I Love the '90s: Food Moments That Defined a Decade, Our Favorite Nostalgic Snacks, and More

When I think of the '90s, the first things that come to mind are Friends (were Ross and Rachel really on a break?!), tamagotchis (for the life of me, I couldn't keep mine alive. Thank goodness I'm doing MUCH better with my dogs), Harry Potter (J.K. Rowling, you shaped an entire generation, and then some), Google (once just a search engine, now a verb), and the food. Oh, the food.

The Food Network aired its first show with David Rosengarten in the early '90s, and quickly became a powerhouse in the food space. Sun-dried tomatoes were still making their way into everything from pastas to salads to tapas from the '80s. School snacks were changing the way that kids enjoyed their lunchbox moments. And, dare I say, shaping how we eat now as adults. (I'm convinced that Lunchables set us on the path to love cheese boards as much as we all do now.)

With plastic superhero lunch boxes, vibrant/psychedelic Lisa Frank thermoses, and the subtle (or not so subtle) art of trading snacks that was happening in the cafeteria, the '90s were what I consider the epitome of school snack culture. (Like pop culture, but with snacks.)

Join us on our journey to the decade where cosmic brownies, fruit roll-ups, mozzarella sticks, hot pockets, and my favorite '90s dessert: the Viennetta ice cream cake, shined like the magnificent gems they were and still are!

What is your favorite snack from the '90s? Let us know on Instagram @TheSpruceEats.

Peace Out, Girl Scouts,
Victoria Heydt