MusicMama Posted September 17, 2011 Share Posted September 17, 2011 I am throwing an 80's party for my husbands birthday, honoring the decade in which he was born. Can you ladies think of any quintessential 80's foods that would be good for a crowd and easy on the budget? Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cricket Posted September 17, 2011 Share Posted September 17, 2011 Pop Rocks? Pasta salad? Cherry 7up? Something microwaveable? :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ginevra Posted September 17, 2011 Share Posted September 17, 2011 Chex Mix. M&M with Fritos. Sorry - that's all I got. I did do an 80's party bunco one year. That was, like, totally awesome! :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tigger Posted September 17, 2011 Share Posted September 17, 2011 From the adult beverage category: Jello shots (became popular in the 80's) Wine Coolers (remember Bartles & James) Kamikazi shots Long Island Iced Tea Light Beer Melon Balls For foods and sweets: Taco bar Salad bar (salad bars came out in the 80's) Where's the Beef? Burgers (Wendy's 80's commercials) Potato skins were really popular Blackened anything was popular Brie was big in the 80's Fried mushrooms & fried cheese Artichoke dip served in a bread bowl Sushi was really big Frozen Yogurt Pop Rocks Huge Pixie Stix Ring Pops Rice Krispie Treats (made the right way) Fluffernutter sandwiches Nerds Fun Dips Charleston Chews Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream (became commercially available in late 1984 [maybe early 85], I was at the opening party for its introduction in NYC) Snapple Jello instant pudding Jello pudding pops Boboli pizza crusts were introduced Microwave popcorn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MusicMama Posted September 17, 2011 Author Share Posted September 17, 2011 Ok, a menu from all of your fantastic suggestions, a few memories of my own: Drinks: Cherry 7-up Orange Julius Food: Artichoke dip in bread bowl Tri-color pasta salad Stouffer's lasanga Ranch Doritos Candies: Fun Dips Pop rocks Candy necklace Ring pops Was blackened items really that popular? I have no real memories of adult food, I was 4 when the 80's were over... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted September 18, 2011 Share Posted September 18, 2011 Pizza poppers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caterpiller Posted September 18, 2011 Share Posted September 18, 2011 Slurpies Mcrib sandwhich (You can get a box at sams, they aren't "Mcribs" but close enough. ;) ) You can make a pac man cake chasing ghost cupcakes. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunriseiz Posted September 18, 2011 Share Posted September 18, 2011 Sigh. Either I misread your post, your dh is very young or I am really getting old... :tongue_smilie: I graduated from high school in the '80s. Yikes! Anyway, having btdt, I think you have a lot of good suggestions. Now you just need some great 80s music!!! Hope you have a blast and happy birthday to your dh! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carol in Cal. Posted September 18, 2011 Share Posted September 18, 2011 Buffalo Wings had gone viral by then. Spinach dip in a bread bowl was huge. It's funny--I don't remember the food as much as the styles, which were kind of exaggerated. Teased up hair on top, long on back, spiral curls, legwarmers, layered bright socks, really big shoulder pads a la Dallas, matching business suits for women, very spiked little heels and very pointed toes, eelskin purses and shoes, ditto ostrich skin, Frye boots. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cathmom Posted September 18, 2011 Share Posted September 18, 2011 Was blackened items really that popular? I have no real memories of adult food, I was 4 when the 80's were over... Yes!!!! I realized very quickly that "blackened" is just a fancy term for "burned" and I HATE burned food!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BatmansWife Posted September 18, 2011 Share Posted September 18, 2011 I didn't realize the 80's had their own kind of food. :lol: I was a teen in the 80's. All the food listed here that is "80's foods" are foods we have today too. Anyway....not trying to be a party pooper. I love the 80's. Serve pizza, chips, candy and pop and it'll be great. I hope everyone will be dressing up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElizaG Posted September 18, 2011 Share Posted September 18, 2011 Yes, lasagna was big. Makes me think of Garfield. Maybe you can decorate with pictures of Garfield, Ziggy, etc. :D Also pasta in general, including pasta salads. Not sure if this was true everywhere, but pita bread was a big fad where we lived. Even Burger King went through a phase of having them at their salad bar. Quiche was trendy in the 80's, hence that "Real Men Don't Eat Quiche" book. Ditto the wine coolers and Orange Julius. Muffins. Especially with oat bran. I remember lots of muffin shops at the mall. Donut holes. A giant chocolate chip cookie served instead of a cake, often decorated with M&M's, with a message written in icing. Most of these foods are still eaten today, but they were considered quite exotic until the 70's, and really hit mainstream popularity in the 80's. (My mother was more of an old-fashioned cook, and some of this stuff was far too new-fangled and frou-frou for her. ;) ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joannqn Posted September 18, 2011 Share Posted September 18, 2011 (edited) I threw an 80s party in February for my birthday. It was a blast. I posted all of the details at my blog here. I still have my 80s trivia questions. PM me your email and I'll send you the word file. Have fun! Edited September 18, 2011 by joannqn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElizaG Posted September 18, 2011 Share Posted September 18, 2011 (edited) Forgot to mention that it would also be very typical to have garlic bread along with the lasagna. (ETA: Yes, even though you're already having pasta salad.) I think the 80's were the decade when even affluent people started eating lots of carbohydrates. Recipe books were beginning to cut back on the fat content of traditional dishes, with the result that people were still hungry and got into the habit of filling up on pasta, bread, cookies, soda, etc. It took a while for dieticians and the general population to realize that this might not be such a great idea. But for a one-time party, I say go for it. :D Edited September 18, 2011 by Eleanor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HSMom2One Posted September 18, 2011 Share Posted September 18, 2011 (edited) My older kids were tykes back in the 80's, and these are what I remember the most. FINGER FOODS (very popular in the 80's) Mini quiches Pizza rolls Spring rolls Hot Pockets Fondue (both the cheese kind and the chocolate) Nachos Chips-n-dip Bloomin' onions ALSO Layered salads Jello dishes McNuggets Tacos Fish-n-chips Chili Mac Baked potato bar Decadent chocolate desserts M&M's Eeeeee gads! Did we really eat all this cr%p? Yes, we did....(sigh) Have fun with your party! Blessings, Lucinda Edited September 18, 2011 by HSMom2One Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MtnTeaching Posted September 18, 2011 Share Posted September 18, 2011 Sigh. Either I misread your post, your dh is very young or I am really getting old... :tongue_smilie: I graduated from high school in the '80s. Yikes! Oh Dear! I had to go back and look again, also. Did she say the decade he was born in?:001_huh: I graduated high school in 1980. I was a Flight Attendant in the 80's. That was a blast! Thinking back - party items always included Frozen Daquiris or Tab, the melted block of Velveeta cheese mixed with Rotel tomatoes and green chilis served with chips, chicken wings, and a Crockpot full of little smokies or meatballs with weird stuff like grape jelly or cranberry sauce (I can't remember exactly) Also, you had to try dressing like Madonna and dancing like Michael Jackson. I just remember that the dance version of "Billie Jean" was so long, it was a killer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Momling Posted September 18, 2011 Share Posted September 18, 2011 Do a Youtube search for "Supersizers go 80's" and watch it. It's British, but has some pretty good 1980's food and drink ideas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Truscifi Posted September 18, 2011 Share Posted September 18, 2011 meatballs with weird stuff like grape jelly or cranberry sauce (I can't remember exactly) I remember it being grape jelly mixed with mustard. It made a sauce that tasted oddly like bbq sauce. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MusicMama Posted September 19, 2011 Author Share Posted September 19, 2011 (edited) Sorry to make everyone feel ancient! :tongue_smilie: My dh will be turning 30, and feels like he is already over the hill...he is prone to dramatics though. We are on the younger side in our circle of friends, so I think an 80's party would be a big hit among people who actually remember it. :D I love the idea of a pac man cake! http://www.flickr.com/photos/dorlarque/460507651/ Edited September 19, 2011 by MusicMama Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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