Do you remember the black, glossy wrapper of Mimi Chocolate? That small, rectangular piece of chocolate wasn’t fancy, but it promised instant joy with every bite. It melted in your mouth and stayed with you, leaving you wishing you had one more. Or maybe you remember Slanty, the tangy, spicy chanachur from Bombay Sweets. With the salt, the spice, and the crunch, it was more than just a snack. It was a feeling, a memory, an experience. 

Are your taste buds tingling yet? Are your eyes welling up a little from the nostalgia? If not, give it a minute. By the time you’re done reading this, you’ll be craving not just the food but the childhood that came with it. 

1. The chocolate favourites – If Mimi was the everyday hero, then Alpenliebe was that treat you saved for a moment of luxury. Sweet, chewy, and rich. It made your day just a little better. And who could forget Safari chocolate? Smooth and chocolaty with a crunch that made each bite exciting. It was the chocolate you’d look forward to on special days or when your father felt generous on a Friday. Then there was Poysha (coin) chocolate, shaped like real coins.  Wrapped in shiny foil. We didn’t just eat them; we played with them. We’d pretend they were gold, stash them in our pockets like treasure and only eat them when we couldn’t wait any longer. It was cheap, simple and unforgettable.
2. Savoury delights and snacks – No childhood was complete without a bag of chanachur. Not the packaged ones; I mean the proper, homemade-style chanachur from small shops. The kind with peas, corn and peanuts, mixed just the way you liked it. Shops like Yousuf’s or Muslim Bakery let you customise them. “Beshi jhal”, “beshi badam” and the guy mixing it always knew exactly what you meant. I remember finishing half a kilo in one sitting, only to get scolded later by my mother. Was it worth it? Every single time. And then there was Slanty. Its disappearance still hurts. Some of us are still hoping Bombay Sweets brings it back.
3. The unforgettable ice creams – Summer afternoons meant one thing – ice cream. And not just any ice cream, the real stars. The Ripple cake by Igloo felt so fancy. A creamy, cold cake wrapped in a big box, and we thought it was the most luxurious dessert on earth. But Ball Ice Cream was in a league of its own. That perfect scoop on a cone, usually vanilla. It felt like a reward you had to earn. My parents only allowed me to have one if I did well in exams. And when I did, that first bite tasted like pure heaven. And of course, Bloop Ice Cream. With its chewy, icy outside and soft insides, it lasted longer than any other. You had to work your way through it, which made it feel even more special, and to top it off, it says it helped reduce wastage.
4. Iconic childhood drinks – Mornings before school? That meant Milo, Ovaltine or Horlicks. Our mothers swore they’d make us stronger, smarter, and taller. All thanks to those clever TV ads. Truth is, we didn’t always love drinking them. But sneaking a spoonful of the powder straight from the jar? That was the real treat. Sweet and somehow better than the actual drink mixed with milk.
5. The feriwala and his box of wonders – The feriwala was a legend of the neighbourhood. On hot afternoons, he’d walk down the lane with a big red box swinging from his shoulder, calling out in a voice we’d never forget. Inside that box? Kulfi. Cold, creamy and perfect. That one stick of kulfi could turn your whole day around. Another feriwala sold sugar candy, stretching the warm, colourful syrup into long threads and wrapping them around a stick in different shapes. And who could forget the kotkoti-wala? He carried sheets of crunchy, caramelised sugar, snapping them into chunks with a crack that made every kid run to buy a piece. My mother still talks about them with a smile. Those were the sweets that stayed in our memory long after they melted on our tongue.

These weren’t just snacks. They were part of our childhood. They were the break between homework and play, the reward after a tough exam, the comfort of a monsoon afternoon or the celebration of a small win. And even if some of them are gone or harder to find now, the memories they gave us? Those are forever.