The 1980s were a time of big hair, giant shoulder pads and fascinating food choices – from Vesta ready meals and frozen desserts to McDonald's now-legendary Chicken McNuggets. Join us as we take a stroll down memory lane, shining a spotlight on the food fads and meal trends that defined the decade.

Click or scroll through our gallery to discover the iconic British foods everyone loved in the 1980s, counting down to the most nostalgic of the lot.

We've based our ranking on the enduring popularity of each food item in its place of origin and beyond, and on the opinions of our well-travelled (and well-fed) team. This list is unavoidably subjective.

Chocolatier Terry’s may be better known for its Chocolate Orange, but those who grew up in the 1980s will likely remember devouring one of these triangular treats. Shaped like an Egyptian pyramid, the Pyramint was introduced in 1988 and was essentially dark chocolate with a minty fondant centre. After a failed 3D pyramid-shaped attempt, it was relaunched in bar format in the 1990s but was eventually discontinued due to a lack of sales.

You can’t beat a fresh tomato; however, when sun-dried tomatoes started appearing on restaurant menus (and in jars at supermarkets) in the 1980s, they caused a sensation, bringing a punch of summery Italian flavour to British shores. Home cooks soon discovered that they worked brilliantly in pasta salads and as pizza toppings – and they haven't looked back since.

Lining corner shop shelves since 1981, Nik Naks are a beloved corn-based snack. But did you know that they were originally called Crunchy Wotsits and that they were introduced in a tangy cheese flavour?  By the 1990s, the knobbly sticks had undergone a rebrand and a range of new flavours were launched: Nice ‘N’ Spicy, Rib ‘N’ Saucy and Scampi ‘N’ Lemon, all of which are still available today.  

Almost 50 years after launching in France, pear-shaped, pebbly-textured bottles of Orangina burst onto the UK soft drinks scene in 1984. The refreshing sparkling orange drink is a little like a more grown-up version of Fanta, made with orange juice and pulp. Over the years, Orangina has become known for its bold advertising campaigns and catchphrases such as 'shake the bottle, wake the drink' and 'shake it to wake it'.

Bringing a taste of the classic seaside meal to the kitchen cupboard, Burton’s Fish ‘n’ Chips were an instant hit when they launched in the early 1980s. These mini fish and chip–shaped biscuits came in small packets complete with a newspaper design – a nod to fish and chips' traditional takeaway wrappers. The tasty snacks packed a serious punch, and it was hard not to fall in love with their novelty factor.

It's thought that pesto has been enjoyed in some form since Roman times; however, the store cupboard staple finally shot to fame in Britain at the end of the 1980s (better late than never, we suppose). At a time when the nation's fascination with regional Italian cooking was skyrocketing, the sauce – made with basil, garlic, pine nuts and Parmesan – quickly became a weekly shop must-have.

Müller may have only launched in the UK in the late 1980s, but its yogurts quickly made an impression on the nation. The German brand hit supermarket refrigerator aisles with a range of flavour-packed snacks, including the ever-popular Müller Corner. The mid-morning (or after-dinner) treat featured yogurt and a portioned section of fruity compôte. Nowadays, the brand offers a huge range of flavours and styles.

One brand that helped pave the way for the chilled soup industry was New Covent Garden Soup Co. Its first release? Orange-hued carrot and coriander soup, in the label's now-distinctive milk carton–shaped packaging. Nowadays, there's a whole range of tasty flavours on offer, from classic leek and potato to spiced butternut.

Sure, you can’t go wrong with a bowl of Kellogg’s Corn Flakes – but when the cereal giant launched Crunchy Nut Corn Flakes in 1980, breakfast lovers knew they were in for a real treat. This new product took the humble corn flake and added sugar, peanuts and honey for extra crunch and flavour. These days, the product is known simply as Kellogg's Crunchy Nut, and Crunchy Nut Granola is also available.

This aerated chocolatey treat joined the Cadbury family in 1981, and it continues to be a favourite today. The Wispa was briefly discontinued in 2003; however, following a successful campaign, the product returned to supermarket and corner shop shelves in 2008. While the original chocolate flavour is hard to beat, a few different styles have launched over the years, including mint and orange.

A cherished choice that fans still miss, Heinz’s Toast Toppers were one of the brand’s bestselling products in the 1970s and 1980s. The tinned food came in a range of styles, including Ham & Cheese, Chicken & Mushroom and Mushroom & Bacon. It had a rather gloopy consistency, and you could pile spoonfuls of the stuff onto toast and grill it until bubbly and piping hot. Although Toast Toppers were eventually discontinued in 2015, some devotees still call for their return.

Following a successful launch in the US, Hubba Bubba landed in the UK in the early 1980s – and it proved a big hit with bubblegum lovers. Any 1980s and 1990s kid will be able to remember chewing on a chunk of Hubba Bubba, competing with friends to see who could blow the biggest bubbles before they popped.

Findus Crispy Pancakes had been delighting children and adults alike since the late 1950s – but their popularity peaked in the 1980s and early 1990s. The perfect timesaver, these frozen parcels were usually served as an easy midweek dinner alongside a portion of chips. Crispy Pancakes came in a range of flavours, including Minced Beef and Ham and Cheese.

Another chocolate favourite to join the Cadbury range in the 1980s was the ever-popular Twirl. A twist on the classic Flake, this bar was invented at a Cadbury factory in Dublin, and it featured a crumbly flaked centre with a silky-smooth milk chocolate coating. It was launched as a single-finger bar, but it quickly relaunched as the two-finger pack we still enjoy today.  

These colourful biscuits have been a birthday party staple since they launched in 1983, and they continue to delight children with their pastel-hued icing and crowd-pleasing sweetness. Released by Fox’s Biscuits, classic Party Rings haven't changed much over the years, but these days you can get your hands on miniature styles and a chocolate version. 

After landing on planet Earth in 1987 and costing just 10p per packet, these corn and wheat-based snacks became a staple of corner shops up and down the UK – and, remarkably, they were sold at the same price until 2007. Today, the savoury, alien-shaped treats come in four tasty flavours: Beef, Pickled Onion, Spicy and Saucy BBQ.  

Can you remember spelling out your name as you chowed through your dinner? Birds Eye won big when it launched Alphabites in the mid-1980s, with the playful potato letters appealing to children and adults alike. The perfect midweek dinner saviour, the alphabet-style potato pieces have since been copied by other brands, but the Birds Eye version will always be the best in our eyes.

Who can remember tucking into this colourful cake in the school canteen? A popular school dinner favourite throughout the 1980s, this retro dessert featured a light, airy sponge that was cooked in giant trays before being topped with white icing, dusted with Hundreds & Thousands and sliced into chunky squares. 

It’s hard to imagine a time without this easy, ready-made pasta sauce, but Dolmio first appeared in British supermarkets in 1986. Inspired by Italian flavours, the tomato-based sauces helped to boost pasta's popularity in the UK. Nowadays, Dolmio comes in a host of different flavours, from carbonara and Bolognese to a tomato and basil meatball sauce.  

This simple chocolate bar – complete with a biscuit base and a toffee cream centre – was an instant hit when it launched in the 1980s. Initially released by Jacob’s, you’ll probably remember this bar thanks to its catchy ad campaign, which saw a cartoon character demand a bar, yelling: “Trio! Trio! I want a Trio and I want one now.” Despite initial success, the bar has since been discontinued.  

You couldn’t go to any party without seeing a tray of these lining the buffet table. A popular snack during the 1980s and 1990s, this simple 'recipe' featured a cube of tinned pineapple and a cube of cheese (usually Cheddar or Edam) threaded onto a cocktail stick. Sometimes a small, pickled onion would also be added onto the stick.

Despite launching in the 1960s, Vesta’s ready meals continued to be a popular midweek staple for many British households throughout the 1970s and 1980s. Created by popular food brand Batchelors, the products came in a host of styles, including Beef Risotto, Chow Mein, Chicken Supreme and Paella. You can still buy these ready meals in supermarkets today.  

The American pizza brand everyone knows and loves landed on UK soil in 1985, opening its first location in Luton, Bedfordshire. The brand has gone on to become the world’s largest pizza delivery service, with more than 1,200 stores across the UK and Ireland. Nowadays you can get everything from pepperoni pies to garlic-loaded pizza breads.  

Launching in the US in 1979, the kid-friendly box finally travelled across the pond, eventually launching in the UK in 1986. Aimed at kids, the red and yellow cardboard box came complete with a choice of a burger, cheeseburger or McNuggets, small fries, a soft drink and a surprise toy. The Happy Meal is arguably one of McDonald’s most successful launches and continues to be a bestseller decades later.  

No children’s birthday party was complete without a bowl full of jelly and ice cream. This simple dessert became an instant hit with little ones and its popularity continued to soar throughout the 1980s. The typical flavour combo of choice was strawberry jelly with a velvety vanilla ice cream, but you could really mix and match with whatever you liked. Topped off with a wafer, this dish is guaranteed to bring childhood memories flooding back.  

One of the most famous drinks to be born in the 1980s, Diet Coke landed on supermarket shelves in 1983 and quickly became the low-calorie fizzy soda of choice. The following year a caffeine-free version came out, followed by Cherry Coke and Diet Cherry Coke. The drink continues to be a go-to choice for many Brits.  

This breaded chicken dish – complete with a rich, garlic butter centre – dates as far back as the 19th century, but it wasn’t until British retailer Marks & Spencer launched its first ever ready meal in 1979 that the chicken Kiev became popular in the UK. From that day on, the dish has been a firm British household staple, with further supermarkets and brands launching similar iterations in the decades that followed.  

Chicken McNuggets are now a Golden Arches classic enjoyed across the globe, and most people can't hit the drive-thru without picking up half a dozen. But it hasn't always been the case; in fact, the deep-fried chicken pieces only became available at UK franchises in 1984. Before that, chicken-lovers were eating bone-in chicken from the brand's competitors. 

The height of sophistication, Viennetta won over the nation’s hearts when it first launched in 1981, gracing every dinner party table by the end of the decade. The frozen dessert featured creamy layers of vanilla ice cream and crispy thin shards of chocolate. Best served after it had thawed for a few minutes, its slogan rang true – one slice really wasn’t enough.  

Now discover the foods we fell in love with in the 1970s

Last updated by Lottie Woodrow.