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People Online Share Foods They Thought Were “Fancy” As Kids But Not As Adults (35 Foods)
Have you ever experienced times when you saw something and that thing brought back childhood memories? And then you were hit with the realization of how different things used to be or how different they were in your mind in comparison to how you comprehend it all now? It’s fun and curious to see how much people and places grow and change over the course of time. How things we once valued so much were changed by newer and better ones.
Having in mind how different people value things now than they did back in the day, Twitter user @imjasondiamond asked people online to share what kind of food was considered as “fancy” but now is seen as something you can buy for a few dollars.
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The tweet that received almost 33k likes was filled with comments where people shared names of various foods together with their childhood memories. The author of the tweet also revealed what was that one thing he thought to be special. It tuned out to be a Toblerone chocolate bar. He also specified that these “specialty foods” were common for those who were kids from the late 80s until the mid-90s.
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#2
Donkey boi 3 years ago
I'm halfway through a packet right now! They'll be gone before I reach the bottom of this article!
What is fun to notice is that a lot of the foods that people were mentioned as being “fancy” and rare at their table, usually only when there was a celebration or someone special coming over, now can be found at a low price (if found at all). Mint chocolates “After Eight”, “Ferrero Rocher” candies, various biscuits and so much more of various sweets were some of the most common examples of what people found to be rare and expensive, but now it can be found in every store.
#5
Yup 3 years ago
Every couple of months we had a ‘free choice’ dinner. In reality (4 kids) my mom bought one of these and we got to fight for our choice. Looking back as an adult, I see things like our family’s financial security in a whole new light. We went to private schools, but there was certainly scrimping to make it happen.
#7
Ozacoter 3 years ago
Me too they are delicious. And while they are quite cheap the box makes them look nice enough to give to others
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Joanna Werman 3 years ago
These are the ones with hazelnut inside. No liquor. I just ordered these off of eBay the other day. They remind me of my dad
Kim Vercauteren 3 years ago
Yes, I live near the factory in Belgium where they still produce those. The factory had a large "statue" of the chocolate seahorse on top
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Toast Of Saint Louis 3 years ago
I used to buy these for a dollar at the dollar store back in the late 90s. Not very expensive.
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Jess-a-men 3 years ago
I used to think that those were real shells & shrimp & seahorses dipped in chocolate when I was little. Always refused to try them.
Albino 3 years ago
I was a bit hyped when I tried them first. I hated them.
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Luke Bouley 3 years ago
These only show up where I live during the Holiday season. they are a rare and special treat for us even now.
Red rockin lobster 3 years ago
I also thought this was fancy. Recently saw them in a shop and bought them. Man, the quantity of sugar that hit my brain, uneatable
Heather Talma 2 years ago
I got ahold of one of these once as a kid and after eating all the chocolate I tried to make soap in the tray. This would have worked much better had I realized that bar soap is not made by simply freezing liquid hand soap.
Hobistapioka 3 years ago
They still sell it in a store here in sweden, but the taste it's not the same
Chandelure F-5 3 years ago
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#8
Gayle Brown 3 years ago
They actually were a lot better years ago (like 25 - 30 years ago...).
Besides various food, people also mentioned things such as plastic cup dispensers and drinks such as soda or wine coolers. What is something that you found to be special and rare when you were a kid only to find out that it wasn’t so “fancy” when you became an adult? Don’t forget to leave your thoughts in the comments down below!
#10
#14
Claire Stanfield 3 years ago
Same thing for hot dogs in our house, it was a slice of bread not a magical, fancy ~hot dog bun~.
#15
Got Myself 4 Dwarves 3 years ago
To keep it for herself - same as I do with my kids, they're far too unappreciative of the good things - my oldest would likely put tomato sauce on it like a Neanderthal
#18
#21
Mushroomlover 3 years ago
Not orange rolls but we always had cinnamon rolls and hot chocolate on Christmas morning growing up! But I never stopped, still do it every Christmas with my kids!
#23
sofacushionfort 3 years ago
Downtown Tacoma smelled horrible from the nearby wood processing pits, except for the little area near Pacific Ave. where Almond Rocca was made
#24
Sky Render 3 years ago
Definitely this was a treat for any Oregon kid! I remember all the fancy kids in high school had a bottle of New York Seltzer at lunch every day.
#25
Kathryn Baylis 3 years ago
I kind of like Asti, tbh. Sweeter than champagne, and all the bubbles to boot.
#29
MyOpinionHasBeenServed 3 years ago (edited)
It was the best as an introduction to alcohol. Same with Arbor mist.
#32
Mushroomlover 3 years ago
Jolly ranchers and Zima….a classic for young drinkers! Although I’m 40 and would most definitely still drink it!
#34
Pezor Zass 3 years ago
shredded has that awful powdery anti-caking stuff added. i don't know how people can eat it.
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What do you think ?
NsG 3 years ago
Ferrero Roche - they were a special treat we'd buy for my dad on Father's Day and if we were lucky he'd let us have one each.
Ozacoter 3 years ago
My grandma always buys all her grandkids a small box for xmas. They really taste like holidays for me
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Rage of Aquarius 3 years ago
Getting toys on days other than birthdays and Christmas. All my classmates would say, "Oh, Mommy bought me a Barbie at Target yesterday." I was floored. Why? It's not a holiday!
Nikki Sevven 3 years ago
My parents allowed us books, art supplies, and musical instruments (and accoutrements) year round. But toys were solely for birthdays and Christmas. I did the same with my daughter.
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Julia Atkinson 3 years ago
Does anyone remember the gooseberry flavour cream? I think Quality Street must have retired that one in the 70s
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Chancey 3 years ago
I love these!!! Especially the ones shaped like Scottie dogs!
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Xan A. Du 3 years ago
Once a year at Christmas we would get mixed nuts. Sometimes we would be able to get cashews or pistachios. That was a real treat. Our fingers would be all red from the pistachios.
Suz66 3 years ago
I forgot about the red dye in pistachios. I wonder why they did that. I still love pistachios.
Load More Replies...
Mark Fuller 3 years ago
Brown sugar crystals (instead of granulated or cubes sugar) meant guests were coming for dinner and coffee with mints would be served afterwards. Thankfully guests never knew that sticky little children's paws had been reaching up and nicking them all afternoon.
Moo Moo Futch 3 years ago
VICOUNT BISCUITS!! How can they not have been on this list. Even a Family Circle red plastic box of biscuits with the coconut wheel and pink wafers??
Julia Atkinson 3 years ago
Viscount biscuits - fabulous! And Milk Tray chocolate bars with the Lime Barrel segment...
Load More Replies... Auntriarch 3 years ago
Shortbread. We used to bring it back from leave, and my mother said it was poisonous to anyone under 14 (I was 6 at the time, I would have woofed it down not made it last, I can completely understand her reasoning).
E Bytes 3 years ago
Andes Mints. A lot of restaurants where I live give them to you after a meal and I thought they were crazy fancy. They’re super yummy but I can’t eat more than like two at a time, haha.
3 years ago
Mozart kugeln. Only when our German family came over and they where for my grandma. I was given a large tablet of good German chocolate but I always knew that Mozart kugeln must be the bomb.
PeachPossum 3 years ago
Many years ago I took German classes at a private school. Most of the teachers were native speakers. Near the end of one semester, just before Christmas, I found Mozart kugeln in a specialty shop. I bought enough for our class to share in the session and a box for the teacher to take home with her. She was so astonished and said that was the special treat her family had at Christmas time. She had trouble finding it here in the States. I told her where I found it but said that shop turns over its inventory quickly. She sent me an email a week later and said she'd found one last box there. I do hope she didn't eat them all in one sitting. They are very rich!
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Rebecca Olds 3 years ago
A whitmans box of chocolates. We didn't get them often because they cost a fair bit but i always loved the milk chocolate delivery man and the inside the lid candy id has become the guide by which i judge other boxes of chocolates.
Suz66 3 years ago
I always got See's Candy but Whitman's was better...you didn't have to poke through the bottom of the chocolate to see if it was a gross flavor (then put it back in the box hoping nobody noticed. Anyone else do that as a kid?
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Emmaline Yuzu 3 years ago
This is a great nostalgic thread that helps me remember simple joys are often the best!
Anapv 3 years ago
I tasted Turkish Delight only once, from a friend who traveled to Turkey, and it's delicious. I've never seen it available anywhere, unfortunately
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Mary G----no 3 years ago
We begged our parents for these and never got them. Once when at the store with my grandma, we asked her for them, and we were so excited when she got them. But then we ended up going home before she let us have them. I think she knew we would be going home soon... hqdefault-...ace1a0.jpg 
Emma London 3 years ago
Getting Fimo (polymer clay for crafting) was a real treat, because it was basically a one-use toy compared to play-doh and the like. We carefully used every morsel of our tiny hoard.
Carol Emory 3 years ago
Frango Mints...Bon Marche. My grandmother used to get them during the holidays only. Also ..hard ribbon candy.
Memere 3 years ago
Creme de Menthe liqueur on ice cream was 'fancy' at our house when I was a kid. And once a year, Mom & Dad took us out to a movie & dinner at Gaetano's Italian restaurant by the old City Market in Kansas City. We were always thrilled to have individual pizzas for dinner, and then Spumoni ice cream with BRANDY sauce for dessert - it was so much fun to pretend to get drunk on dessert!
Anapv 3 years ago
Ours too. I still like Mateus Rosé but it's not cheap, so it is, again, just a once in a very while treat
Load More Replies...
Cheryl Bohlender 3 years ago
Sara Lee chocolate cake...it was kept in the freezer and had a clear lid so you could see all those perfectly sculpted frosting peaks
BasedWang 3 years ago
I honestly only knew what like 4 of these even were.... And I eat alotta weird s**t
Loki’s Lil Butter Knife 3 years ago
I feel like a lot of these were very U.S. centric.
Load More Replies... Julia Atkinson 3 years ago (edited)
Ye Olde Oak canned ham - we only bought it at Christmas and ate it with leftover turkey on Boxing Day. Also pick and mix sweets from Woolworths, especially the fruit fondants with the Gainsborough lady on the wrapper
Crown Feather 3 years ago
Point-Chocolates- my family got a bag for me and my siblings every Christmas. It’s still as special to me anymore, but I still like it.
OhForSmegSake 3 years ago
Chicken liver patè. My mum would make her own on special occasions and then have to chase us away from it so there was some left for the guests
Kar Red Roses 3 years ago
Perrier. In those metal-capped green glass bottles that came in a four pack. During middle school I guzzled so much Perrier sparkling water with hints of lemon, lime, and briefly I think there was cherry and orange, too. Perrier used to be really popular.
teal&pink 3 years ago
I have an entire LIST 1. Nutella. My mother didn't like it so it was never in the house. Whenever it was an option I grabbed it. Tastes like spreadable heaven. 2. GINGER BEER. My favourite childhood drink and it was just the greatest. When I had some I felt so badass, I still do to this day! 3. Ice cream with sprinkles, syrups and general toppings, as well as a double scoop. Once my dad when away and said I could have ice cream for dessert, I ate the entire tub smothered with syrups, sprinkles and nuts. I felt gross but regret nothing.
Tahani 3 years ago (edited)
Cans of tuna, back in the ‘80’s it was quite expensive so I’d get a tiny tin every now and then. It had about a heaped tablespoon of tuna in it but it was sooo good! (I live in Belgium so it was expensive). Such a tiny amount but I still had to share with my mother who took like half of it.
Suzanne Griscom 3 years ago
Individual frozen Chicken Pot Pies. We only got them when my parents went out, so that was like 5 of 6 times total.
MyOpinionHasBeenServed 3 years ago
I used to think wines were hella expensive and only for special occasions and thought Pot of Gold and any other box of chocolate was prime tasting and super expensive that only men gave to their spouses.
LeilaOdinis 3 years ago
Blossom Cookies - marshmallow cookies with toasted coconut. Don't see them much here in Canada in our major supermarkets, but they are full of memories for me. Gran would have a different flavour every time we came over -
Davis the Un-Greatest 3 years ago (edited)
Alohamacs are the fancy thing in my house- but they’re pretty legit fancy in my opinion
Lee Macro 3 years ago
When I was younger it used to be a fancy dinner if there was a bottle of Shloer on the table for us kids
GoddessOdd 3 years ago
I never heard of this in the States and so I just looked it up... now I want some Shloer too!
Load More Replies... NsG 3 years ago
Ferrero Roche - they were a special treat we'd buy for my dad on Father's Day and if we were lucky he'd let us have one each.
Ozacoter 3 years ago
My grandma always buys all her grandkids a small box for xmas. They really taste like holidays for me
Load More Replies... Rage of Aquarius 3 years ago
Getting toys on days other than birthdays and Christmas. All my classmates would say, "Oh, Mommy bought me a Barbie at Target yesterday." I was floored. Why? It's not a holiday!
Nikki Sevven 3 years ago
My parents allowed us books, art supplies, and musical instruments (and accoutrements) year round. But toys were solely for birthdays and Christmas. I did the same with my daughter.
Load More Replies... Julia Atkinson 3 years ago
Does anyone remember the gooseberry flavour cream? I think Quality Street must have retired that one in the 70s
Load More Replies... Chancey 3 years ago
I love these!!! Especially the ones shaped like Scottie dogs!
Load More Replies... Xan A. Du 3 years ago
Once a year at Christmas we would get mixed nuts. Sometimes we would be able to get cashews or pistachios. That was a real treat. Our fingers would be all red from the pistachios.
Suz66 3 years ago
I forgot about the red dye in pistachios. I wonder why they did that. I still love pistachios.
Load More Replies... Mark Fuller 3 years ago
Brown sugar crystals (instead of granulated or cubes sugar) meant guests were coming for dinner and coffee with mints would be served afterwards. Thankfully guests never knew that sticky little children's paws had been reaching up and nicking them all afternoon.
Moo Moo Futch 3 years ago
VICOUNT BISCUITS!! How can they not have been on this list. Even a Family Circle red plastic box of biscuits with the coconut wheel and pink wafers??
Julia Atkinson 3 years ago
Viscount biscuits - fabulous! And Milk Tray chocolate bars with the Lime Barrel segment...
Load More Replies... Auntriarch 3 years ago
Shortbread. We used to bring it back from leave, and my mother said it was poisonous to anyone under 14 (I was 6 at the time, I would have woofed it down not made it last, I can completely understand her reasoning).
E Bytes 3 years ago
Andes Mints. A lot of restaurants where I live give them to you after a meal and I thought they were crazy fancy. They’re super yummy but I can’t eat more than like two at a time, haha.
3 years ago
Mozart kugeln. Only when our German family came over and they where for my grandma. I was given a large tablet of good German chocolate but I always knew that Mozart kugeln must be the bomb.
PeachPossum 3 years ago
Many years ago I took German classes at a private school. Most of the teachers were native speakers. Near the end of one semester, just before Christmas, I found Mozart kugeln in a specialty shop. I bought enough for our class to share in the session and a box for the teacher to take home with her. She was so astonished and said that was the special treat her family had at Christmas time. She had trouble finding it here in the States. I told her where I found it but said that shop turns over its inventory quickly. She sent me an email a week later and said she'd found one last box there. I do hope she didn't eat them all in one sitting. They are very rich!
Load More Replies... Rebecca Olds 3 years ago
A whitmans box of chocolates. We didn't get them often because they cost a fair bit but i always loved the milk chocolate delivery man and the inside the lid candy id has become the guide by which i judge other boxes of chocolates.
Suz66 3 years ago
I always got See's Candy but Whitman's was better...you didn't have to poke through the bottom of the chocolate to see if it was a gross flavor (then put it back in the box hoping nobody noticed. Anyone else do that as a kid?
Load More Replies... Emmaline Yuzu 3 years ago
This is a great nostalgic thread that helps me remember simple joys are often the best!
Anapv 3 years ago
I tasted Turkish Delight only once, from a friend who traveled to Turkey, and it's delicious. I've never seen it available anywhere, unfortunately
Load More Replies... Mary G----no 3 years ago
We begged our parents for these and never got them. Once when at the store with my grandma, we asked her for them, and we were so excited when she got them. But then we ended up going home before she let us have them. I think she knew we would be going home soon... hqdefault-...ace1a0.jpg
Emma London 3 years ago
Getting Fimo (polymer clay for crafting) was a real treat, because it was basically a one-use toy compared to play-doh and the like. We carefully used every morsel of our tiny hoard.
Carol Emory 3 years ago
Frango Mints...Bon Marche. My grandmother used to get them during the holidays only. Also ..hard ribbon candy.
Memere 3 years ago
Creme de Menthe liqueur on ice cream was 'fancy' at our house when I was a kid. And once a year, Mom & Dad took us out to a movie & dinner at Gaetano's Italian restaurant by the old City Market in Kansas City. We were always thrilled to have individual pizzas for dinner, and then Spumoni ice cream with BRANDY sauce for dessert - it was so much fun to pretend to get drunk on dessert!
Anapv 3 years ago
Ours too. I still like Mateus Rosé but it's not cheap, so it is, again, just a once in a very while treat
Load More Replies... Cheryl Bohlender 3 years ago
Sara Lee chocolate cake...it was kept in the freezer and had a clear lid so you could see all those perfectly sculpted frosting peaks
BasedWang 3 years ago
I honestly only knew what like 4 of these even were.... And I eat alotta weird s**t
Loki’s Lil Butter Knife 3 years ago
I feel like a lot of these were very U.S. centric.
Load More Replies... Julia Atkinson 3 years ago (edited)
Ye Olde Oak canned ham - we only bought it at Christmas and ate it with leftover turkey on Boxing Day. Also pick and mix sweets from Woolworths, especially the fruit fondants with the Gainsborough lady on the wrapper
Crown Feather 3 years ago
Point-Chocolates- my family got a bag for me and my siblings every Christmas. It’s still as special to me anymore, but I still like it.
OhForSmegSake 3 years ago
Chicken liver patè. My mum would make her own on special occasions and then have to chase us away from it so there was some left for the guests
Kar Red Roses 3 years ago
Perrier. In those metal-capped green glass bottles that came in a four pack. During middle school I guzzled so much Perrier sparkling water with hints of lemon, lime, and briefly I think there was cherry and orange, too. Perrier used to be really popular.
teal&pink 3 years ago
I have an entire LIST 1. Nutella. My mother didn't like it so it was never in the house. Whenever it was an option I grabbed it. Tastes like spreadable heaven. 2. GINGER BEER. My favourite childhood drink and it was just the greatest. When I had some I felt so badass, I still do to this day! 3. Ice cream with sprinkles, syrups and general toppings, as well as a double scoop. Once my dad when away and said I could have ice cream for dessert, I ate the entire tub smothered with syrups, sprinkles and nuts. I felt gross but regret nothing.
Tahani 3 years ago (edited)
Cans of tuna, back in the ‘80’s it was quite expensive so I’d get a tiny tin every now and then. It had about a heaped tablespoon of tuna in it but it was sooo good! (I live in Belgium so it was expensive). Such a tiny amount but I still had to share with my mother who took like half of it.
Suzanne Griscom 3 years ago
Individual frozen Chicken Pot Pies. We only got them when my parents went out, so that was like 5 of 6 times total.
MyOpinionHasBeenServed 3 years ago
I used to think wines were hella expensive and only for special occasions and thought Pot of Gold and any other box of chocolate was prime tasting and super expensive that only men gave to their spouses.
LeilaOdinis 3 years ago
Blossom Cookies - marshmallow cookies with toasted coconut. Don't see them much here in Canada in our major supermarkets, but they are full of memories for me. Gran would have a different flavour every time we came over -
Davis the Un-Greatest 3 years ago (edited)
Alohamacs are the fancy thing in my house- but they’re pretty legit fancy in my opinion
Lee Macro 3 years ago
When I was younger it used to be a fancy dinner if there was a bottle of Shloer on the table for us kids
GoddessOdd 3 years ago
I never heard of this in the States and so I just looked it up... now I want some Shloer too!
Load More Replies... You May Like 30 Pics Of Unhinged Foods That People Were Planning To Eat 59 Popular Cartoon Foods That You Might Recognize 70 Weird Food Combinations That Some People Swear By
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