Q.

Think back to your middle school lunches or after-school snacks. You’re negotiating trades at the lunch table. You’re dashing en masse to the corner store. Which snacks are worth your hard-earned allowance money? Which snacks – whether available today or not – elicit the most nostalgia?

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A.

Nostalgia-inducing snacks will obviously vary by country. Japanese magazines talk about nostalgia for dagashi – brightly packaged cheap candies and snacks – sold in dagashiya stores. Dagashi can be sweet, salty, or savory; candy, crackers, puffed corn with sprinkles, fish jerky…

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Meanwhile, in the Caribbean, The Jamaica Observer offers their take on nostalgic Jamaican treats.

Favourite Childhood Treats. Jamaica. 2020
i.     Animal Crackers
ii.    Policeman Button Cookies
iii.   Jackass Corn Biscuits
iv.   Cheez Krunchies
v.    Banana Chippies
vi.   Shirley Biscuits
vii.  Oreos
viii. Ovaltine
ix.   Cheese Trix
x.    Cheez Sticks

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Over in the UK, a 2024 Back Market surveyed 2,000 adult Brits about their favourite snacks from childhood. Coming at the top, with 36% of respondents waxing nostalgic: Angel Delight – a variously flavoured powdered mix that, when whisked with milk, morphs into a moussed dessert. This whipped delight came to be in 1967, with a Strawberries and Cream version.

Favourite Nostalgic Snacks. Britain. 2024
i.      Angel Delight
ii.    Jelly and ice cream
ii.    Mr. Whippy
iii.   Fish and chips from the chippy
iv.    Fish fingers
v.     Boiled egg and soldiers
v.     Salt and shake crisps
v.     Wagon Wheels
vi.     Fizzy Cola Bottles
vii.    Rice Pudding 😱
viii.   Flying Saucers
ix.     Arctic Roll
ix.     Custard
x.      Curly Wurly
x.      Beans on Toast

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 In late 2023, Spin Genie pored through Google Search data to see which ‘throwback’ snacks people were researching most. Number one on the list, with ~ 478,000 searches: Dunkaroos.

Most Googled Memory Lane Snacks
i.     Dunkaroos
ii.    Oreo Cakesters
iii.   Bagel Bites
iv.   Tab soda
v.    Fruitopia
vi.   Crystal Pepsi
vii.  Kudos granola bars
viii. Orbitz drinks
ix.   Waffle Crisp cereal
x.    Rice Krispies cereal

Are any of your favourite childhood snacks on these lists?

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www.justcurious.ca

Artwork by Alexander Mils