50 Meals You Ate in the ’90s That Make You So Damn Nostalgic
Sloppy Joes, what even are you?
Let’s be honest, the meals we ate in the ’90s were...questionable. Who can forget the overprocessed, brightly colored, probably frozen, and just plain weird meals of our youth? Put on some *NSYNC and your favorite choker, because we’re about to throw it back to the most iconic meals you probably wish you never ate.
Totino’s Pizza Rolls
I dare you to eat these without burning the roof of your mouth. You can’t. It’s impossible. Shout-out to the pepperoni kind though. Classic is for suckers.
Fish Sticks
I’m not sure who decided it was a good idea to grind up fish, mold it into rectangular sticks, and fry them, but I’d like to speak with them immediately and have a word.
Hamburger Helper
As far as I’m concerned, hamburgers don’t need very much help, but this boxed pasta and seasoning mix was all the rage. Just add ground beef and...enjoy?
Pizza Bagels
Bagels? Good. Pizza? Really good. This is a flavor combo made in heaven. And you know what? Gimme a plate right now. Or at least after 2 a.m.
Mini Chicken Pot Pie
Am I crazy, or was this mixture of chicken goo and pie crust the best lunch? Just me? Okay.
Stuffed-Crust Pizza
As if pizza doesn’t already have enough cheese on it. Convincing your parents to order one of these was like winning the lottery. Plus, raise your hand if you ate these slices backward (as in, crusts first). Genius.
Chip Casserole
What’s a casserole without a little added crunch on top? Whether yours was a chili cheese Frito situation or a potato chip extravaganza, these deep-dish treats would go like crazy at the block party.
Toaster Strudel
Cherry filling or bust. Bonus points if you could draw something ~artsy~ with the icing packet (that is, if it didn’t explode in your hand when you tried to rip it apart from the others in the pack). This guy was truly the breakfast of champions.
Hawaiian Pizza
We may be in the throes of a pineapple-on-pizza debate (seriously, even the Washington Post covered it), but Hawaiian pizza was toootally cool in the ’90s. Pineapple plus pepperoni? TBH, it’s good.
Potato Smileys
Honestly, forget goldfish. These are the real snacks that smile back. If you weren’t eating these at home after school when your parents were gone, what were you doing?
Hot Pockets
If you had to use the microwave at lunch for a Hot Pocket, you were definitely one of the cool kids and everyone was jealous. And you know you can still sing that jingle by heart, right?
Olive Focaccia
A staple at every fancy ’90s dinner party. If you were lucky, your mom let you poke the holes in the dough with your fingers. For the record, focaccia is still so, so, so, good.
Pop-Tarts
Pop-Tarts is the less-good version of Toaster Strudel, although you could eat one of these cold and it was still a cool-kid breakfast of the ages.
Cheeseburger Pockets
You know how everything slides out the back of a cheeseburger when you bite into it? That’s not the case when they’re in pocket form. Innovative AF, honestly.
Dinosaur Nuggets
Honestly, I still stan. I’m only wondering how they got chicken to look like this. Actually, I definitely don’t want to know.
Lunchables
These might be the root of millennials’ obsession with cheese plates, and I’m not mad about it. Gimme a classic package stat.
Lean Pockets
Like Hot Pockets, but your mom bought them when she was trying to be “healthy.”
Eggo Waffles
“Leggo my eggo” is still such a vibe, TBH. Plus, these things have been given new life thanks to Stranger Things.
Bologna and White-Bread Sandwich
The days when we could eat bologna on white bread for lunch were simpler times. I can literally feel the playground nostalgia.
Uncrustables
Uncrustables is the king of lunch foods, with creamy, jammy insides and an outside that smushes together when you bite into it. I will die on this hill.
Katie Berohn is ELLE’s beauty editor. Previously, she held the same title at Who What Wear, where she was promoted from associate beauty editor. She’s written for publications like The Cut, Cosmopolitan, Good Housekeeping, and Mashable. Her interests include fragrance, vintage shopping, hot yoga, food, travel, music, books, and attempting to make every NYT Cooking recipe. She’s on the endless hunt to find the perfect shade of red lipstick.
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