10 Recipes That Defined the 1980s

This week we’re talking about the recipes that defined a decade, like the Lipton onion dip of the 60s and the popularity of quiche in the 70s. Today we tackle the 1980s. Beyond incredible dance music and neon outfits, the 80s offered up some new and sometimes surprising developments, including the rise of nouvelle cuisine and the beginning of the reign of Lean Cuisine meals. But of course, no matter what you were eating you had to wash it all down with a wine cooler.

What are your favorite recipes from the 1980s? Here are the ten we think really defined the decade.

If we learned anything about food in the 80s it’s that spinach dip was made to be put in bread bowls.

If you were alive in the early 80s and didn’t have a pudding pop you haven’t fully lived.

Comfort foods like mac and cheese and sloppy joes became more popular in the 80s.

Sushi became trendy in the 80s and we never looked back.

Really blackened anything was super hip.

The more colorful the pasta, the better.

Don’t lie, you totally loved these mini, gooey pizza bites.

So many new and exciting dressings, so little time (or lettuce).

And you thought Super Bowl Sunday was the shining moment for this dip.

As Jess said in When Harry Met Sally: “pesto is the quiche of the 80s.”

Did we leave anything off?