"And I took that personally."
April 3, 2023 7:14 PM Subscribe
Can you help us out with 90s themed dinner menu suggestions?
My favorite cousin brother missed The Last Dance (he was working a billion hours a week at the Postal Service while most of us were hunkered down), so we're going to turn our normal Sunday evening dinners into Last Dance watch parties for awhile. I've had the ridiculous idea to make 90s themed dinners, but... even though I came of age in the 90s, I do not remember what we were eating (other than the stromboli was the best thing in my high school cafeteria and my freshman RA was right, breakfast was the best meal of the day in the dining hall).
So, dearest green... what would you make for a 90s themed dinner? You can assume
- a well stocked pantry and freezer, good local supermarkets (Southern U.S. edition), very good local international markets, and a willingness to order ingredients on the internet if all else fails
- fairly adventuresome eaters (my wife draws the line at cleaning chitlins, but not eating them) and for the purposes of this question, no food limitations that I can't substitute around
- however, we're also happy eating kitschy food; we eat a lot of nice food and a lot of salads and a lot of stoner food, by turns
- most kitchen gadgets
- a wife and a cousin who happily eat my cooking, even if it's not always perfect, and a moderately skillful cook
- a willingness to be a little extra for this project, as cousin is moving out of the country in the fall and we're trying to do fun stuff this summer
Thanks y'all, as always; this is one of the best places on the internet.
My favorite cousin brother missed The Last Dance (he was working a billion hours a week at the Postal Service while most of us were hunkered down), so we're going to turn our normal Sunday evening dinners into Last Dance watch parties for awhile. I've had the ridiculous idea to make 90s themed dinners, but... even though I came of age in the 90s, I do not remember what we were eating (other than the stromboli was the best thing in my high school cafeteria and my freshman RA was right, breakfast was the best meal of the day in the dining hall).
So, dearest green... what would you make for a 90s themed dinner? You can assume
- a well stocked pantry and freezer, good local supermarkets (Southern U.S. edition), very good local international markets, and a willingness to order ingredients on the internet if all else fails
- fairly adventuresome eaters (my wife draws the line at cleaning chitlins, but not eating them) and for the purposes of this question, no food limitations that I can't substitute around
- however, we're also happy eating kitschy food; we eat a lot of nice food and a lot of salads and a lot of stoner food, by turns
- most kitchen gadgets
- a wife and a cousin who happily eat my cooking, even if it's not always perfect, and a moderately skillful cook
- a willingness to be a little extra for this project, as cousin is moving out of the country in the fall and we're trying to do fun stuff this summer
Thanks y'all, as always; this is one of the best places on the internet.
Yeah, I was going to say SnackWell’s but they apparently shut down last year.
posted by staggernation at 7:25 PM on April 3, 2023 [3 favorites]
posted by staggernation at 7:25 PM on April 3, 2023 [3 favorites]
Oh wow this seems like a perfect occasion to whip out the fanciest food of all human existence: The Viennetta.
I'm drawing a blank now on all of the trendy foodstuffs. Sun-dried tomatoes! Artichoke hearts in everything! Chicken on pizza.
posted by We put our faith in Blast Hardcheese at 7:27 PM on April 3, 2023 [26 favorites]
I'm drawing a blank now on all of the trendy foodstuffs. Sun-dried tomatoes! Artichoke hearts in everything! Chicken on pizza.
posted by We put our faith in Blast Hardcheese at 7:27 PM on April 3, 2023 [26 favorites]
PIZZA BAGELS.
posted by We put our faith in Blast Hardcheese at 7:28 PM on April 3, 2023 [13 favorites]
posted by We put our faith in Blast Hardcheese at 7:28 PM on April 3, 2023 [13 favorites]
Meatless baked ziti.
Pesto on pizza.
Lava cakes!
Those baked goat cheese thingies.
posted by praemunire at 7:33 PM on April 3, 2023 [4 favorites]
Pesto on pizza.
Lava cakes!
Those baked goat cheese thingies.
posted by praemunire at 7:33 PM on April 3, 2023 [4 favorites]
Here's a Le Cirque menu from 1992, for the try-hard portion of the festivities.
posted by praemunire at 7:35 PM on April 3, 2023
posted by praemunire at 7:35 PM on April 3, 2023
Beverages must include Sunny-D!
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 7:35 PM on April 3, 2023 [3 favorites]
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 7:35 PM on April 3, 2023 [3 favorites]
Let's refer to Saturday Night Live for its 90s relevance. Looks like you're in for sloppy joes, Schweddy balls, and Crystal gravy.
posted by (F)utility at 7:39 PM on April 3, 2023 [3 favorites]
posted by (F)utility at 7:39 PM on April 3, 2023 [3 favorites]
Kid cuisine tv dinners? I wanted to say ecto-cooler hi-c but it's been discontinued, but Clearly Canadian made a comeback recently, so maybe that for a drink. 3-D Doritos also recently came back from the dead. Snackwells, discontinued as someone mentioned above - but here's a copycat recipe.
posted by carlypennylane at 7:43 PM on April 3, 2023 [2 favorites]
posted by carlypennylane at 7:43 PM on April 3, 2023 [2 favorites]
California roll (sushi)
Chicken fingers - but good ones, freshly prepared (vegetarian options definitely permitted). I think of the 90s as the dawn of chicken fingers.
Blooming onion
Calzone. Oh how I want a calzone. A good one, freshly prepared.
Wasn't the 90s the dawn of hot wings too? Vegetarian options permitted, of course.
Lean Cuisine!
Frozen chicken pot pie!
posted by amtho at 7:44 PM on April 3, 2023 [4 favorites]
Chicken fingers - but good ones, freshly prepared (vegetarian options definitely permitted). I think of the 90s as the dawn of chicken fingers.
Blooming onion
Calzone. Oh how I want a calzone. A good one, freshly prepared.
Wasn't the 90s the dawn of hot wings too? Vegetarian options permitted, of course.
Lean Cuisine!
Frozen chicken pot pie!
posted by amtho at 7:44 PM on April 3, 2023 [4 favorites]
Zima
posted by lyssabee at 7:55 PM on April 3, 2023 [6 favorites]
posted by lyssabee at 7:55 PM on April 3, 2023 [6 favorites]
Sundried tomatoes.
posted by Dip Flash at 8:00 PM on April 3, 2023 [8 favorites]
posted by Dip Flash at 8:00 PM on April 3, 2023 [8 favorites]
Stacked foods! Made with those little rings and everything, that was so fun!
Also, sundried tomatoes were huge. Huge!
posted by mochapickle at 8:00 PM on April 3, 2023 [6 favorites]
Also, sundried tomatoes were huge. Huge!
posted by mochapickle at 8:00 PM on April 3, 2023 [6 favorites]
It'd be awesome if you could find some Wow!/Olean chips, but the FDA would probably raid your party if you did.
posted by praemunire at 8:15 PM on April 3, 2023 [2 favorites]
posted by praemunire at 8:15 PM on April 3, 2023 [2 favorites]
-Honey-mustard flavored anything
-Balsamic vinegar
-Kudos bars (or whatever chocolate covered granola bar you like)
-Various nonfat carbs (popcorn, potatoes, etc.) seasoned with fat-free butter-flavored powder
-Dolphin-safe tuna
-Snapple
-Anything kiwi-strawberry flavored
-Go-Gurt
-“Asian” chicken salad
-Barbecued chicken pizza
-Frozen yogurt
-Any kind of grilled, marinated chicken breast
-Goat cheese
-Pine nuts
-Stuffed crust pizza
-Focaccia
-I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter
-Arugula
-Angel hair pasta was very trendy, especially with chopped tomato and fresh basil
(Disclaimer: my experience of food in the 1990s speaks to a very specific time and place and things that were fresh and novel in my suburban neighborhood were likely old hat in many others.)
posted by corey flood at 8:19 PM on April 3, 2023 [17 favorites]
-Balsamic vinegar
-Kudos bars (or whatever chocolate covered granola bar you like)
-Various nonfat carbs (popcorn, potatoes, etc.) seasoned with fat-free butter-flavored powder
-Dolphin-safe tuna
-Snapple
-Anything kiwi-strawberry flavored
-Go-Gurt
-“Asian” chicken salad
-Barbecued chicken pizza
-Frozen yogurt
-Any kind of grilled, marinated chicken breast
-Goat cheese
-Pine nuts
-Stuffed crust pizza
-Focaccia
-I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter
-Arugula
-Angel hair pasta was very trendy, especially with chopped tomato and fresh basil
(Disclaimer: my experience of food in the 1990s speaks to a very specific time and place and things that were fresh and novel in my suburban neighborhood were likely old hat in many others.)
posted by corey flood at 8:19 PM on April 3, 2023 [17 favorites]
Jalapeno poppers
"Toaster strudel" (those gross upscale fake PopTarts)
posted by daisystomper at 8:21 PM on April 3, 2023 [4 favorites]
"Toaster strudel" (those gross upscale fake PopTarts)
posted by daisystomper at 8:21 PM on April 3, 2023 [4 favorites]
I will call your balsamic vinegar and raise you a small dish of olive oil mixed with a swirl of balsamic for dipping your Italian bread, probably ciabatta, into.
posted by mhum at 8:29 PM on April 3, 2023 [20 favorites]
posted by mhum at 8:29 PM on April 3, 2023 [20 favorites]
The most '90s food product of all was Lunchables, which is ripe for all sorts of bizarre segmented charcuterie reinterpretations.
posted by eschatfische at 8:29 PM on April 3, 2023 [6 favorites]
posted by eschatfische at 8:29 PM on April 3, 2023 [6 favorites]
String cheese as far as the eye could seeeeeeee!
posted by mochapickle at 8:33 PM on April 3, 2023 [3 favorites]
posted by mochapickle at 8:33 PM on April 3, 2023 [3 favorites]
In the late 90s, fondue was a whole trend! I was invited to a birthday party in middle school that was a fondue party (tweens with hot oil oh dear) and slumber party combined, it was pretty awesome. Apparently the adults did boozy fondue in the kitchen while us kids poked each other with skewers in the living room. I was even gifted a fondue set and cookbook for my 14th birthday from a new friend who didn’t know me all that well but knew I liked unusual foods.
In the 90s my family was full of adventurous eaters and we were the folks that introduced our friends to them. Location: northern Virginia, about fifteen minutes outside of DC.
When I was little, my class did a couple weeks of Japanese history and my mom brought in sushi for everybody to try - it was just California rolls, tamagoyaki, cucumber rolls, and I think shrimp, since those are cooked. Maybe three other kids in class had had sushi before. It was actually a big hit! I remember being disappointed that my mom didn’t bring any “real” sushi for me to eat, so you could totally go for some classic raw maki and nigiri too.
Other things I recall the friends of me and my brother being intrigued, baffled, or excited by: chicken cutlets in tomato sauce with spaghetti, lox and bagel (from Costco or whatever the 90s equivalent was), cool ranch Doritos, turkey bacon (low fat!!!!! 😡), crunchy taco night, sun dried tomatoes and pesto on pizza crust, chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream, Ben and Jerry’s phish food ice cream, and almond biscotti.
posted by Mizu at 8:34 PM on April 3, 2023 [2 favorites]
In the 90s my family was full of adventurous eaters and we were the folks that introduced our friends to them. Location: northern Virginia, about fifteen minutes outside of DC.
When I was little, my class did a couple weeks of Japanese history and my mom brought in sushi for everybody to try - it was just California rolls, tamagoyaki, cucumber rolls, and I think shrimp, since those are cooked. Maybe three other kids in class had had sushi before. It was actually a big hit! I remember being disappointed that my mom didn’t bring any “real” sushi for me to eat, so you could totally go for some classic raw maki and nigiri too.
Other things I recall the friends of me and my brother being intrigued, baffled, or excited by: chicken cutlets in tomato sauce with spaghetti, lox and bagel (from Costco or whatever the 90s equivalent was), cool ranch Doritos, turkey bacon (low fat!!!!! 😡), crunchy taco night, sun dried tomatoes and pesto on pizza crust, chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream, Ben and Jerry’s phish food ice cream, and almond biscotti.
posted by Mizu at 8:34 PM on April 3, 2023 [2 favorites]
The 90s was high school and the most memorable hot breakfast/lunch were:
Pizza puff
French toast sticks
Beef bubbly (hot beef sandwich)
posted by Constance Mirabella at 9:00 PM on April 3, 2023 [1 favorite]
Pizza puff
French toast sticks
Beef bubbly (hot beef sandwich)
posted by Constance Mirabella at 9:00 PM on April 3, 2023 [1 favorite]
Make soup but periodically shout "No soup for you!" at various guests.
posted by socialjusticeworrier at 9:32 PM on April 3, 2023 [5 favorites]
posted by socialjusticeworrier at 9:32 PM on April 3, 2023 [5 favorites]
Stacked food is a really good answer, I couldn't tell you how many seared ahi towers I must have eaten in the late 90s. Also, I do feel like I ate a lot more calamari in the 90s than I do now.
For me, the stereotypical 90s dinner entree has always been grilled mahi-mahi with a fruit (pineapple) salsa, but that is probably affected by the restaurants I worked in back then and may not be universal. I sold so much mahi-mahi in the 90s.
For cocktails, big colorful drinks in big martini glasses like cosmos and lemon drops and lots of too sweet shooters. There was a 90s trend of martini menus with classic martinis and then a bunch of variations like green apple martinis and chocolate martinis. Or the Ab Fab martini, which is Champagne with a shot of Stoli in it.
posted by ActingTheGoat at 9:41 PM on April 3, 2023 [11 favorites]
For me, the stereotypical 90s dinner entree has always been grilled mahi-mahi with a fruit (pineapple) salsa, but that is probably affected by the restaurants I worked in back then and may not be universal. I sold so much mahi-mahi in the 90s.
For cocktails, big colorful drinks in big martini glasses like cosmos and lemon drops and lots of too sweet shooters. There was a 90s trend of martini menus with classic martinis and then a bunch of variations like green apple martinis and chocolate martinis. Or the Ab Fab martini, which is Champagne with a shot of Stoli in it.
posted by ActingTheGoat at 9:41 PM on April 3, 2023 [11 favorites]
OMG - the "low fat" comment made me remember:
rice cakes
rice cakes rice cakes rice cakes
NOTHING is more 90s than rice cakes.
Except possibly rice cakes with peanut butter spread on them to make them more bearable.
posted by amtho at 9:48 PM on April 3, 2023 [18 favorites]
rice cakes
rice cakes rice cakes rice cakes
NOTHING is more 90s than rice cakes.
Except possibly rice cakes with peanut butter spread on them to make them more bearable.
posted by amtho at 9:48 PM on April 3, 2023 [18 favorites]
Hummus and chicken shawarma were the most important discoveries for me in the 90s (sadly had been unaware of them before then), may be a me thing
I feel like poutine made it big in Canada outside of Quebec in the 90s (I think something similar in the US was disco fries?).
Mike’s Hard Lemonade, wine coolers, rosé wine, Prosecco
posted by cotton dress sock at 9:53 PM on April 3, 2023 [3 favorites]
I feel like poutine made it big in Canada outside of Quebec in the 90s (I think something similar in the US was disco fries?).
Mike’s Hard Lemonade, wine coolers, rosé wine, Prosecco
posted by cotton dress sock at 9:53 PM on April 3, 2023 [3 favorites]
Hash! More hash than weed
posted by cotton dress sock at 9:54 PM on April 3, 2023
posted by cotton dress sock at 9:54 PM on April 3, 2023
There is a whole channel of Jacques Pepin's Today's Gourmet on Youtube, which aired from 1991-1993. Everything is tragically low fat and low in salt. Pears poached in coffee. Spaghetti with red pepper sauce. Seared halibut in rice paper. Baked pasta with vegetables.
posted by Lycaste at 10:26 PM on April 3, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by Lycaste at 10:26 PM on April 3, 2023 [1 favorite]
Focaccia, molten chocolate cake/lava cake, sun dried tomatoes in anything, kiwis- especially paired with strawberries. A white chocolate tart topped with kiwis and strawberries would be perfect.
posted by oneirodynia at 10:32 PM on April 3, 2023 [2 favorites]
posted by oneirodynia at 10:32 PM on April 3, 2023 [2 favorites]
raspberry vinaigrette
Lots of coffee and hot coffee drinks
posted by Toddles at 10:44 PM on April 3, 2023 [3 favorites]
Lots of coffee and hot coffee drinks
posted by Toddles at 10:44 PM on April 3, 2023 [3 favorites]
Bellinis
Big, oaky chardonnays
Baked brie, probably en croute, possibly with some kind of fruit compote
Caesar salads
Crème brûlée
Caprese salads
Stromboli
Salads with little rounds of fried goat cheese (probably also pecans or other nuts and balsamic vinegar dressing)
Tuna tartare (stacked or not)
Emeril
Wolfgang Puck
Salsa overtook ketchup in popularity
Nth-ing focaccia, chocolate lava cakes, calamari, sushi, "Asian" chicken salads, BBQ chicken pizza
Pesto and sun-dried tomatoes were still very popular but I think of them as more 80s trends.
posted by magicbus at 10:49 PM on April 3, 2023 [5 favorites]
Big, oaky chardonnays
Baked brie, probably en croute, possibly with some kind of fruit compote
Caesar salads
Crème brûlée
Caprese salads
Stromboli
Salads with little rounds of fried goat cheese (probably also pecans or other nuts and balsamic vinegar dressing)
Tuna tartare (stacked or not)
Emeril
Wolfgang Puck
Salsa overtook ketchup in popularity
Nth-ing focaccia, chocolate lava cakes, calamari, sushi, "Asian" chicken salads, BBQ chicken pizza
Pesto and sun-dried tomatoes were still very popular but I think of them as more 80s trends.
posted by magicbus at 10:49 PM on April 3, 2023 [5 favorites]
Oh gosh how could I forget? Starbucks reached national prominence in the 90s.
posted by Mizu at 11:20 PM on April 3, 2023 [3 favorites]
posted by Mizu at 11:20 PM on April 3, 2023 [3 favorites]
Oh yeah salads - except they're "salads" that are actually something else (chicken, cream sauce, pasta, beans) that happens to be cold and to have some green vegetable in there somewhere. Like, add lettuce and call it healthy - a way of "blessing" whatever you really wanted to eat by making it _sound_ healthy...then being surprised when it didn't actually lead to better health or weight loss.
posted by amtho at 11:22 PM on April 3, 2023
posted by amtho at 11:22 PM on April 3, 2023
Desserts served in martini glasses
posted by brujita at 11:32 PM on April 3, 2023 [2 favorites]
posted by brujita at 11:32 PM on April 3, 2023 [2 favorites]
Is there any way you can get hold of soft-serve frozen yogurt?
posted by amtho at 12:43 AM on April 4, 2023 [2 favorites]
posted by amtho at 12:43 AM on April 4, 2023 [2 favorites]
Has no one yet mentioned portabella mushrooms? You could grill them in balsamic vinaigrette and then make an open-faced sandwich like in that stacked foods link above, with pesto, sundried tomato, roasted red pepper, frisee, and goat cheese.
posted by slidell at 1:35 AM on April 4, 2023 [10 favorites]
posted by slidell at 1:35 AM on April 4, 2023 [10 favorites]
Boboli pizza shells! Remember Boboli? They were a revelation in an age where frozen pizza was still incredibly primitive. It was pretty much just Tombstone and Red Baron back then, the kind that even though you cooked them all the way through they somehow still tasted frozen.
Enter Boboli, where you buy the pizza shell in that big wide plastic bag and you add your own sundried tomatoes and sliced white button mushrooms and a jar of sauce and a heap of cheese, and by the time you put it all together it's just as expensive as restaurant pizza but you have the pride of gnawing through an inch-thick slab of something not unlike pizza that you made yourself! And also, you never have to leave your house. Which back then was amazing.
I was delighted to find that you can still get them. There's even a search tool. I'm totally making one this week and I am going to wash it down with some Clearly Canadian.
posted by mochapickle at 3:25 AM on April 4, 2023 [16 favorites]
Enter Boboli, where you buy the pizza shell in that big wide plastic bag and you add your own sundried tomatoes and sliced white button mushrooms and a jar of sauce and a heap of cheese, and by the time you put it all together it's just as expensive as restaurant pizza but you have the pride of gnawing through an inch-thick slab of something not unlike pizza that you made yourself! And also, you never have to leave your house. Which back then was amazing.
I was delighted to find that you can still get them. There's even a search tool. I'm totally making one this week and I am going to wash it down with some Clearly Canadian.
posted by mochapickle at 3:25 AM on April 4, 2023 [16 favorites]
For UK food from the 1990s, at least in my family, you want Delia Smith's books, for which archive.org has you covered: Summer, Winter, Christmas. Balsamic vinegar, sun-dried tomatoes and hearty salads galore. The Christmas book includes the Little Sticky Toffee Puddings recipe which has since (rightly) become a classic.
All of these were originally TV series, which archive.org also has: Summer (1993), Winter (1996), Christmas (1994).
posted by offog at 3:51 AM on April 4, 2023
All of these were originally TV series, which archive.org also has: Summer (1993), Winter (1996), Christmas (1994).
posted by offog at 3:51 AM on April 4, 2023
Towards the end of your target period but Nigella Lawson - How to eat (1999), Nigella Bites (2002), the latter was accompanied by a TV show and you can find episodes on YT.
posted by koahiatamadl at 4:11 AM on April 4, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by koahiatamadl at 4:11 AM on April 4, 2023 [1 favorite]
It just BARELY makes the 90's (episode aired on Thanksgiving '99) but you could make Rachel's Thanksgiving Trifle from Friends.
posted by Gray Duck at 5:06 AM on April 4, 2023
posted by Gray Duck at 5:06 AM on April 4, 2023
The 90's was the heyday of "put 'Italian' dressing on a chicken breast and then bake or grill it and that's a meal."
Along those lines, you could try to recreate Chicken Tonight.
posted by saladin at 5:56 AM on April 4, 2023 [3 favorites]
Along those lines, you could try to recreate Chicken Tonight.
posted by saladin at 5:56 AM on April 4, 2023 [3 favorites]
I know it's technically 1989 but my mind went straight to paté, well-prepared but served early so no one has to motor to make that funeral.
posted by less-of-course at 6:36 AM on April 4, 2023 [4 favorites]
posted by less-of-course at 6:36 AM on April 4, 2023 [4 favorites]
Also at some point they brought back Zima though I don't know if it lasted.
posted by less-of-course at 6:38 AM on April 4, 2023
posted by less-of-course at 6:38 AM on April 4, 2023
Ctrl-F "smashed potatoes": no results? Smashed potatoes.
The 90's was the heyday of "put 'Italian' dressing on a chicken breast and then bake or grill it and that's a meal."
Also known as "two days ago" in my household. Literally, I made that on Sunday.
posted by kevinbelt at 7:02 AM on April 4, 2023 [2 favorites]
The 90's was the heyday of "put 'Italian' dressing on a chicken breast and then bake or grill it and that's a meal."
Also known as "two days ago" in my household. Literally, I made that on Sunday.
posted by kevinbelt at 7:02 AM on April 4, 2023 [2 favorites]
Sun ripened raspberry vinaigrette
posted by kensington314 at 7:22 AM on April 4, 2023 [4 favorites]
posted by kensington314 at 7:22 AM on April 4, 2023 [4 favorites]
Snapple. I first had it at an event in 1992 and was VERY impressed -- like literally that's what I remember about that day, is the Snapple. "Peach iced tea" and "raspberry iced tea."
posted by fingersandtoes at 8:06 AM on April 4, 2023 [7 favorites]
posted by fingersandtoes at 8:06 AM on April 4, 2023 [7 favorites]
Chicken breast cooked in a George Foreman grill.
posted by emd3737 at 8:15 AM on April 4, 2023 [5 favorites]
posted by emd3737 at 8:15 AM on April 4, 2023 [5 favorites]
Michael Jordan endorsed Wheaties and McDonalds, so maybe you could incorporate those in some way?
posted by The Card Cheat at 8:34 AM on April 4, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by The Card Cheat at 8:34 AM on April 4, 2023 [1 favorite]
I remember Thai food suddenly becoming a big thing, and lots of "Thai-inspired" sauces on all kinds of other, random, often bland food.
posted by rpfields at 9:16 AM on April 4, 2023
posted by rpfields at 9:16 AM on April 4, 2023
Is Smartfood still around? Nthing sundried tomatoes on everything. Vegetarianism was trendy in the 90s (I, a sucker for trends, spent the decade a vegetarian) but it was a kind of vegetaritanism that involved a lot of sandwiches--early model veggie burgers, portabello mushroom sandwiches. I don't remember a lot of real deal meal substitutes turning up until later. Bagel chains became a national thing in the US, so I have a lot of 90s association with, like, veggie cream cheese. Black bean everything--soup, chili, burgers, nachos, etc. It was rise of the California Pizza Kitchen era, so salad on reasonably thick crusted pizzas. Broccoli cheese soup. Spinach artichoke dip. Remember, in the 90s, you could eat all the carbs you wanted, it was the fat that was bad, so bread sticks were pretty much everywhere. Low fat wheat thins. Diet coke. So much diet Coke. Chocolate covered espresso beans. The Taco Bell Mexican Pizza and seven layer burritos. Quesadillas everywhere. Non fat sour cream. Low fat cheese. Low fat sour cream. Appeltinis. Fruit margarita variations (often strawberry). Do they still make Hornsby's cider? Fruit beers that unfortunately tasted like fruit. Cold veggie subs. Flavored iced teas. Lean Pockets.
posted by thivaia at 10:06 AM on April 4, 2023 [4 favorites]
posted by thivaia at 10:06 AM on April 4, 2023 [4 favorites]
Best answer: This is probably regional, but in the 90s, our "fancy" beer was Bass Ale and Newcastle. Otherwise we drank Rolling Rock and Shiner and Budweiser. The microbrewery thing wasn't really a thing until the tail end, so I don't remember having access to any IPAs or Stouts (save the occasional Guinness on draught at an Irish bar). Also, what was said about Starbucks. Starbucks changed coffee, for better or worse. Prior to, the best coffeehouses had almost nothing to do with the quality of the coffee, which was often terrible and 100% incidental to being there. Also, you could probably smoke in them, which is not relevant to your dinner party, but it wouldn't be the 90s if you weren't either sitting in the smoking section or half your table got up after dinner to go stand on the sidewalk for 7-15 minutes before paying the bill.
posted by thivaia at 10:12 AM on April 4, 2023 [5 favorites]
posted by thivaia at 10:12 AM on April 4, 2023 [5 favorites]
Baked potatoes as 'diet food'
Sundried tomatoes on pizza or pasta
Pringles, bugles
posted by greta simone at 10:12 AM on April 4, 2023 [1 favorite]
Sundried tomatoes on pizza or pasta
Pringles, bugles
posted by greta simone at 10:12 AM on April 4, 2023 [1 favorite]
Sam Adams.
Textured vegetable protein was definitely a thing.
posted by praemunire at 10:25 AM on April 4, 2023 [4 favorites]
Textured vegetable protein was definitely a thing.
posted by praemunire at 10:25 AM on April 4, 2023 [4 favorites]
Oh man a few more:
Shrimp Scampi
Chicken Piccata
Tacos that look exactly like the picture on the front of the Old El Paso box
Stuffed bell peppers
Salad made from chunky romaine hearts, completely covered in shredded cheese
At higher end restaurants, little tiny vegetables artfully arranged around the main
posted by saladin at 11:16 AM on April 4, 2023 [2 favorites]
Shrimp Scampi
Chicken Piccata
Tacos that look exactly like the picture on the front of the Old El Paso box
Stuffed bell peppers
Salad made from chunky romaine hearts, completely covered in shredded cheese
At higher end restaurants, little tiny vegetables artfully arranged around the main
posted by saladin at 11:16 AM on April 4, 2023 [2 favorites]
Also, what was said about Starbucks. Starbucks changed coffee, for better or worse. Prior to, the best coffeehouses had almost nothing to do with the quality of the coffee, which was often terrible and 100% incidental to being there.
This is definitely regional. In the Bay Area there were lots of cafes making proper espresso drinks from carefully sourced beans- it's where the people who started Starbucks got the idea.
posted by oneirodynia at 12:25 PM on April 4, 2023 [1 favorite]
This is definitely regional. In the Bay Area there were lots of cafes making proper espresso drinks from carefully sourced beans- it's where the people who started Starbucks got the idea.
posted by oneirodynia at 12:25 PM on April 4, 2023 [1 favorite]
Lipton Brisk iced tea. It's still available!
Butterfingers did not debut in the '90s but Bart Simpson was their spokesman for a while, making them Very '90s
It was the Age of Ranch Dressing
Turkey in lieu of ground beef (both because of the "low fat" fad, and worries over BSE). Turkey burgers, ground turkey for tacos or spaghetti sauce. Turkey loaf, turkey meatballs...
Biiiiig cups of skim milk (Got Milk?), but I'm from the Midwest where it was common.
"Funfetti" cake mix
Be sure you finish the meal off with Altoids Mints; they had a big spike in popularity in the '90s
posted by castlebravo at 12:36 PM on April 4, 2023 [5 favorites]
Butterfingers did not debut in the '90s but Bart Simpson was their spokesman for a while, making them Very '90s
It was the Age of Ranch Dressing
Turkey in lieu of ground beef (both because of the "low fat" fad, and worries over BSE). Turkey burgers, ground turkey for tacos or spaghetti sauce. Turkey loaf, turkey meatballs...
Biiiiig cups of skim milk (Got Milk?), but I'm from the Midwest where it was common.
"Funfetti" cake mix
Be sure you finish the meal off with Altoids Mints; they had a big spike in popularity in the '90s
posted by castlebravo at 12:36 PM on April 4, 2023 [5 favorites]
For after-dinner fun, drop some Mentos in some diet Coke!
posted by praemunire at 12:42 PM on April 4, 2023
posted by praemunire at 12:42 PM on April 4, 2023
The Soup Nazi offers the following 11 soups from his menu: Mulligatawny, Crab Bisque, Turkey Chili, Jambalaya, Black Bean, Chicken Broccoli, Clam Bisque, Split Pea, French Onion, Mushroom Barley, and Tomato Rice.
Could offer marble rye on the side. To follow, chocolate babka.
posted by gimonca at 2:35 PM on April 4, 2023 [1 favorite]
Could offer marble rye on the side. To follow, chocolate babka.
posted by gimonca at 2:35 PM on April 4, 2023 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: For after-dinner fun, drop some Mentos in some diet Coke!
You know, once upon a time I was told you should take in some pop rocks before... oh, never mind. :)
Thank you all so much for jogging my memory. I don't know how I forgot that The Melting Pot was the date when you had a little money and that Outback was where you went when you could convince your friend that had an engineering coop to pay for it (I could also go for a bloomin' onion). Anyone live in the Triangle in the 90s and live on the flower pot bread from, I think the place was named Spinnaker's? Maybe I'm just blocking out college in my memory...
I marked as best answer a couple of answers that made me actually laugh out loud or kicked me in the chest, but all the answers are best answers and we'll have menus for weeks, thanks y'all.
posted by joycehealy at 6:17 PM on April 4, 2023 [4 favorites]
You know, once upon a time I was told you should take in some pop rocks before... oh, never mind. :)
Thank you all so much for jogging my memory. I don't know how I forgot that The Melting Pot was the date when you had a little money and that Outback was where you went when you could convince your friend that had an engineering coop to pay for it (I could also go for a bloomin' onion). Anyone live in the Triangle in the 90s and live on the flower pot bread from, I think the place was named Spinnaker's? Maybe I'm just blocking out college in my memory...
I marked as best answer a couple of answers that made me actually laugh out loud or kicked me in the chest, but all the answers are best answers and we'll have menus for weeks, thanks y'all.
posted by joycehealy at 6:17 PM on April 4, 2023 [4 favorites]
Late to the party, I know, but I ate a ton of Ben& Jerry's. Chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream was a revelation.
posted by rouftop at 9:13 AM on April 5, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by rouftop at 9:13 AM on April 5, 2023 [1 favorite]
The Atkin's Diet hit big in the late 90s if you would rather serve bacon, steak, and (sugar free) whipped cream.
posted by slidell at 1:39 PM on April 5, 2023
posted by slidell at 1:39 PM on April 5, 2023
Oooh yeah, you can order pizza from California Pizza Kitchen (pineapple optional, since their sauce is very sweet, but probably you should get the broccolini on top).
Aaaaaand: Cheesecake Factory!
posted by amtho at 6:41 PM on April 5, 2023 [1 favorite]
Aaaaaand: Cheesecake Factory!
posted by amtho at 6:41 PM on April 5, 2023 [1 favorite]
Where I grew up EVERYONE drank Sobe tea - https://www.sobe.com/our-drinks/
posted by Dynex at 6:40 PM on April 9, 2023
posted by Dynex at 6:40 PM on April 9, 2023
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posted by phunniemee at 7:18 PM on April 3, 2023 [38 favorites]