Tasting Nostalgia

While I was shopping at Walmart today, something red and white caught my eye—it was a Jello pudding wrapper. I haven’t had pudding since I was a kid, so I thought it would be a fun dessert for the week. As I sat down to enjoy it, I was instantly transported back to the cafeteria at Ford Elementary School. I can see my best friends from Mrs. Smith’s second-grade class across from me at the lunch table, I can smell the wretched combination of ketchup and cheese, and I can hear the joyful commotion around me. As I licked the remaining pudding off the lid, I snapped back to the present.

There are some foods that immediately take you back to childhood. The instant they hit your taste buds, you’re pulled into a specific, vivid memory. This phenomenon is called food nostalgia—and yes, it’s a real thing. I looked into why this happens, and the science behind it is fascinating. There’s a part of the brain called the hippocampus, which is crucial for memory. Many of the hormones that regulate appetite, digestion, and eating behavior also have receptors in the hippocampus. Because finding food is so essential for survival, it’s clear that the hippocampus is primed to form memories about food and our experiences around it.

I've been reflecting on some of the nostalgic foods tied to memories from my past, and I’d love to share a few. I hope these trigger some memories of your own, and perhaps inspire you to revisit some long-forgotten favorites.

Midnight Milky Ways at Mama’s 

There’s something magical about Halloween night—the thrill of rushing through the neighborhood with your best friends, baskets of candy in hand, and the promise of sugary rewards at every doorstep. But the sweetest treat of all? Rushing to Mama’s house for a special Halloween party filled with donuts and a secret candy stash for my friends and me. One Halloween, Mama slipped me a Midnight Milky Way, and I immediately fell in love with the combination of dark chocolate, nougat, and caramel. I completely forgot about these until just now, and I’m off to buy a pack to relive this sweet memory at my grandparents' house. If only I could go back to being eight years old again, experiencing that pure joy, peace, and freedom that only childhood can offer. The memory of her handing me that candy late at night, after the excitement of trick-or-treating had worn off, still warms my heart.

Spray Cheese 

Growing up, my best friend was my neighbor. Every day after school, it was either her house or mine for Wii, teepee-building, Man Hunt, scooters… the list was endless. One afternoon, we were watching Mamma Mia in the kitchen when we decided to raid the pantry for a snack. I came across a spray bottle of Eaze Cheez and, to my horror, Grace grabbed it and sprayed cheese directly into her mouth like it was whipped cream. She dared me to try it. The texture and smell were so pungent that I can still vividly recall the sensation—my eyes burned, and I ran straight to the sink. Let's just say this isn’t a snack I’ll be reaching for at the store anytime soon.

Mint Oreo Blizzard

Indoor soccer was how I kept playing with my friends during the winter. After dominating the competition each week, the team would head to Dairy Queen for a well-deserved reward. After scoring two goals in our game against the Flames, I treated myself to a Mint Oreo Blizzard. The coolness of the mint ice cream mixed with the crunch of Oreos was the perfect pick-me-up after a hard-fought game. I remember how close I became with the girls on my team. We came from different schools and backgrounds, but sharing a love for the game, laughing over goals, and celebrating wins brought us together. Those moments—sharing sweet treats with teammates—were some of the simplest, happiest moments that made childhood so sweet.

Meat Sauce Pasta 

Not all nostalgic food memories are filled with joy, but they’re unforgettable nonetheless. Like the time my friend Maggie got food poisoning the night before we were supposed to leave for soccer camp at William and Mary. We had a big pasta dinner, but somehow, she ended up with a terrible stomach bug. The chaos of that night, with her feeling miserable and us all scrambling to find solutions, was less than ideal. But to this day, the smell of that rich meat sauce takes me right back to that summer—and reminds me how we all learned to handle unexpected challenges with a bit of humor and a lot of patience.

Bacon, Egg, and Cheese Bagels

One food memory that always pulls me back to a moment in time is a simple bacon, egg, and cheese bagel. It was the morning we moved my sister Colette into college at UGA. She was nervous, excited, and overwhelmed, and we were all doing our best to make the most of our last moments together before she embarked on this new chapter. We grabbed breakfast from the bagel shop around the corner, and as we sat on the curb, everyone’s eyes were a little misty, but we shared the kind of laughter that only family can bring. I knew everything was about to change, and all we could do was embrace our new normal. Now, every time I have a bacon, egg, and cheese bagel, I think about her stepping into that new adventure and the quiet moments we shared in the car as we drove her to her dorm.

Food nostalgia is a fascinating thing. The way certain flavors and smells can trigger vivid memories is a reminder of how deeply our brains are wired to connect food with experiences. It’s all thanks to the trusty hippocampus, the part of the brain responsible for memory. When we eat something that we associate with a particular time or place, the hippocampus helps retrieve those memories, making the connection between food and emotion so powerful. Every time I have a bite of something nostalgic, it's like my brain is opening a little time capsule, transporting me back to those moments of joy, friendship, and even the challenges that shaped me.

What are some of your own nostalgic foods? What memories do they bring back? I’d love to hear your stories and maybe discover some new snacks that can trigger even more of those sweet moments tucked away in the hippocampus!

Thanks for reading and I hope you have a great week!

XOXO,

Aves