Life
Maybe it's the nostalgia talking, but the snacks of our childhood were pretty much like heaven in your mouth. Sure, I had to muddle my way through a handful of soggy bologna sandwiches and force myself to swallow veggies, but those minor food troubles were all worth it for the delicious snacks in my lunchbox or the dessert rewards I got for clearing my plate.
But what if you could make your favorite childhood snacks in your own kitchen? Wouldn't that be awesome? Because now that I'm a grown-up (or at least pretending to be one), there isn't someone packing my lunch or monitoring my vegetable intake. I make my own meals, and it's awesome. Everything tastes a little bit better knowing you made it from scratch, even candy bars and crackers.
Well, good news — you can recreate those childhood flavors on your own. From sweets to snacks to suppers, you can concoct all of your favorite '90s foods. If you're feeling adventurous, you can add some seasoning fit for a more sophisticated palate, or leave them as kid-friendly as possible so your taste buds can transport you back to the days of scrunchies and recess. Either way, you'll be totally psyched to spend an afternoon baking and cooking all of these throwback treats.
1
Homemade Oreos
Whether you twist them apart and lick the frosting, dunk them in milk, or eat them in one big bite, everyone will love Your Cup Of Cake's homemade Oreos. But the best part is, when you make them yourself, you can always have them double-stuffed.
2
Peanut Butter Pretzel Chocolate Chip Granola Bars
Two Peas And Their Pod's DIY granola bars are just like Chewy bars. And the best part about this recipe is that it's no bake, which means you can whip up a batch in a jiffy.
3
Homemade Pop Tarts
The Sugar Hit's pop tarts are ca-razy good. If you want an authentic Pop-Tart vibe, go ahead and frost them.
4
DIY Almond Joys
Chocolate, almonds, and coconut — no wonder this candy bar's name has joy in the title. Create your own delectable confection with Pastry Affair's homemade Almond Joys.
5
Frozen Fudge Pops
Fudgsicles are perfect. All the richness of a chocolate fudge with all the refreshing coolness of a popsicle. Create your own version with The Little Epicurean's frozen fudge bars.
6
Cosmic Brownie Pop Tarts
There's no denying the appeal of Cosmic brownies. I mean, they were brownies with had rainbow chips. Studio DIY takes these treats even one step further by creating cosmic brownie pop tarts — which makes them totally breakfast approved, right? And she's definitely more generous with the sprinkles.
7
Pizza Bagels
Now that I have The Comfort Of Cooking's pizza bagel recipe, I know what I'm making this weekend. One bite, and I'm sure I'll be flooded with memories of middle school sleepovers and the infamous boy-girl parties.
8
Black Pepper Cheez-Its
Grown-up-ify your favorite childhood cracker with A Cozy Kitchen's black pepper cheez-its. Or, if you're feeling extra fancy, you can even try her paprika cheddar cheez-its. Just don't sophisticate them so much that you loose the kid-friendly spelling of "cheez."
9
Baked Chicken Nuggets
Chicken nuggets are the quintessential childhood meal, and for good reason — they're delicious. And Natasha's Kitchen's chicken nuggets are baked, meaning they're at least a little healthier for you.
10
Fruit Leather
Whether you were team Fruit Roll-Up or a true-blue fan of Fruit By The Foot, you can definitely appreciate Two Peas And Their Pod's homemade fruit leather. Since it's made from the fruit of your choosing, you won't be limited to the flavors that come in the box — try peach or mango. (But sorry to all you blue raspberry fans out there, because that fruit doesn't exist.)
11
Reese's Peanut Butter Cups
You putt peanut butter in my chocolate, and I couldn't love you more for it! Go ahead and copycat your favorite candy with A Comfort Of Cooking's peanut butter cups recipe.
12
Pear Sauce
Apple sauce is the most memorable childhood treat, and Two Peas And Their Pod's pear sauce recipe puts a different (and more adult) spin on the classic for a revitalized flavor. Because, really, when it comes to honest to goodness apple sauce, who can ever compete with Motts?
13
Tater Tots
Tater tots were the ultimate hot lunch staple. Sure, you can still buy a bag of frozen tots and call it a day, but why not try your hand at a DIY version, like A Cozy Kitchen's homemade tater tot recipes?
Images: Courtesy of Your Cup Of Cake; Two Peas And Their Pod (3); The Sugar Hit; Pastry Affair; A Cozy Kitchen (3); The Little Epicurean; Studio DIY; The Comfort Of Cooking (2); Natasha's Kitchen
