35+ People Shared the Food That Reminds Them of Their Childhood

When you were a kid, there were very few things as exciting as hearing that ice cream truck jingle from a distance.

You’d run back inside to grab some change and head out in hopes to catch the truck in time before it turned off your street. That’s why people are often transported back to their youth when they take a bite from a 4th of July popsicle.

Spending days or summers with the grandparents is a wonderful memory that many people hold dear. There were some things that you would get at grandma and grandpa’s house that you just didn’t have access to when you were at home.

Many people equate this to certain candies, like butterscotch candies or gumdrops. There’s something about those sugar-coated sweets that just send you back to those sweet days.

On cool fall days, it was always great to come home to a warm soup or stew. There’s something about those flavors and textures that can bring you back to happy memories sitting around the table with the family.

Of these, beef stew may be the most memorable. And though every family would have their own recipe, the feelings that were inspired by eating it were the same — love and family.

Many families occasionally make breakfast for dinner. For some kids growing up, this is an exciting time because not only is the food delicious, but you get to eat things that you normally wouldn’t be able to during the evening hours.

For some families, that meant chipped beef — a form of beef that’s pressed, salted, dried, and sliced into thin pieces. When those kids grow up and find this dish again, it will definitely elicit some wonderful memories.

For those families who have a strong connection to their Italian heritage, there are many different meals that may trigger sweet memories. Of those, the one that’s possibly the most common is spaghetti with a homemade sauce.

The love and care that went into that sauce can bring back memories of mom or grandma in the kitchen, toiling away for hours to find just the right balance of herbs to perfect their special sauce.

Sometimes, memories aren’t produced by elaborate meals or pre-made things but rather experiences that you had with your loved ones. For instance, your grandmother or mother may have been a gardener and kept a beautiful fig tree in the backyard.

That might lead you to be taken back to a simpler time just by simply eating a nice, juicy, fresh fig. That seems to be what’s happening for this gentleman.

A nice cup of hot cocoa is a fine memory for almost any child. Every family may have their own little twist on the delicious wintertime beverage — and that’s what makes it a tradition.

For this person, this cup of hot chocolate takes them back to cold winter days; they’d curl up with their mom and watch the snowfall. We don’t know about you, but a nice hot cup of cocoa could really hit the spot right about now.

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. But because of hectic lives, many families have to figure out quick and easy ways to get the meal in.

That’s why many adults nowadays feel a sense of nostalgia whenever they spot Eggo waffles in the freezer section at the grocery store. Biting into one of these bad boys after you’ve toasted it can definitely have you yearning for the good old days.

Kids are typically a little pickier than adults when it comes to what they will and won’t eat. There are just some meals that scream kid-friendly, and one of those happens to be hot dogs. We don’t mean just any hot dog, though — a boiled hot dog.

Biting into a boiled hot dog that’s been mixed in with macaroni and cheese or even just slapped on a bun with some ketchup and mustard can definitely bring you back to childhood.

Mac ‘n’ cheese is another one of those meals that almost every kid across the globe likes. Sure, there may be variations of this dish, and some might like the boxed version versus a homemade version.

But, mac ‘n’ cheese is always present in most people’s memories. For many, the homemade version definitely brings back more nostalgia because these recipes tend to be family-specific.

During the summer, many families like to go outdoors and cook up meals. That’s why a lot of childhood favorites can be found at barbecues. For instance, when some people bite into that saucy barbecue chicken, they’re automatically transported back to their youth.

There’s something about the charred pieces and homemade sauce that simply can’t be beaten and always leads people into a trip to the past.

When you’re a kid, you want to be just like the adults, and that means drinking things that they drink. For many people who come from a family that’s very active, that might mean trying to drink something like Gatorade.

Gatorade isn’t necessarily great for a kid, though, so this family found a nice alternative by watering down some grape soda. Now, every time this person tastes grape soda, they’re transported back in time.

Some nostalgic meals happen at night when everybody can sit down around the dinner table. For others, the food that brings them back to their past the most is breakfast, and that typically means some sort of egg dish.

For this person, anytime they get an egg sunny-side up with some sausage, it’s one of those comfort meals that make them think about time spent at the breakfast table with their family.

Many kids were sent to school with homemade lunches that typically consisted of some sort of sandwich, chips, and a drink. That may lead them to be particularly reminiscent of the past when it comes to certain types of sandwiches.

This person just happens to feel that way anytime they bite into a tuna fish sandwich on white bread with a pickle on the side. We’re sure this only happens if that tuna fish sandwich is made just the way his mom used to make it, though.

Sometimes, nostalgic foods are found through travel. For kids who were lucky enough to either live in a foreign country or grow up with parents who loved to travel, they may have a diverse palate.

This person spent some time in Belgium, so anytime they bite into a sweet chocolate morsel like that, they’re instantly back on the road with their parents enjoying another adventure.

In many cultures, bread is a wonderful food that can trigger a variety of memories. For those who grew up in a Mexican household, mollete may be one of those foods that instantly takes them back to their childhood kitchen.

This bread with beans and cheese, often topped with some sort of salsa, can be the perfect comfort food for those who grew up with it. We’ve never tried it, but it definitely looks amazing!

There are multiple varieties of this delicious treat. But, for those who grew up with this delicacy, it can definitely be the perfect way to bring back the sweetest of memories. Biting into the crispy crust and soft egg-filled center and tasting just a hint of sweetness is enough to transport you back to simpler times.

We can definitely understand how a small treat like this could be something that brings up fond memories and makes you feel warm inside.

Holidays can be the biggest trigger when it comes to memories that are attached to foods. For instance, many families have get-togethers where there are several different types of desserts available.

In the United States, one of the pies that are almost always present is apple pie. When they bite into that warm dessert with either ice cream or cool whip, many people instantly begin to think about family get-togethers from the past.

Eggs and sausage are a staple in many different cultures when it comes to breakfast.

Those households that have a strong root in Mexican culture will definitely have had chorizo con huevos on the menu quite often. When they bite into this egg and sausage mixture, people immediately begin to think of memories from years gone by.

If you grew up in the South, you will definitely have had biscuits and gravy for breakfast. That homemade gravy that your mom slaved over for what felt like hours and those fluffy homemade buttermilk biscuits are definitely a household staple for many.

Having a big old plate of these with some sausage completes the whole meal, and can definitely be a way to pull at those heartstrings.

There’s something about making Jell-O and playing with it a bit before you eat it that just screams childhood for many of us. That is probably why people nowadays are instantly filled with a sense of nostalgia when they bite into that sweet gelatin snack.

There’s not much to it and it’s definitely not the healthiest, but we can understand why it’s a popular treat. Plus, there’s a sense of joy that overtakes you when you peel back that aluminum cover and dip your spoon in.

Many kids rush through their meals just to get their dessert. If you came from a place that was well-known for their peaches — or had access to juicy peaches — one of these desserts was probably peach cobbler.

If that was you, then biting into the sweet treat fills you with all sorts of warm feelings — especially if it’s topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. This sounds so good!

Toast and eggs go hand-in-hand when it comes to breakfast. There are many different variations, but perhaps one of the most beloved is egg soldiers.

Taking a piece of toasted bread and dipping it in a soft-boiled egg might just be the most beloved childhood memory for some. This breakfast may have originated in United Kingdom. But, it definitely branched out and has become a popular kids’ breakfast.

It’s always fun when you can have a drink with your parents and feel like you’re one of the adults. Though there’s an adult beverage called Shirley Temple, many kids have fond memories of the virgin kind.

A sparkling soda with a bit of grenadine and some maraschino cherries definitely makes for a refreshing and sweet treat that could bring back a wave of fun memories.

Many kids have fond memories of summers, not only because it was the time when families took a vacation, but also because they didn’t have school and got to play all day — every day. One of the treats many kids got ahold of during this time was Otter Pops.

That’s why no matter how old they are, if people get their hands on one of them now, they grab their favorite color and begin to tell stories of times gone by.

Sometimes, for kids who grew up in a busy household, pasta was always something that was readily available. To make things more exciting, many moms added their own special touches.

Some of them actually made it into a Tex-Mex meal to give a little bit of variety. That’s why a lot of adults take a bite of chili mac and wind up feeling giddy.

For many people, when they head over to grandma and grandpa’s house, they know that they’re going to find a delicious treat ready for them. For some, this often means delicious shortbread cookies.

Taking these delicious treats and dipping them in cocoa or even tea can definitely bring back some nostalgic feelings for many. Whether they were just plain or sugared, these little cookies are definitely very memorable.

Pierogies are delicious little dumplings from Eastern Europe that are filled with a variety of different things. They’re often served with caramelized onions and sour cream for dipping.

For kids who grew up in a household with an Eastern European background, it’s inevitable that pierogies would be one of those foods you just crave when you want a piece of home.

It may seem simple — some ground beef, onions, and a little bit of tomato sauce — but meatloaf is one of those meals that many people consider nostalgic.

Paired with some mashed potatoes, steamed veggies, and a salad, it makes for quite a memory-inducing meal. Whether people order it at a restaurant or have it right at home, meatloaf can bring back memories.

A one-pan meal can be a lifesaver for a family that has two working parents. Because this has become more and more prominent over the past few decades, meals like tuna noodle casserole have found a place amongst the plethora of nostalgic foods.

Every family may has a slight variation, but they’re all basically the same — and when you bite into it, it may have you feeling some type of way.

Any type of soup can potentially produce different types of memories. For those who grew up in an Italian household, we’re sure that Pastina is definitely on that list. Though Pastina refers to the pasta part of the dish, when most people talk about it, they’re talking about the soup itself.

This soup is simply made using vegetable stock, Pastina pasta, and a broken-up egg. A spoonful of this yummy soup is definitely the way to some people’s hearts.

Sometimes, when everybody is very busy, quick and easy is the key to making sure everybody has a filling meal.

For many households, that means prepackaged meals such as Hamburger Helper. Easily made from scratch, there’s something about biting into the pasta that can transport you back in time.

There are just some meals that you ate regularly through your childhood that found their way into your heart. One of these could very well be cabbage rolls, especially if you’re from an Eastern European heritage.

These delicious, stuffed cabbage leaves are usually topped with some sort of tomato sauce and served with sour cream. One bite of that mixture often makes you remember fond memories.

Traditions and foods don’t only vary around the world, but also from region to region in the U.S. Pinto beans and cornbread is a southern staple. This is a meal that’s often served during special occasions and is usually paired with collard greens.

That’s why many kids who grew up in the South bite into this simple dish and wind up reminiscing.

Many kids grow up in households with a tighter budget. Because of this, there are many dishes that come from simple ingredients that bring back memories of their youth.

Rice and soy sauce are both cheap! That’s why a lot of people have a nostalgic fondness for a bowl of simple white rice with soy sauce on it. We honestly think that sounds good right about now!