1. Write a list of your 10 favorite snacks growing up.
I often claim I’m going to “turn over a new leaf” and eat better and then fail terribly at this task. I love salads and soups and asparagus, and I DO eat those things…in addition to whatever else in the world I want. I have zero self discipline.
So today I did some self reflecting and decided perhaps my history of childhood snack habits might possibly contribute to why it is I have such a hard time sticking to truly healthy eating habits as an adult. Here are my top 10 favorite childhood snacks (we were poor):
1. Country Time Lemonade Powder
Just pour the powder into a ziploc bag and dip your fingers into it all day long. It’s a great snack to enjoy on the bus or at recess because you can be fairly inconspicuous as you re-dip throughout the day.
2. Lays Potato Chips And Ketchup
Everyone loves french fries and since french fries are not available to you 24 hours a day, sometimes you need to improvise. Chips and ketchup will do the trick!
3. Ding Dongs (and all things Hostess)
Carefully stripped of it’s outer chocolate layer and then eaten slowly, crumb by crumb.
4. Maple Syrup And Corn Bread
Is it breakfast? Is it dinner? Does it matter? Grab a spork and dig in!
5. Tortilla Pizzas
Or just sauce and cheese on any edible surface whatsoever.
6. CANDYYYYYYY
Any size, shape or form. Just give it to me.
7. Block Of Melted Cheese.
Saw off a giant cube of cheddar cheese, microwave until melted…enjoy! Use your fingers to dig right into this luxurious treat.
8. Microwaved Bologna
Guess who discovered bologna is basically a cold hot dog? Heat that lunch meat up and grab the ketchup! Between the potato chips and bologna I was really all set for my own indoor BBQ picnic.
9. Jumbo Costco Muffins
Don’t these things have nearly 1000 calories apiece? I’ll take two.
10. Macaroni And Cheese WITH Tuna And Ketchup
So I have a thing for ketchup. Nothing compares to this poor man’s version of Tuna Casserole.
My favorite childhood snacks were unhealthy, fraught with calories and fat, and untraditional. But I’m gonna be honest, if you filled my dining room table with plates of those snacks right now I’d be doing the happy food dance. BECAUSE YUM!
Paula Kiger says
Oh my goodness childhood snacks! If there had been hashtags in my childhood (which there weren’t, unless you count the # sign on the pushbutton wall phone), mine would have been something like #junkismyjam. This is going to really date me but: FOOD STICKS and TANG. Does anyone remember food sticks? (Tang maybe but food sticks were truly a 70s oddity!).
Christy says
I’m a 70’s girl and had to go to youtube to find food sticks and I still don’t remember them. They look interesting for sure. Tang? Never liked it. I was a weird kid though, I didn’t like fruity pebbles either
Paula Kiger says
I would be hard pressed to say what I would do if my kids asked for the 2016 equivalent of food sticks. (Probably give in, of course.) They didn’t even taste that great — I think the marketing was some kind of “they do this in space/they’re “good” for you/they’re modern” mashup that had us all hoodwinked. Strange.
Mama Kat says
This made me laugh. I’m going to start using “they do this in space…” excuse to get my kids to do things I want them to do. ;)
Paula Kiger says
Ha ha ha! I found an old Food Sticks commercial which was ALL ABOUT “they do this in space” along with the vibe the current Snickers commercials have: eat this and you can go out and run 5 miles with lots of energy! Unfortunately I was more likely to sit my butt down and watch Get Smart (I know, I’m OLD) than run 5 miles. ALSO, I you might not want to let your kids know they are literally growing lettuce IN SPACE now. Not nearly as much fun as food sticks LOL.
Mama Kat says
Definitely remember Tang! I wonder what ever happened to that drink. The food sticks are hilarious, I hadn’t heard of those the images that pull up in Google are awesome. So 70’s. So wonderful.
Christy says
I only thought my snacks were weird, lol. Ketchup on lays and in mac and cheese? But I’m not a big ketchup fan and never have been. You’re probably one of those really strange people that puts ketchup on your scrambled eggs too, :) Your post did make me think of a couple of others that I had forgotten about. Fried bologna sandwiches with French’s mustard and tomato sandwiches, big juicy slices of tomato with Miracle Whip on white bread.
Adrienne says
….and somehow we all survived! I remember eating jello out of the box. Obsessively. I think it started because a swim team coach suggested it would give us great energy for meets!!! Can you imagine what would happen to a coach who suggested that these days!
Rachel says
My mom puts tuna (and peas)in mac-n-cheese too. No ketchup on it that way, but I did put ketchup on my regular mac as a kid.
stef says
Ha. WE could have lived in the same house….except for the tuna in your mac-n-cheese. That one just leaves me scratching my head and hugging my stomach.
Tara Gauthier says
I loved dipping my fingers in juice powder and eating it up by the bagful! Stores sold it in the same area as candy as to us kids it was! The two things I still can’t give up are candy and that nacho cheese sauce stuff that dip tortilla chips in!
Emily says
I was definitely a fan of Hostess twinkles and cupcakes and Chips Ahoy cookies. I don’t remember my mother offering me one healthy snack through all my years of childhood and I survived!
Vanessa says
In Canada we actually have ketchup flavoured potato chips.
We’re so ahead of the times!
Damien Riley says
You had me at “Lay’s chips with ketchup!” The tortilla pizza sounded interesting as well. Have you ever had those “Lunchables” make your own pizzas? They are amazing!
John Holton says
Ketchup’s kind of gross IMHO, but I could go for the chips. And Hostess, baby… yes! Twinkies!!!