Snacks

That Raised An Entire Generation Of ‘90s Kids

Quick Summary

Relive nostalgia this Children’s Day with some snacks straight from the childhood of the '90s kids, who survived everything from street stall food items with fishy origins to packaged foods that were not too healthy. If you remember Peppy Chips, Uncle Chips or even the sour ‘tota keri chaat’, then this one’s for you.

Deep Dive

If you grew up in the '90s, your childhood snack shelf, or at least the snacks you got to much on (whether openly or hiding from your parents), was fantastic. Nothing beats the nostalgia of opening up a packet of chips or waiting at stalls outside school as your favourite vendor tossed a chatpata chaat. Maybe the sweets had more variety, but the snacks were no less, and most of them are still sold today. From the two-minute magic of Maggi to the tangy-spiciness of tota keri chaat, these bites didn’t just fill hungry tummies – they created lifelong memories.

Instant Noodles

Instant noodles were a defining food trend of the 90s—quick, affordable, and endlessly comforting. For an entire generation, they became the go-to meal for midnight cravings, hostel life, and after-school hunger pangs. They were easy to make and even easier to love, symbolising a new kind of convenience that resonated with India’s changing pace. For many 90s kids, a bowl of instant noodles still evokes a sense of nostalgia.

Peppy Chips

It might not be as big as Lays or Kurkure, but Peppy Chips has been around for several years, sold in retail shops and on street corners by your favourite shopkeeper. There’s also a mascot on the packs, wearing a cowboy hat in blue and orange overalls, flexing his bicep. The popular ones from this brand are Peppy tomato discs, Piknik tomato chilli and Peppy cheese balls. The snacks are mostly made with wheat, soy, and tapioca, usually in combination and flavoured. It’s often marketed as a modern, slightly healthier alternative to traditional fried potato chips.

Fryums

No brand association here, fryums are something that still flits in and out of daily Indian meals, and can still be seen in office and hostel canteens. These papads of sorts tend to be made with potato or corn starch, along with flours from rice, wheat, or legumes. These are sun-dried and then deep-fried until they puff up and are crunchy. They are often available in colourful shapes that expand when deep‑fried and are typically served as a casual snack or accompaniment to meals. They are still sold by mobile vendors on trains, buses and fairs and even in local marketplaces.

Uncle Chips

With most iconic products, it’s the jingle that stays with you. Uncle Chips did the trick quite well with the memorable tagline ‘Bole mere lips, I love Uncle Chips’. Most of 90’s kids will remember the ads, and if not, all it’ll take is checking the back side of the chips where the same rhyme is still printed. As for this local potato‑chips brand, it launched in 1992 under Amrit Agro Ltd and was later acquired by Frito‑Lay (a division of PepsiCo) in 2000. Initially predominant in North India, the brand aimed at pan‑India distribution from 2010 onwards, and was a pioneer of nitrogen‑foil packed chips in India. 

Parle G

With their ‘G for Genius’ jingle, India’s legendary glucose biscuit brand, launched in 1939 (originally as Parle Gluco), is owned and manufactured by Parle Products. Renowned for its distinctive yellow wrapper featuring an illustration of a young girl, the biscuit has become a symbol of affordability, nostalgia and a widely accessible tea‑time snack across socioeconomic strata. But, like every wheat biscuit, dip one of these into hot chai and it’ll snap into two. As of the early 2010s, Parle‑G achieved the status of one of the world’s largest-selling biscuits by volume.

Chana Jor Garam

A popular Indian street snack that is made from roasted and flattened chickpeas (chana), chana jor garam is served warm in little parcels that get a sprinkling of masalas and a squeeze of lemon juice. Some vendors might also mix things up and serve it with a medley of chopped onions, tomatoes, green chillies, and lemon juice. It might remind most 90s kids of an after-school treat or something to pick up during lunch break outside school or even college. The smell of a smoking coal pot with a hint of kerosene is what might remind one of the bygone days.

Spicy Raw Mangoes

You might know this one as ‘tota keri chaat’ or raw mango chaat that is seen sold by hawkers, yes, even now, with salt and chilli powder rubbed over the mango pieces. That’s about it, it is sold in little newspaper or plastic plate parcels and is a ‘chatpata’ treat that broke the monotony of a rigorous school day for many. While this might not be as eye-catching as the gol gappa or chaat stands, it was still a cheaper alternative for those who loved their sour and spicy treats. 

Peanuts masala

Peanuts came in many forms, and even in the ebb and flow of new-meets-old, they took many forms, from being roasted to being boiled. It’s one of the simplest and cheapest consistent snack staples, wherever you go. It’s fun to grab a pack and munch on them during fairs and cold winter nights or just by the beach. The vendors still sell them in different spots where the buzz of school and office goers trickles in and out.

A Bite of Nostalgia

Treat your inner child or share nostalgia with your progeny this Children’s Day. Whether it was the crunch of Uncle Chips, the spicy kick of chana jor garam, or the comforting snap of a Parle‑G dunked in chai, these snacks were more than just food. And today, they stand as a reminder that happiness can come in small, crispy, and sometimes messy packages.