Top Childhood Snacks That Spark Joy

The vibrant tapestry of childhood memories often comes with a distinct flavour, and for me, those flavours are inextricably linked to snacks. While hearty, home-cooked meals certainly anchored our family dynamic, it was also the small treats—those brought home by my parents or secretly shared with a neighbourhood friend—that truly painted my early years with a unique palette of little joys. I wasn’t a very picky eater (need to fact-check this with my mum later) and all forms of snacks were welcomed.

A Journey Through Childhood Bites

I have eaten PLENTY as a child, from teeny tiny ice gems biscuits, wheel crackers, Apollo chocolate wafers (the white ones are so good), MAMEE monster instant noodles snacks, Popo fish muruku that still tastes and looks good many years after (don’t ask why there’s a baby on their front packing, I don’t get it either), ice cream in bread, to orange-coloured coated cheese Super Rings, and so many, many more.

The Unrivalled Favourite: Haw Flakes

But nothing and I mean absolutely NOTHING can come close to my absolute fave that I still nibble on to this day: Haw flakes. If this exists in my family house, I can promise you, there’d be a domestic feud between me and my dad because we’re the only ones competing to finish it up.

How best to describe this distinctive snack? Imagine small, circular discs, typically about the size of a thumb, though occasionally larger “jumbo” versions can be found. During my childhood, the smaller size was the norm. They come neatly packaged in small, cylindrical paper tubes. The ritual of eating them involves tearing a small layer from the top and then, disc by delicious disc, working your way down. Made from Chinese hawthorn berries, these flakes offer a unique balance of sweet and sour that is simply perfect. I remember finishing a tube in mere seconds, perhaps extending the pleasure to a few minutes if I was deliberately savouring them while studying or watching a show.

So, while my childhood snack adventures were varied and plentiful, Haw flakes remain the undisputed champion of nostalgia for me. It’s a reminder of playful rivalries and perfectly balanced flavours, proving that even the smallest treats can hold the biggest memories.

Now, I’m curious: which food instantly whisks you back to your childhood?