Some memories live in the taste buds. The creator behind @past_archives put together a quick tour of flavors from the 1980s, and the caption does the teasing: if you were born in the 1980s, you must know these flavors. It is a short list, and every item will send someone straight back to a kitchen counter, a backyard or a classroom pencil.
Here is what is on it, along with the real history behind a few of these childhood tastes.
A Five Pound Block Of Government Cheese
The creator starts with the 1980s as the only place where you can taste how good a five pound block of government cheese really is. If you remember those big blocks of processed cheese, you remember something unique to the era.
The Wikipedia article on government cheese explains the background. In the early 1980s, federal dairy price supports kept milk prices high, which created large surpluses that were turned into cheese and stored in warehouses. The Agriculture and Food Act of 1981 released millions of pounds to be given out free to people in need through nonprofit groups. The cheese came in five pound blocks, and it was distributed through programs for low-income families, food banks and churches. Many people remember it as a surprisingly good melter that made fantastic grilled cheese and macaroni.
Water From The Garden Hose
When you were thirsty, you drank from the garden hose, and the creator describes the taste as metal with a hint of rubber. That flavor is familiar to anyone who ever took a long swig on a hot day after running through the sprinkler.
A modern note: many ordinary garden hoses are not intended for drinking water, so if you or the grandkids want to sip from one today, look for a hose labeled as safe for drinking water and let it run for a bit first.
Flintstones Vitamins
The next entry is Flintstones vitamins, which the creator says taste terrible, though Dad says they will make you big and strong. The chewable vitamins were introduced in 1968 by Miles Laboratories, the company that Bayer acquired in 1978, according to the Wikipedia entry on the product. They were shaped like characters from the cartoon, and they were sweet and candy-like. Children across the country took one every morning with breakfast, whether the flavor was a favorite or not.
Candy Sticks Dipped In Powder
You licked the candy stick to wet it, then dipped it into your favorite flavored powder. The creator warns that sometimes it burns your tongue. Anyone who remembers the sour powders will nod at that. The mix of sweet and sharp was exactly why kids loved it, and it was cheap enough to buy with a pocket of change.
Tang
Tang is way better than plain orange juice, the creator says, and not just because astronauts drink it. The orange powdered drink was developed by General Foods food scientist William A. Mitchell in 1957, as noted in the Wikipedia entry on Tang. Sales were slow at first. They picked up after NASA used it on John Glenn’s 1962 Mercury flight and later Gemini missions. The space link led many people to believe it was invented for the space program, but it was a regular grocery product first. For plenty of kids, mixing a spoonful into a pitcher of water felt like a science experiment.
Pudding Pops
The creator also mentions Jell-O pudding pops with the swirly patterns, which taste so much better. The frozen treats came in chocolate, vanilla and swirl flavors, per the Wikipedia article on Pudding Pops. They were hugely successful, earning about $100 million in their first year, but were eventually discontinued. A relaunch in the 2000s under the Popsicle brand never quite recaptured the magic, and they were pulled from stores around 2011. If you remember licking the stick clean, you remember a treat that is hard to find now.
The Taste Of A Pencil
The list ends with a funny one. The creator says they know exactly what a pencil tastes like, because it is impossible not to bite it when you are thinking. It is the most universal entry of all, and a nice reminder that not every childhood flavor came from a store.
Why Food Memories Hit So Hard
Taste and smell are closely tied to memory. A single bite of something you have not eaten in thirty years can bring back a whole afternoon, down to where you sat and who was there. That is why a list of flavors can do so much with so few words.
The 1980s were also a time of change in the kitchen. Microwaves were becoming common, and powdered drinks, frozen novelties and packaged snacks filled the pantry. Some of those products are gone, and some are still around, but they all helped shape what a generation thought of as normal.
Recreate The Flavors At Home
If this list has you hungry, here are a few ways to enjoy a taste of the 1980s today.
- Make a cheese sandwich the old way. Grill thick slices of American cheese in butter until golden and crispy.
- Stir up some Tang. It is still sold, and a pitcher on the table is a conversation starter.
- Freeze your own pudding pops. Pour prepared chocolate and vanilla pudding into molds, swirl them together and freeze.
- Look for powdered candy at a nostalgia shop. Many specialty stores carry the candy sticks and flavored powders of the decade.
- Pack a hose-free picnic. Bring a cooler of cold water and enjoy it on the back porch.
Tell Us Your Age
The creator signs off by asking which of these flavors you know and how old you are. For many people, the answer is all of them. Share this list with a friend or sibling who grew up with you, and ask which flavor they remember best. You may be surprised by the stories that come back.
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