Snacks Kids Absolutely Loved in the '60s

What were the snacks kids loved in the 1960s? The 1960s were a decade of innovation, beyond political intrigue and social turmoil. For an ordinary child, it was the decade of the space race. With this in mind, there were quite a few popular snacks that have endured into the modern day. Let’s take a closer look at seven of the most popular snacks to grace store shelves in the decade.

Fiddle Faddle

For a brief time in the 1960s, you couldn’t escape Fiddle Faddle. This is one of those snacks kids adored, and how couldn’t you? The concept is quite simple, it’s sweet and salty candy-coated popcorn. You can still find this lining shelves at your local retailer, usually hanging out with snacks like Cracker Jack.

Astronaut Ice Cream

kids snacks — *This is a fun treat at least once as a child.*
©Evan-Amos / Public domain - License

This is one of those enduring snacks kids just were utterly fascinated by in the 1960s. On paper, astronaut ice cream is a captivating food. Who doesn’t love the concept of shelf-stable ice cream? The reality is a bit more simplistic, as this is just a dairy product that’s been freeze-dried. That said, it’s still a fun if chalky treat for any kid.

Tang

Tang was the junky drink of the 1960s, and for good reason. It was closely associated with the space race, thanks to NASA. Interestingly, astronaut John Glenn popularized the drink during the 1960s. He was simply just getting past the awful taste of the on-board water in his space capsule. It ended up being the drink of choice for the space-loving child of the 1960s.

Quisp

There is no shortage of sugary crunchy cereals lining shelves these days. One of the snacks kids adored in the 1960s came in the form of Quisp. Quisp is anything but healthy but was a popular sugary cereal introduced by the Quaker Oats Company during the 1960s. This likely isn’t a daily breakfast choice, but you can still find it on store shelves.

Pop-Tarts

I have a serious soft spot for Pop-Tarts. The 1960s saw one of those enduring snacks kids adore with this ostensibly breakfast-themed treat. It is hard to deny the lure of a Pop-Tart, the fruit filling and easily portable package make it a great snack on the go. You’re wrong if you’re going for any flavor other than strawberry.

Eggo Waffles

Eggos — *You can make these in the toaster, which beats the waffle iron*
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©PenguinSnail / CC BY-SA 4.0 - License

Interestingly, Eggo Waffles got their start in the 1960s. Now, calling waffles a snack might be a bit of a stretch. However, it is important to keep in mind that nutritional guides weren’t quite as robust back then as they are now. So, while this was one of the snacks kids adored, it was treated as a healthy and wholesome breakfast food. While that might be true, you’d have to find the nutrition at the bottom of a pool of butter and syrup.

Starburst

Rounding out our list of treats is arguably the greatest fruit-flavored candy in existence. Interestingly, Starburst has more in common with common taffy than your traditional fruit candies. Rather than being a hard rock candy, these are chewy and juicy. There is quite a bit of debate over which flavor is the best, but one thing is certain: this is one of many snacks kids adore to this very day.