A recent trip to Big Bazaar led to me thinking of the all sugary, greasy, synthetic snacks that we used to enjoy in our childhood. Remember the times we sat in front of the TV, watching Pokemon (I know for a fact the average girl was secretly swooning over Ash), like our lives depended on it? I realised that a lot of us still harbour a nostalgic craving for these foods as we all have our fondest memories attached to them – whether we won a toffee in a bet or were yelled by our mothers for stuffing junk down our throats.
We bring to you a list of 6 childhood food items that MUST, MUST make a comeback:
1. Chocolate Tubes (Tiko or Cho-Cho)
This plastic tube filled with the most delicious, silky milk chocolate is what dreams are made of. Sucking incessantly, I remember trying to squeeze out every last drop of this gleaming chocolate priced at the humble price of Rs 1. It is a shame that they are not produced on a commercial scale anymore as this is one treat that would fill the most stoic adult with childlike wonder. After all, who can resist liquid, shiny melted chocolate that is literally the product of a melted, sticky Dairy Milk on a hot summers day?
2. Lays Chaat Street
Featuring two chatpata flavours, “Golgappa Style” and “Bindaas Bhel Style”, these chips were the ultimate fusion food of our childhood. Putting a desi spin on Western crisps, Lays had finally devised a method of taking you down the memory lane where memories of eating tangy, overflowing puchkas and the tongue-numbing, mind-buzzing Bombay ki bhelpuri smacked you in the face. There is no doubt that the chips captured these sweet, sour, spicy and khatta flavours of chaat perfectly. The best part, the ad featuring Saif Ali Khan, Preity Zinta and Rahul Khanna is one that reminds me of better, happier days. Find the advertisement here
3. McDonalds McCurry Pan
For all those fussy eaters (honestly, I actually detested burgers at one point), this was the solution to all problems. A thick, flaky golden pastry encasing the most finger-licking makhni gravy pleased both vegetarians and non-vegetarians alike. In paneer and chicken variations (ladies and gentlemen, paneer actually belonged here), this Indian version of an American pot pie was the best thing that happened to fast food since the invention of French fries. Unfortunately, Ronald McDonald pulled the plug and it is no longer available. For all the lucky ones who got the chance to savour it, consider yourself blessed by the food gods.
4. Mirinda Sorbet
The orange bottle streaked with the ribbon of white is a childhood memory I’ll never let go of. True, this drink was reminiscent of Benadryl’s famous cough syrup, but it celebrated Ash’s victories in Pokemon just as much as I did. A silkier version of the pop-orange soft drink, Mirinda discontinued production when the company couldn’t find a solid fan base (mark my words, the minority always suffers).
5. Cheetos Masala Balls
Oh! The simple pleasure of licking the powdered orange masala off of my fingers is a treasure hard to find. These balls made our eyes water, noses run and throw us into a frenzy, where only a chilled glass of coke could tame the burn. I strongly believe that this was their largest selling product, but alas, this too saw a sad ending. Not only did this warm my tummy when kerala graced the dinner table, it also gave me a new surprise – a watch or a toy – each time I tore open the signature green packet.
6. Kaccha Mango-Bite
One of Parle’s finest, this toffee attacked your throat the instant it touched your tongue. Boasting of the keri flavour which we have all come to love, this sweet had the power to contort your entire face, your jaws closing in on it in an attempt to extract more of that kaccha aam flavour. We all traded our pocket money for that experience-mind numbing flashes that were as delicious as painful. It is sad to think that these toffees have no place in the sweet jar of the local baniye ki dukaan.
I hope this article managed to hit the sweet spot, conjuring up those fuzzy, warm feelings that we all associate with our childhood and everything wonderful.