Meals and snacks are so central to family life and celebrations, they become part of our childhood memories. From Twinkies and Pop Rocks to apple pie and hot dogs, these foods will transport you back in time.

‘Taste the explosion’ was the original tagline for Pop Rocks, which crack and sizzle as they melt in the mouth. If you grew up in the 1970s, you may remember the myth that eating Pop Rocks with soda could make your stomach explode. The false rumor that it killed child actor John Gilchrist was so rife, General Foods wrote to schools and published an open letter to parents to reassure them the candy was safe.

If you went camping as a child, chances are you remember toasting s’mores around an open camp fire. These gooey treats are traditionally made by roasting a marshmallow and then sandwiching it between a layer of chocolate and two graham crackers. Delicious.

PB&J sandwiches are a childhood favorite many of us never grew out of, but they never fail to bring back memories of school days and brown-bag lunches. It’s believed the first reference to this winning duo was made in 1901 in The Boston Cooking School Magazine of Culinary Science & Domestic Economics when writer Julia Chandler noted: “The combination is delicious, and, so far as I know, original.”

This giant jewel-shaped lolly on a plastic ring was created by Topps back in 1979 and was an instant hit in schoolyards across the nation. The sweet was invented by Frank Richards, a product engineer at the company, who wanted to help his daughter kick her thumb-sucking habit.

Few snacks have reached the status of the humble Twinkie. The ‘Golden Sponge Cake with Creamy Filling’ came to be such an important part of the country's culture that President Bill Clinton included it in his 1999 millennium capsule as a symbol of the times.

Launched in 1921, Baby Ruths are still one of the nation’s best-loved candy bars. Interestingly the origin of the name has been subject to some controversy. The Curtiss Candy Company claimed it was named after President Grover Cleveland’s daughter Ruth, though some believe the title was chosen to cash in on the popularity of baseball player Babe Ruth.

You'll never forget the taste of homemade lemonade if you used to set up a stand as a kid. The tradition dates back to New York more than 130 years ago, when an entrepreneurial youngster started selling it to thirsty street-car riders.

If there’s one drink that evokes happy childhood memories, it’s a milkshake covered in cream and topped with a cherry. No trip to a diner was complete without one, no matter how long you had to save up. Want to make a great shake at home? Try this peaches and cream combo. 

"First it's a candy, then it's a gum. Little round Razzles are so much fun." was the jingle for these sweets when they first hit the shelves in 1968. Back then, they were only available in raspberry flavor, hence the name.

Finding a mac 'n' cheese recipe just as cheesy and comforting as your childhood favorite can be a tough task. It’s believed macaroni cheese was first introduced to the nation by President Thomas Jefferson in the 1790s. Apparently, he was so taken by it during a trip to Europe, he insisted it was shipped over and served at a state dinner. But, it wasn’t until Kraft began selling macaroni cheese in the famous blue boxes during the Great Depression that its popularity grew. Today variations are endless: this crayfish version is one of our favourites.  

Everyone has their own recipe for this true American classic. It's so closely associated with the nation that the saying ‘As American as apple pie’ dates back to the 1860s. Try an apple, plum and cinnamon skillet pie for a grown-up take on the original. There's nothing like the smell of a freshly baked pie to transport you back to your family kitchen. 

Often referred to as ‘The Great American Chocolate Bar’, Hershey's bars have been enjoyed since the turn of the century. The company was founded by Milton Hershey who began making chocolate in 1878. After several failures, he eventually found the winning formula and went on to build one of the world’s largest confectionery companies.

You can use it in peanut butter sandwiches, cakes, cereal bars and cookies – but the best way to eat Marshmallow Fluff as a child was right from the jar with a spoon. This gooey mixture was invented in 1917 by Archibald Query, who sold his product door-to-door. He later traded the formula for just $500 to H. Allen Durkee and Fred L. Mower, whose company still produce it today.

Flavored with cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves, a hearty slice of pumpkin pie is central to our childhood memories of Thanksgiving dinners and Halloween. Try this spiced version for your next celebration.

As a child, nothing could be sweeter on a hot summer’s day than a paper cone filled with shaved ice and topped with sugar syrup. And, if you had a Frosty Sno-Man Sno-Cone Machine in the 1970s, you were no doubt the envy of all your friends.

Girl Scouts of the USA have been selling cookies to fund their adventures since 1917. During the 1960s and 1970s their best-sellers included thin mints, peanut butter sandwiches and shortbread.

Remember the Kool-Aid Man television adverts, where he’d burst through a wall with drinks and shout ‘Oh Yeah’? The character proved so popular, his footprints were immortalized at Mann’s Chinese Theatre in 2000 to mark the product’s 25th anniversary.

A much-loved comfort food, this family favorite first became popular during the Great Depression and has remained a staple ever since. Made with inexpensive meat, meat loaf could be bulked out with oats, breadcrumbs and leftover vegetables to feed a family on a budget. This recipe takes just an hour to cook, and is sure to remind you of childhood winter dinners.

Moon pie was supposedly invented in 1917 when a Kentucky coal miner told a worker at a Chattanooga bakery that his ideal snack would include marshmallows and graham crackers, and be ‘as big a the moon’. You might not have known the history when you were a kid, but that didn't affect your love for these moreish treats.

Jelly Belly founder Gustav Goelitz began making candy in 1869 but it wasn’t until 1965 a breakthrough was made and the producers could infuse them with flavor. Nowadays, these childhood favorites come in various forms from delicious strawberry, cherry and blueberry to gag-worthy earwax, vomit and lawn clippings.

Whether you had it for Sunday dinner or a meal after school, a hearty pot roast with roast potatoes and gravy was a sure-fire way of gathering the family around the table. Revive the tradition with this easy-to-make chicken pot roast today.

With a whole banana, scoops of chocolate, vanilla and strawberry ice-cream, crushed nuts, sauces and whipped cream all topped with a maraschino cherry, a traditional banana split was about the most exciting dessert you could be given as a child. Summer days out weren't complete without one.

It’s hard to believe that Pop Tarts are more than 50 years old but indeed they are. An instant hit, these toasted sweet pastries weren’t frosted at first – this extra touch was added a few years later.

Released in 1962, Kellogg’s Froot Loops were the brightly colored centrepiece of many childhood breakfasts. However, the cereal is nutritionally poor and has been discontinued in some countries.

Glazed, sugar-coated, Krispy Crème or Dunkin Doughnuts, everyone had their favorite donut as a kid. There might still be shops on almost every street corner in the country, but rarely do we revisit our top childhood choices.

No family road trip was complete without stopping at your favorite burger joint. There are numerous stories about where the hamburger was invented, but there’s no doubt the launch of the first ever McDonald’s by brothers Richard and Maurice McDonald in 1940 helped fuel its popularity.

Available since 1958, these candy necklaces are still a retro favorite. What's better than a treat you can both wear and eat?

A trip to a baseball game always involved this all-American snack, ideally covered in ketchup, mustard or ‘the works’. You may have even watched one of the hot dog eating competitions held on July 4th. According to the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council, around 150 million were consumed during this year’s celebrations alone.