad for self-esteem, too and contrary to the dictum, popularized in the 80's, that everyone's a winner. How about we discuss favorite Beanie Babies next?

I like this site because it seems to be populated mostly by unpretentious, down-to-earth people who enjoy "real food for real people" (as opposed to the snobbish restaurant reviews published in places like the Washington Post), who enjoy food and aren't too snooty to admit it. If that sometimes leads to discussions of different kinds of food, what's the harm? If you look at a thread and can't relate to it, just move on. Obviously other people are enjoying it or it wouldn't have reached this length.

Thank you so much Yankeesfan. I whole heartedly agree with your post...people like RJB obviously don't have anything better to do with their time than to complain and spread negativity while others are trying to have friendly and civil discussions. Thanks again for supporting me!

FF,

I am truly sorry, I did not mean to offend you but I did not notice that this topic was under the "Snacks and Candy" site. The foods that you have metioned in your original post are for the most part confections and not actually food. Who would actually want to ingest high fructose corn syrup when other products are available. What restaurant has been featured here because they serve the best corn flakes?

We do try to have an amiable conversation on this link, I have even planned trips to NM, Me, and Tn based upon the books and the Stern's advise. I would have never gone to "The Maine Diner " or "Tecolote" without their advise. The reason that I use this site is to find out new places to go to eat. I travel alot. Sometimes the reviews are spot on, sometimes not. But at least I do not worry about food that comes out of a box or a can when I go to a place that has been recommened by the Roadfood staff. Canned or boxed; some of it is good, some not so much.(I still like Beef-a-Roni).

The folks here who actually talk about food know what they are taking about. By the way my most favorite food from the 80's was a meatloaf sandwich from "The Dog House", across form the state prison on Fallsway in Baltimore. They didn't serve cereal.

Food snob? Now way. But I do appreciate good food.

All the best,

BB

BakersBoy, I want to compliment you on your service as a police officer. (BTW, I'll be at Camden Yards in Baltimore on Sunday, but NOT to cheer for the O's!) I just see these discussions as fun diversions. Some of us don't get to travel often (I have five children, some still at home) but still enjoy the site for whatever reason. And concerning the mention of healthy food, I'd like to gently point out the the meal pictured on the home page right now includes chicken-fried steak and country gravy -- two items not exactly within the healthy fat and cholesterol range and that I would never order anywhere! But that's okay. To each his or her own, and everyone is entitled to indulge once in a while. Here's to more amiable discussions!

Sheesh, I don't know why people on this thread are getting so defensive! I guess things were always better "way back when"!! haha. There's threads about pork rinds, tastycakes,divinity etc.. they need to talk to them about over processed,sugary, fatty foods
Anyhoo.. Yes, I do remember Ecto-cooler Kool Aid! Was around the time Ghostbusters was out! and also the ghostbuster cereal w/ marshmallow ghosts??I also remember the cheetos puffs in the blue bag..hehe.
Remember when Trix cereal was round shaped?...haha.. A few years back when visiting chicago, i found bonkers, but it was only 1 color and it tasted like starburst. I was pretty disappointed. I checked up on it, and it's actually discontinued :( Ahhh.. memories! Thanks for that bit of nostalgia, FOxy :)

quote:

Originally posted by Foxyfishy14

Does anyone else here miss all that there was (food wise) in the 80s? I guess because I am a child of the 80s I often look back at all of the wonderful food (although not all that wonderful for me) I ate back then and wonder if anyone else misses things from that decade?

My choices:

Squirt Soda

Kool-aid flavors: Purple-saurus Rex and Ecto Cooler

Jumpin Jack Cheese Doritos
Smores Cereal
Handy Snacks
Rocky Road Cereal
Hostess Pudding Pies
I know one person that said that the hostess chocolate cupcakes with the squiggly line on top in vanilla frosting used to be filled with chocolate pudding...man I wish I was around to taste those!

That's all I can think of at the moment.

They still make Squirt, it's also called 50/50 around here. We still have Fresca too & there are several flavors of that. The peach is the best. Citrus soda contains BVO (brominated vegetable oil) so I try not to have too much of it.

They still made Shasta in the 90's, I bet you could find it at the dollar store now.

Ecto-Cooler was a Hi-C punch. They had one that was better called Hula Cooler, I remember it well from Kelly J's slumber party birthday party in 4th grade. It was very good. They also came out with one called Candy Apple Cooler, it was good but a little too sweet.

I miss Sharkleberry Fin Kool-Aid. It was strawberry watermelon-y.

Jumpin' Jack Cheese Doritos were pretty excellent. I don't know why they stopped making them.

S'mores cereal was very different back in the 80's. It was pretty much Golden Grahams with chocolate chips & those marshamallows from hot chocolate. It's not the same as now.

Oh & the cupcakes with the pudding in the middle instead of the whipped cream--those were a mix, you had to make them yourself.

I remember ring pops,Smurf Cereal,and several other things mentioned.I can remeber too,Turkish Taffy, BB bats,Sugar Daddy,Sugar Momma and Sugar Babbies,Quisp Cereal,Squirt,Tab Sodas, Fruit Float,
Whip and Chill,and many other products which aren't manufactured any more, or just sold regionally now.
Even though this isn't RoadFood, it's still nice to reminces about the old days.

Some of my favorites:

1. Love Hearts (the fizzy kind) - I remember the ones from Swizzels (still available from the UK) and another similar kind that was sold in a booklet around Valentine's Day (like LifeSavers are today)
2. Lollies (also from Swizzels)
3. FruiTart Chews - these were sold in long packages (the ones available in Bulk today are not the same) - flavors were Strawberry, Grape and Cherry (sold individually)
4. Carnation Breakfast Bars

Also loved Rax Roast Beef restaurants (Mid Atlantic chain - most of which has disappeared)...

quote:

Originally posted by desertdog


Shasta and Fresca Soda pop.

We still have Squirt here in the Safeway. In fact, when Aunts and Uncles come over for a visit I mix up "the house drink", which is a Whiskey Sour made with Jim Beam and Squirt, and of course a marachino cherry.

This was my Dad's favorite drink throughout the 70's and 80's, so it is always our little tribute to him at get-togethers.

Wow D Dog. I've been drinking this concoction for many years also. We can also get Squirt at the local Basha's.

I remember Zotz? It was a hard candy filled with fizzy powder. Kind of like Pop Rocks but not in small pieces like them. One of my favorite candies of all time. I haven't seen them since the 70's.

David O.

quote:

I remember Zotz? It was a hard candy filled with fizzy powder. Kind of like Pop Rocks but not in small pieces like them. One of my favorite candies of all time. I haven't seen them since the 70's.

David O.

zotz are still around .. try Albertson's or look online
http://www.zotzpower.com/

http://www.oldtimecandy.com/zotz.htm

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=150213085959&ru=http%3A%2F%2Fsearch.ebay.com%3A80%2Fsearch%2Fsearch.dll%3Ffrom%3DR40%26_trksid%3Dm37%26satitle%3D150213085959%26category0%3D%26fvi%3D1

Tab
Aspen
Reggie Bars
Mrs. GoodCookie
Buckwheats Cereal
Doritos Sour Cream n' Onion
New Coke

My favorite Beanie Baby was Nuts the Squirrel.
Hey, just kidding guys!
In the mid to late 80's, Sentry Foods in Oshkosh, WI sold the best
bialys ever! I just about lived on bialys back then. I realize that bialys are
not unique to the 80's but at Sentry in Oshkosh they were.

I too was a kid in the 70's and 80's and yes I remember that Smores cereal --- it was the sugar buzz from Hades! I also miss the Swiss Colony, the arcade at the mall, the original MTV, York Steak House, G.D. Ritzy's, the salad bar with the fried veggies at Druther's, Wiener King, The Magic Pan, and probably a bunch of other things I've forgotten about!

Andrea

Squirt and Fresca are still available in Texas, as is the original Dr. Pepper made with cane sugar. Some stores carry "Mexican Coca Cola" which is also made with cane - last time I saw that was in COSTCO - Plano West.

(I was going to say Mexican Coke, but some would think I was making a joke).

Oh, man, do I miss The Magic Pan. I loved that place as a kid. Near where I grew up as a kid (Bryn Mawr, PA), we had The Proud Popover, a popover-based offshoot of The Magic Pan. I don't know whose brilliant/terrible idea it was to make a popover-themed restaurant, but it was my favorite restaurant as a kid.

80s-food wise, I miss Quaker Oatmeal Peaches n' Cream instant oatmeal cereal. No one ever liked it but me. Even as a kid, I could tell that it wasn't long for this world.

More recently, I miss C2, which was slightly less sweet than Coke and therefore (gasp!), tasted slightly better. But that belongs to the topic of "millenial foods that we miss."

x-entertainment.com is a great site, by the way.

quote:

Originally posted by slcgrad

80s-food wise, I miss Quaker Oatmeal Peaches n' Cream instant oatmeal cereal. No one ever liked it but me. Even as a kid, I could tell that it wasn't long for this world.

x-entertainment.com is a great site, by the way.

^^They have the peach oatmeal, but you have to buy the value pack of all the other flavors to get them.

I love x-entertainment.com!!!

AndreaB I miss the original MTV as well! Now all they have is reality crap...I haven't seen a video on MTV in years! Anyway, Swiss Colony is still around...I get their mail order catalog each Christmas and I really miss York's Steak House too!

Thanks for your post!

My two favorite foods from the 1980's?

One was a hot cereal called "Morning Power" (from the early 1980's as I recall) and the other was Appian Way 'Crisp Crust' version of their pizza mix (came in a brown verses red box).

Pepsi Light, there was a lemon on the light blue/turquoise can.