We’ve already taken you through the best toys of ’80s summers — the Slip ‘N Slides, the Big Wheels, the stuff that kept us outside until the streetlights came on. But no sweltering ’80s summer day was a good day without the other half of the equation — the frozen (or almost frozen) treats.
We aren’t just talking about the treats hiding in your freezer. Summer snacks in the 1980s were everywhere, like the gas station slushie machine, the drive-thru window, the ice cream truck circling the neighborhood with that song that if you hear today you immediately yell, “CAN I HAVE A DOLLAR?!” and run for the door.
Take the probably most obvious example — the Popsicle. By the ’80s, the iconic brand had been around for 50 years, and it had done something that companies only dream of (or despise?) — its name had become the name for the entire category. You’d call anything frozen on a stick a popsicle.
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As with the toys, the ’80s leaned heavily on merchandising, not only with the new thing called “summer blockbuster movies” but particularly with video gaming, which was actually keeping more and more kids inside (the horror!) in summers. You’ll spot Mario, Pac-Man, and a few other unlikely cartoon mascots slapped onto popsicles and ice pops throughout this list.
And thanks to the growing ’80s diet culture, there were some genuine attempts at “healthier” or lower-calorie versions of these treats, but notice who they were actually marketed to: not kids, but adults — and overwhelmingly, moms. Rude, honestly. Kids still ate them.
LOOK: These 27 Frozen (and Almost Frozen) Treats Perfectly Defined ’80s Summers
Grab a spoon, a stick, or just your bare hands — these are the treats that turned a sweaty afternoon into a memory you’re still chasing decades later.
Gallery Credit: Stephen Lenz
LOOK: How Many of These Classic ’80s Summer Toys Do You Remember?
Whether you slipped and slid or jarted better than anyone, the toys of your childhood summers were everything. Here’s a look at just some of the classics.
Gallery Credit: Stephen Lenz
