24 Old-School Treats Only Those Born Pre-1980 Remember

These foods feel like a secret handshake between those who grew up pre-1980. One bite of these goodies unlocks the past, where flavors and textures tell stories no history book can match. They’re edible time machines, turning grown-ups back into kids with a single taste.

“Marathon candy bar.”

“McDonald’s deep fried cherry pies. So yummy.”

‘Tunnel’ bundt cake mixes (especially the chocolate with coconut filling)!”

“Quisp. It was one of my favorite cereals in the ’60s and ’70s. I remember mailing in my vote when Quaker pitted Quisp vs. Quake, and Quisp won and stayed around for a few more years. It has made comebacks over the years, but distribution is limited.”

“Howard Johnson’s fried clams.”

“PBMax candy bars”

“Taco Bell Nacho Supreme! Used to come with green onions. At some point, there was a foodborne illness outbreak traced to the green onions, and they quit using them. Then they quit selling Nacho Supreme.”

“Certs. They’re two mints in one.”

“King Vitaman cereal. If I remember correctly it was similar to Cap’n Crunch.”

“McDLT.”

“I miss cereal in the little individual boxes; they came in a cardboard tray with 8 or 10 different ones. Both Kellogg’s and Post had them if I remember correctly.”

“Junket pudding. Does anyone else remember that?”

“Sunshine Golden Raisin Biscuit.”

“The original French bread pizza in the frozen food section. I think Stouffer’s was the first, but I don’t consider it the same as it was in the ’70s and ’80s. I used to love it, but when I went to college, I stopped eating many of the things my parents would buy. Years later, I saw it, and the nostalgia kicked in, so I bought some. Didn’t taste anything like I remember. In fact, it was bland tasting. I remembered it tasting way better.”

“Keebler Magic Middles.”

“The personal pan pizza at Pizza Hut in the 80’s. So crispy, buttery, and delicious. I remember them tossing dough in the air!”

“Cooking bags. Gravy with sliced beef and the Salisbury steak were my favorites. They came frozen in a sealed bag, you put the bag in water and bring it to a boil, and voila! Tasty dish.”

“Chocodiles. They were like a Twinkie with a chocolate coating. I told my husband about them 20 years ago, and he thought I was making them up. Then, we found them on a road trip at a gas station in Bakersfield, California. I guess they are available regionally there. Not sure if they have survived.”

“Tang Gang here… that was a special treat!”

.”Freshen-up gum with a pillowy texture and squishy, gooey liquid center. I have a feeling it was made for smokers, but I loved it as a kid!”

“I loved Carnation breakfast bars! They weren’t too sweet or sugary, and not bad nutritionally, if I recall. I wish these would come back; they would beat out most of the bars on the market today.”

“There was this awesome breakfast cereal back in the late 1970s and early ’80s called Buc Wheats. Imagine a wheat flake glazed with a honey flavor glaze that keeps it from soaking in milk for a few minutes.”

“Pepperidge Farm layer cakes”

“I will go to my grave, never understanding the end of the enchirito.”