10 Snacks We Grew Up With in the UAE
Check out my favorite nostalgic snacks
Every time I walk into my local baqala (grocery store – helpful ed) I get flooded with memories as I still find some of the snacks that I remember enjoying as I grew up in Dubai. I’m not talking about the local Spinneys or Choithrams (I love those too, but they’re for newbies!). I’m talking the Victory Team Grocery off Al Wasl Road in Jumeirah. So in honor of all those childhood snacks that meant so much to us as children growing up in the U.A.E., I’ve rounded up my top 10!
1) Choki Choki, Chocolate Paste
This chocolate paste-in-a-tube is probably one of the oldest snacks I can remember. We would cut off the top of the tube and squeeze for a wonderful rush of chocolate-flavored goodness that went straight into our mouths and we squeezed and squeezed until there was nothing left.
2) Oronamin C Drink
To this day, this still remains one of my favorite drinks ever! A cross between Mountain Dew, Red Bull, and something vaguely fruity?! Words can’t really describe how delicious and this is and how nostalgic it makes me feel!
3) Emirates Pofaki, Cheese Coated Crispy Corn Curls
This was right up there in my favorite chips collection, but it was totally #1 for my sister (who is the ultimate cheese freak). Emirates Pofaki came in both a chips pack or in a can. To me, these cheese puffs beat Cheetos any day!
4) Center Shock, Chewing Gum
These sour chewing gum packs were literally used as currency at my school. We would exchange them on the daily and watch while our collective faces scrunched up during break time – and for some reason we all found this hugely entertaining. Every. Single. Day.
5) Mr Krisps, Corn Tortillas, Pizza Flavor
My girlfriends and I used to stop by the shop on a Wednesday after school and grab these Tortilla chips and some Labneh to dip them in before our end of week gossip sessions. We would chat, make prank calls, laugh, and munch on these snacks all night long. One of my best memories to date!
6) Milk Flavored Chews
Now these were not only the most delicious chews ever, but they were also wildly addictive! I remember getting these when we would binge on sweets from the shop, along with those weird jelly cups (surely you know which ones I’m talking about..), and of course gummy pizzas.
7) Areej Juice
This was my favorite orange juice, even before Capri Suns came into my life. This watery and sugary orange drink was a Friday staple in my household when my Dad would bring us fresh Manakeesh from Al Reef for breakfast. All I can say is yum!
8) Super Ring, Cheese Flavored Snacks
Another cheese snack makes my top 10, but I really couldn’t choose between the two! Super Rings are strangely sweet, and of course there is no way you can go through a pack without having to lick your fingers, leaving a strange orange tint on them for the rest of the day!
9) Americana, Butter Cookies
I remember these delicious cookies growing up as a child! I would always be happy to find cookies in these blue tines (that most would use as storage once the cookies were eaten) Delicious, buttery and very sugary this pic takes me back to those good old days!
10) Chip Sticks, Tomato Flavor
Yet another pack of chips makes the list. These were just so good! Although the salt and vinegar flavor was the more popular flavor of the two, I preferred the ketchup flavored ones!
What were your favorite snacks growing up? Let us know!
the author
the modern east tv
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