Every ’90s Kid Knows This One: The Most Iconic Snacks Throughout The Decades

If you crack open your pantry doors right now, chances are at least some of the real estate on the shelves will contain your favorite snacks. We all know how important it is to eat a diet packed with vitamins, nutrients, fruit, kale, and everything else that’s green and leafy, but sometimes your appetite needs a treat. You can only shovel so much healthy food into your face before your palate wants some sugar or salt as a reprieve. Obviously you can’t live on a diet of snacks alone, but those guilty pleasures can help us get through stressful days one bite at a time. 

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Obviously, grocery stores offer a much wider variety of snacks today than they did decades ago, but that doesn’t mean people weren’t consuming those sweet and salty treats back in the day. For decades people have indulged themselves in candy bars, potato chips, and all other sorts of foods that give dentists nightmares. So, let’s takes tasty trip down memory lane and explore the most popular snacks over the decades. By the time we’re finished, you might find yourself reaching into your pantry to grab your favorite, and that’s okay. You deserve it.

1920s: Candy Bars

Candy bars were extremely popular during World War I so troops could sustain their energy levels while they fought for days at a time. Hershey’s was a huge purveyor of these candies, but other companies stepped in to compete as well. Stuffed chocolate bars soon hit the candy scene, with flavors like marshmallow and peanut butter quickly becoming popular. The ‘20s saw a rise to brands that are still in demand today, such as Mounds, Milky Way, and Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups.

1930s: Popcorn

Even though the Great Depression of the ‘30s affected just about everyone negatively, people still sought comfort going to the movies. This love of entertainment led to a huge popcorn boom. Theatres started selling cheap bags of the salty snack to patrons while they enjoyed stepping away from the struggles of reality for a brief time. Nowdays, movies and popcorn go hand-in-hand.

1940s: M&Ms

This colorful snack was again popularized during a war. This time around it was for the troops fighting in World War II who needed a quick energy boost. The candy shell prevented the chocolate from melting inside military uniform pockets. After the war ended, military personnel returned home seeking out the colorful candies, and soon enough M&Ms became a hugely popular treat sold all over the country.

1950s: Twinkies

Even though Twinkies existed during the ‘30s and ‘40s, it wasn’t until the ‘50s that they completely took over the snack scene. Howdy Doody, a massively popular kids’ show that ran five days a week on NBC, was sponsored by Twinkies and frequently ran advertisements for the cream-filled snack. This kept Twinkies in the spotlight for years.

1960s: Ruffles Chips

Chips and dip existed in the ‘60s, but Ruffles changed the game with its sturdy, ridged chip that wouldn’t break apart when scooping up said dip. Bernhardt Stahmer, the man behind the ridged potato creation, initially believed the crinkle-cut design gave the chips a natural cheese flavor. Even though customers didn’t seem to agree, the new design remained popular for years to come.

1970s: Snack Pack Pudding

Snack Packs hit elementary school cafeterias like a sweet and creamy nuclear bomb. They were perfect to pack inside the lunch boxes of students, and the packaging made them durable. The early ‘70s saw a variety of flavors, such as banana, vanilla, chocolate, lemon, and butterscotch. Snack Packs brought a fun way to eat dessert to young kids everywhere.

1980s: Cool Ranch Doritos

Nacho cheese Doritos were already a thing in the ‘80s, but in 1986, the company flipped the script on everyone and brought Cool Ranch flavor to the market. Needless to say, people were stoked on the bright and herby taste. Seeing as the ‘80s in general was all about bigger and bolder products, this zesty flavor landed perfectly as a new, cool food to enjoy.

1990s: Dunkaroos

The cult of Dunkaroos was all too real in the ‘90s. The popular kids’ snack was not only tasty, but the whole dunking process made it fun. Also, the name Dunkaroos was funky enough to get kids everywhere excited. There were various cookie-frosting flavor combinations to keep things exciting, and to this day, every ‘90s kid remembers scooping as much frosting as possible onto one single cookie.

2000s: Yogos

Yogos managed to take two foods that were extremely popular during the early 2000s (yogurt and fruit snacks) and cram them into one delicious treat. Yogurt brands like Danimals and Go-Gurt were all the rage, and fruit snacks also filled kitchen pantries everywhere. So, Kellogg’s crafted a snack with a chewy, gummy coating that was filled with a creamy yogurt center. Sadly, Yogos left shelves forever in 2010.

2010s: Takis

This zesty Mexican snack invaded American gas stations and convenience stores before hitting big supermarket chains, and this marketing campaign seemed to work perfectly. It seems like dethroning brands as large as Doritos, Cheetos, and Lay’s would be virtually impossible, but Takis managed to take over everyone’s taste buds once people discovered just how big and bold the various flavors were. The rise of social media had a huge impact on Takis’ success, as well.

2020s: Freeze-Dried Candy

Consumers are always seeking out something new and trendy, and freeze-dried candy certainly checks those boxes off. Skittles and Jolly Ranchers are just two of the big brands with freeze-dried candy options, and people love the light and crunchy texture the freeze-drying process gives them. It’s no secret people crave nostalgia when it comes to snacks, and this freeze-dried trend is a way to bring back classic candy with a tasty new texture.