The 1980s were years of big hair, giant shoulder pads and fascinating food choices. From Vesta ready meals and frozen desserts to the launch of the now-legendary Chicken McNuggets, we take a stroll down memory lane to discover the best food launches and meals we all loved in the 1980s.
Click or scroll our gallery to discover British food favourites from the 1980s, counting down to the most nostalgic of the lot.
We've based our ranking on the enduring popularity of each food item in its place of origin and beyond, and on the opinions of our well-travelled (and well-fed) team. This list is unavoidably subjective.
Sure, you can’t beat a fresh tomato but when sun-dried tomatoes launched on menus and in jars at supermarkets in the 1980s, it expanded home cooks' repertoires for the better. A popular ingredient originating in Italy, sun-dried tomatoes are packed with an intense flavour and work brilliantly in pasta salads and as pizza toppings.
Bringing a taste of the classic seaside meal to the kitchen cupboard, Burton’s Fish ‘n’ Chips was an instant hit when it initially launched in the early 1980s. These mini fish and chip–shaped biscuits came in small bags, allowing consumers to have an authentic taste of the delicacy at home. A tasty snack with a serious punch, it was hard not to fall in love with each pack’s novelty factor.
Lining corner shop shelves since 1981, Nik Naks continues to be a beloved corn-based snack. Initially launched in a tangy cheese flavour, they were first introduced as Crunchy Wotsits before rebranding to Nik Naks. By the 1990s, the snack had expanded its offering with flavours such as Nice ‘n’ Spicy, Rib ‘n’ Saucy and Scampi ‘n’ Lemon, all still available today.
These pear-shaped bottles reached the UK in 1984. First launched in France in 1935, Orangina is a sparkling soft drink made with orange juice and pulp. It’s known for its bold advertising campaigns and catchphrases such as 'shake the bottle, wake the drink' and 'shake it to wake it'.
While it's thought pesto has been enjoyed in some form since the Roman times, the store cupboard staple shot to fame in Britain by the end of the 1980s. With the nation's fascination with regional Italian cooking rising, the sauce – made with basil, garlic, pine nuts and Parmesan – has been a hit ever since.
Müller may have only launched in the UK in the late 1980s but the yogurt brand quickly made an impression on the nation. The German brand offered a range of flavour-packed snacks, including the ever-popular Müller Corner. The mid-morning treat featured yogurt and a portioned section of flavoured fruity compote. Nowadays, the brand offers a range of flavours and styles, continuing to win over the UK.
One brand that helped pave the way for the chilled soup industry was New Covent Garden Soup Co. Launching in the late 1980s, the brand initially released its orange-hued Carrot and Coriander in its now-distinctive milk-shaped cartons. Nowadays, there is a whole range of tasty flavours, from Leek and Potato to Spiced Butternut.
Quick to make and easy to prep ahead, pasta salads were a real lifesaver when guests were obliged to bring a dish to a buffet or barbecue. Tri-colour pasta, olives and chopped veggies were all exciting additions – but really, there were no strict rules about what you could mix in. A sweet vinaigrette was the secret weapon that brought it all together.
Sure, you can’t go wrong with a bowl of Kellogg’s Corn Flakes, but when the cereal giant launched its Crunchy Nut range in 1980, breakfast lovers knew they were in for a real treat. This new product took the humble Corn Flake and added sugar, peanuts and honey for extra crunch and taste. The cereal continues to be a favourite enjoyed by the nation, with a newer Crunchy Nut Granola variety available today.
Joining the Cadbury family in 1981, this aerated chocolatey treat continues to be a family favourite today. It was briefly discontinued in 2003 but, following a successful campaign, the product is now available from supermarkets, corner shops and online stores once again. While the original chocolate flavour is hard to beat, a few different styles have launched over the years, from Mint to Orange.
Following a successful launch in the US, Hubba Bubba landed in the UK in the early 1980s and continues to be a big hit with bubblegum lovers. Any 1980s and 1990s kids will be able to remember chewing on this, competing with friends to see who could blow the biggest bubbles before they popped.
Delighting children and adults alike since the late 1950s, Findus Crispy Pancakes’ popularity continued to soar, peaking in the 1980s and 1990s. The perfect timesaver, this frozen product was usually served as an easy midweek dinner. They came in a range of flavours including Minced Beef and Ham and Cheese.
Another chocolate favourite to join the Cadbury family in the 1980s was the ever-popular Twirl. A twist on the classic Flake, this bar was invented at a Cadbury factory in Dublin and featured a crumbly flaked centre with a silky-smooth milk chocolate casing. It was initially launched as a single-finger bar, before quickly relaunching as the two-finger pack we still enjoy today.
These colourful biscuits have been a birthday party staple since their launch in 1983, and they continue to delight children thanks to their pastel-hued icing and crowd-pleasing sweetness. Released by Fox’s Biscuits, the ring-shaped biscuit hasn’t changed much since its initial launch but is now also available in miniature styles and a chocolate version.
Landing on the market at just 10p per packet, this corn and wheat-based snack continues to be a corner shop favourite. Released in 1987, Space Raiders remained at the same price before eventually increasing in 2007. The savoury treat comes in four tasty flavours including Beef, Pickled Onion, Spicy and Saucy BBQ.
Can you remember spelling out your name while you chowed through your frozen dinner? Birds Eye won big when it launched its Alphabites in the mid-1980s, winning over children and parents with these playful potato letters. The perfect midweek dinner saviour, the alphabet-style potato pieces have since been copied by other brands and continue to win over children's hearts.
It’s hard to imagine a time without this easy, ready-made pasta sauce but Dolmio first appeared in supermarkets in 1986. Inspired by Italian flavours, the tomato-based sauce helped boost pasta's popularity in the UK. Nowadays, Dolmio comes in a host of different styles from Carbonara and Bolognese to Tomato and Basil Meatballs sauce.
This simple chocolate bar – complete with a biscuit base and a toffee cream centre – was an instant hit when it launched in the 1980s. Initially released by Jacob’s, you’ll probably remember this bar thanks to its catchy ad campaign, which saw a cartoon character demand a bar, yelling: “Trio! Trio! I want a Trio and I want one now.” Despite initial success, the bar has since been discontinued.
You couldn’t go to any cocktail party without seeing a tray of these lining the buffet table. A popular snack during the 1980s and 1990s, this simple 'recipe' featured a cube of tinned pineapple and a cube of cheese (usually Cheddar or Edam) threaded onto a cocktail stick. Sometimes a small, pickled onion would also be added onto the stick.
Despite launching in the 1960s, Vesta’s ready meals continued to be a popular midweek staple for many British households throughout the 1970s and 1980s. Created by popular food brand Batchelors, the products came in a host of styles, including Beef Risotto, Chow Mein, Chicken Supreme and Paella. You can still pick up the ready meals in supermarkets today.
The American pizza brand everyone knows and loves landed on UK soil in 1985, opening its first location in Luton, Bedfordshire. The brand has gone on to become the world’s largest pizza-delivery service, with more than 1,200 stores across the UK and Ireland. Nowadays you can get everything from pepperoni pies to garlic-loaded pizza breads.
Launching in the US in 1979, the kid-friendly box finally travelled across the pond, eventually launching in the UK in 1986. Aimed at kids, the red and yellow cardboard box came complete with a choice of a burger, cheeseburger or McNuggets, small fries, a soft drink and a surprise toy. The Happy Meal is arguably one of McDonald’s most successful launches and continues to be a bestseller decades later.
No children’s birthday party was complete without a bowl full of jelly and ice cream. This simple dessert became an instant hit with little ones and its popularity continued to soar throughout the 1980s and early 2000s. The typical flavour combo of choice was strawberry jelly with a velvety vanilla ice cream, but you could really mix and match with whatever you liked. Topped off with a wafer, this dish is guaranteed to bring childhood memories flooding back.
One of the most famous drinks to be born in the 1980s, Diet Coke landed on supermarket shelves in 1983 and quickly became the low-calorie fizzy option to order at the bar. The following year, a caffeine-free version, Cherry Coke and Diet Cherry Coke launched. It continues to be a go-to choice for many Brits.
This breaded chicken dish – complete with a rich, garlic butter centre – dates as far back as the 19th century, but it wasn’t until British retailer Marks & Spencer launched its first ever ready meal in 1979 that the chicken Kiev became popular in the UK. From that day on, the dish has been a firm British household staple, with further supermarkets and brands launching similar iterations in the decades that followed.
Chicken McNuggets are now a Golden Arches classic enjoyed across the globe, and most people can't hit the drive-thru without picking up half a dozen. But it hasn't always been the case; in fact, the deep-fried chicken pieces only became available at UK franchises in 1984. Before that, chicken-lovers were eating bone-in chicken from the brand's competitors.
The height of sophistication, Viennetta won over the nation’s hearts when it first launched in 1981, gracing every dinner party table by the end of the decade. The frozen dessert featured creamy layers of vanilla ice cream and crispy thin shards of chocolate. Best served after it had thawed for a few minutes, its slogan rang true – one slice really wasn’t enough.