Additional Coverage:
- Foods Every ‘70s Kids Had In Their Lunchbox (blog.cheapism.com)
Lunchbox Nostalgia: A Look Back at ’70s School Lunches
Remember the good old days when lunchboxes were metal, dented, and smelled faintly of…well, everything? Forget insulated compartments and organic fruit snacks; the ’70s lunchbox was a world of processed delights and questionable trades. We dug through Reddit’s memory banks to bring you 13 iconic lunchbox staples that fueled a generation.
The Lunchbox Itself: Before bento boxes were trendy, there was the classic metal lunchbox. Often adorned with pop culture icons like Star Wars, Charlie’s Angels, or Snoopy, these lunchboxes were as much a part of the experience as the food inside. Dents, rust, and that lingering aroma were badges of honor.
PB&J on Wonder Bread: This classic combo remains a lunchtime champion. Back then, it was all about grape jelly and Wonder Bread.
While today’s version might feature whole wheat and a less sugary spread, the core deliciousness endures. One Redditor fondly recalled the endless procession of grape jelly and peanut butter sandwiches, highlighting the simplicity of the time.
Bologna Sandwich: A working-class staple, the bologna sandwich, usually featuring Oscar Mayer bologna between slices of white bread with mustard, was a frequent lunchbox guest. Sometimes, moms got fancy with a slice of American cheese or a dollop of Miracle Whip. Bonus points if the bologna was slightly sweaty by lunchtime.
Potato Chips: No ’70s lunchbox was complete without a bag of chips. Lay’s were the standard, but Pringles, still relatively new to the scene, were considered top-tier.
Hostess Treats: Twinkies, Ding Dongs, Zingers, and those iconic chocolate cupcakes with the white swirl were essential. Packed with enough preservatives to withstand a nuclear apocalypse (or a morning in a metal lunchbox), these treats were a guaranteed sugar rush.
Slim Jims: Chewing on a stick of vaguely meat-like substance? It was a ’70s kid’s dream come true.
Nutter Butters: If your mom packed these peanut butter-flavored delights, she was a true lunchbox hero. Nutter Butters quickly rose to the top of the cookie game alongside Oreos and Chips Ahoy.
Fruit Cocktail in a Can: A sugary, syrupy concoction masquerading as a healthy fruit serving? Yep, that was fruit cocktail in the ’70s. But hey, moms tried.
Thermos of Soup: Before hot lunch programs, there was the thermos filled with Campbell’s Chicken Noodle, Tomato, or Vegetable Beef soup. A warm, comforting meal on a cold day, or lukewarm milk or Kool-Aid when soup wasn’t on the menu.
Snack Pack Pudding Cups: These metal-topped pudding cups were a potential hazard (hello, sliced tongue!), but they were a lunchbox regular. Thankfully, times have changed.
Tuna Salad Sandwich: We all remember that kid. The one whose tuna salad sandwich made the entire lunchroom smell like low tide. A warm, airtight lunchbox only amplified the experience.
The Hard-Boiled Egg: Another nutritionally sound but socially disastrous lunchbox choice. Whether peeled or not, the pungent aroma of a cracked hard-boiled egg could clear a lunch table faster than you could say “sulfur.”
Little Debbie Cakes: Nutty Bars, Oatmeal Creme Pies, Swiss Rolls – Little Debbie snacks were everywhere. Some ’70s kids, however, still haven’t recovered from the Oatmeal Creme Pie overload. One Redditor lamented their daily dose of the treat, admitting they still can’t eat one to this day.
Read More About This Story:
- Foods Every ‘70s Kids Had In Their Lunchbox (blog.cheapism.com)