Everything old is new again

Old fashioned foods that are making a big comeback

Is it just us or is Australia on a bit of a road trip down memory lane? 

For the last twelve months, our social media feeds have been laden with images of foods from yesteryear. Rather than Insta worthy restaurant fare, we’re seeing old family favourites that tug mercilessly at the heartstrings of nostalgia. 

Is it the pandemic and the constant upheavals making us crave the familiar?

This week, we’re taking a look at some childhood favourites that are making their way back onto our plates (and social media feeds).

Chocolate crackles

These crunchy, chocolatey delights were a staple of every child’s birthday party and school fetes across the country. Quick and easy to make, a grown up just had to melt the copha and then the kids could do the rest. The perfect introduction to cooking.

Stickjaw toffees

Another childhood favourite that were, literally, sugar in a patty pan. Another crowd favourite at school fetes, they were snapped up by everyone’s grandparents and elderly neighbours. Plus, if you didn’t almost crack a tooth, or lose a loose tooth while tucking into a sticky toffee, did you even have a childhood? 

Cheese fondue

Nothing says 70’s dinner party chic like a cheese fondue. Except maybe a pickled onion on a toothpick. We wrote about all things fondue a few weeks ago to celebrate Fondue Day on April 11 and we’re still here for it. If there’s anything better than dipping bread into melted cheese, it’s yet to be discovered.

Bangers, mash and onion gravy

You know it’s a thing when your childhood favourite has made its way back onto pub menus. We recently went to a pub for dinner and for the princely sum of $15, a ‘hearty plate of bangers, mash and special onion gravy’ could be ours.

20 minutes later, a huge plate of creamy mashed potatoes, two of the biggest sausages we’ve ever seen and a sea of thick, onion gravy was plonked down on the table. The envious stares of those who ordered the steak, chips and salad made the meal taste even better. 

Zucchini slice

Every Aussie kid has gobbled down this slice without ever realising it found its way into our lunchboxes regularly because it was chockers full of all the good foods we wouldn’t eat any other way. Eggs, zucchini, onion and bacon. Mums and dads were the ultimate clever clogs when it came to nutritious food sneakiness.

Curried sausages

Although we’ve yet to see them on a pub menu, curried sausages are right up there with bangers and mash when it comes to nostalgic comfort food. With secret family recipes ready (some swear a handful of sultanas makes the difference) and the cold weather approaching, we’re keen to tuck into some curried sausages once again.