Big Country Posted March 5, 2009 Share Posted March 5, 2009 Yup, I enjoyed many of these as a kid Over at the food site Serious Eats, we often work while listening to music by the Pointer Sisters, Blondie, and Billy Joel, which puts us in the mood for foods of the same era. This got us thinking... Here is our list of the top 10 iconic 1980s foods that evoke the era as much as the music, the shoulder pads, and the talking Teddy Ruxpin toy. 10. Jawbreakers Like spicy food, these dangerous, choke-inducing spheres inspired serious candy egos. Can you handle it? No, seriously, can you? And they came in a slew of sizes, depending on your tolerance. "Oh snap, he has the mega-breaker!" 9. The California Raisins When the dried-fruit world creates their own pop sensation, big things happen. Shriveled-up grapes can become Motown rock stars! Maybe prunes were never in the right place at the right time, but raisins definitely were. 8. Cool Ranch Doritos Before the 100-cal-packified era, the most popular snack in the Circle K was a turquoise-flecked triangular chip. With actual fat! 7. Tri-Color Pasta Salad Pasta salads were hot in the '80s, especially in elbow, wagon wheel, and squiggly shapes, and shades of peach, pistachio, and normal-off-white-noodle. Toss them with canned olives and powdered salad dressing, and you were the most popular person at the potluck. 6. Orange Julius Why don't Orange Julius stands exist anymore? Due to a corporate merger, they can actually be found in select Dairy Queens, seven of these are hiding in Singapore. 5. Equal The first aspartame pixie dust sold to consumers, Equal may keep your thighs right for bike-shorts, but we worry about what its evil toxins will do to the rest of you. Maybe consumers weren't aware of the health risks in the '80s, but even now, it's so easy to justify that one little blue package. Especially in baby blue. Baby blue would never hurt us. 4. Artificially Flavored Fruit Snacks Did you have one of the cool moms who bought you Fruit by the Foot, Gushers, or Fruit Roll-Ups? Mine didn't (she opted for real fruit) and is still paying the therapist bills. 3. Tab Cola Tab, are you really just Diet Coke hiding in a fuchsia can? Why do you creep up on weird corners of grocery aisles? Since this soda catered to "beautiful people," Tab ran commercials where the sleek can made waifish girls irresistible to hot guys. 2. Lean Cuisine It was the dawn of a low-fat gastronomical revolution. Scientists realized they could create "healthy" chicken teriyaki meals from sodium phosphates, modified cornstarch, high-fructose corn syrup, and caramel color. Launched in 1981, the zappable Lean Cuisines started with ten options; they now offer more than 100. 1. Capri Sun Straw-stabbing styles got very personal with Capri Sun -- at the pouch's belly (risking a waterfall effect), at the bottom (for tricky upside-down enjoyment), or at the designated spot (for purists). Just don't stab straight through to the other side. Flavors more or less tasted the same -- a fruity "tropical" punch, with or without added kiwi strawberry syrups. First trademarked in Germany in the '50s, the pouches later became huge at soccer games and school lunches. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big John Posted March 5, 2009 Share Posted March 5, 2009 6. There are stoll Orange Julius stands, though combined with DQ in the stand but both names are still prominent in it. (OJ is not hidden) 3. Tab was on the deep decline in the early 80s with the introduction of Diet Coke. It is better associated with the 70s. tab page: http://home.epix.net/~tjwagner/tabgallery.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cre8tiff Posted March 5, 2009 Share Posted March 5, 2009 Fuzzy Navels & Wine coolers Fastest way to talk an 80s gal out of her legwarmers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Capt. Waffle Posted March 5, 2009 Share Posted March 5, 2009 Did not Tofu get big in the 80's??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skilly Posted March 6, 2009 Share Posted March 6, 2009 One word.......McRib Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cre8tiff Posted March 6, 2009 Share Posted March 6, 2009 One word.......McRib Dude... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bier Meister Posted March 6, 2009 Share Posted March 6, 2009 from the list: the doritos, jawbreakers, orange julius appealled to me. pesto became popular in 80's. sushi. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimmy Neutron Posted March 6, 2009 Share Posted March 6, 2009 Got an oragne julius a few weeks ago for the first time in a decade It was $5.30 something and not as good as I remember. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Savage Beatings Posted March 6, 2009 Share Posted March 6, 2009 Fuzzy Navels & Wine coolers Fastest way to talk an 80s gal out of her legwarmers I acquired many many 2 liter bottles of Sun Country wine coolers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Capt. Waffle Posted March 6, 2009 Share Posted March 6, 2009 The little beer 8 packs called "Little Kings", that was some good brew. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clubfoothead Posted March 6, 2009 Share Posted March 6, 2009 Party balls Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swampnuts Posted March 6, 2009 Share Posted March 6, 2009 When I think of 80's food it reminds me of the "where's the beef"? lady from Wendy's. Styrofoam Quarter Pounder containers from MickeyD's, the cardboard crowns you'd get @ Burger King, and footlong hot dogs from Dairy Queen. Shasta soda, Nerds candy, and when Cherry Coke first came out in the can. Good stuff! Plus, it's funny to me that basically all of the breakfast cereals we ate in the 80's haven't changed at all. It makes me want to go out and find some Frankenberry right now actually. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swampnuts Posted March 6, 2009 Share Posted March 6, 2009 Party balls Was it just Coors Light that did the party balls, or was it multiple brews? I remember getting on some Bartles and Jaymes as well. I remember the commercials with two old geezers and the one never said a friggin' word. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wiegie Posted March 6, 2009 Share Posted March 6, 2009 One word.......McRib ok, the McRib is awesome, but for pure 1980s McDonald's, please allow me to suggest the McDLT (with its "it keeps the hot side hot and the cool side cool" styrofoam packaging). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HowboutthemCowboys Posted March 6, 2009 Share Posted March 6, 2009 ok, the McRib is awesome, but for pure 1980s McDonald's, please allow me to suggest the McDLT (with its "it keeps the hot side hot and the cool side cool" styrofoam packaging). there's a blast from the past! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
irish Posted March 6, 2009 Share Posted March 6, 2009 I still eat jawbreakers and fruit snacks (gushers) from time to time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KICK A$$ BLASTER Posted March 6, 2009 Share Posted March 6, 2009 I loved Chicken Little's from KFC. Also, the party ball was a nice pick as well. The first time I saw one was at a Halloween party in Isla Vista(UCSB). I thought that was the smartest and easiest way to drink mass quanities of beer... Good times.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skippy Posted March 7, 2009 Share Posted March 7, 2009 Party balls Was it just Coors Light that did the party balls, or was it multiple brews? It was not just Coors Light. I know there was Bud party balls and I am almost certain that Miller had them as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeeR Posted March 7, 2009 Share Posted March 7, 2009 It makes me want to go out and find some Frankenberry right now actually. that was 70s, not 80s. Damn whoever mentioned McRib, now I'm hungry and could probably eat 3 or 4 right now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brentastic Posted March 7, 2009 Share Posted March 7, 2009 Cocaine Miami, FL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Choppy Posted March 7, 2009 Share Posted March 7, 2009 Was it just Coors Light that did the party balls, or was it multiple brews? I remember getting on some Bartles and Jaymes as well. I remember the commercials with two old geezers and the one never said a friggin' word. Maker smoke Bobby. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.