Food trends come and go, and nowhere is that more evident than in the lost dishes of the 80s and 90s. It was a time when dinner parties felt fancy if they involved vol-au-vents or pineapple and cheese on cocktail sticks, and when midweek meals came straight from the freezer aisle. And let’s not forget the puddings — when anything French-sounding seemed impossibly elegant, tinned fruit felt exotic, and everything was adorned with a glacé cherry.
Many of these meals were staples of family dinners, school canteens, or were considered the height of sophistication at your local restaurant. While some of these dishes linger on today, tucked away in the backs of cupboards or appearing on the occasional nostalgic menu, their glory days have long passed. Let’s take a trip down memory lane with 17 forgotten foods that once defined British dining in the 80s and 90s.
How many of these foods do you remember? Let us know in the comments.
Jam roly poly
A somewhat retro pudding is the jam roly poly. Perhaps ubitqutious with school lunches where they were smothered in thick custard, these desserts were popular, filling, and cheap. These traditional British puddings consist of a suet pastry dough spread with jam, rolled into a log, and steamed or baked.
(Image: Getty)
Blancmange
Blancmange was a wobbly dessert that sat proudly on the dining table long before panna cotta stole the show. A creamy, set pudding made from milk, sugar, and gelatin or cornstarch, it often came in pastel shades of pink or peach. Though its French name gave it an air of sophistication, it was a familiar fixture at children’s birthday parties throughout the 80s — often served straight from a mould.
(Image: Getty)
