Holding a 1990s dinner party - please give me some food suggestions!

[lorettalemon]

I'm holding a 1990s themed dinner party to celebrate my niece's 30th birthday as she grew up in the 90s.

Can anyone give me some suggestions of meals which used to be really popular at the time, or things you remember really enjoying if you were a child or teenager then?

I know pizza was popular, but that's so commonplace for people to eat anyway that I would like to go for something a bit more nostalgic!

Ideas for starters, mains, desert and nibbles would be much appreciated! Party decorations too if anyone can think of anything!

There aren't any vegetarians/vegans/dietary requirements to cater for, so all ideas welcome. Thank you ever so much!

A whole poached salmon covered in cucumber slices. Food processors were a new gadget so maybe homemade coleslaw. Yes to avocados and sun dried tomatoes and baby vegetables made an appearance.
Profiteroles for pudding.

YY to Delia Smith, and pesto. Had it once on a first date, went to the ladies after desert, and my teeth were full of green bits

Martini rosso and lemonade, taboo and lemonade, snakebite and black for drinks!

Pitta

Grinchly it's never so black and white, trends continue because the children of the 70\80 become the parents of the 90s.

I think ready meals really took off in the 90s...

Angel delight
Finus crispy pancakes
Micro chips
Micro pizza /pocket pizza
Turkey dinosaurs
Potato waffles
Jam roly poly or one with ice cream in middle
Push up lollies
Nerds

Eer, that was meant to be a list but it didn't post line by line!

Chicken Kievs, chips and mushy peas
Chicken Tikka Massala
Black tower wine

Twiglets always remind me of when my parents had friends round for drinks.
Definitely chocolate gateaux.

Blue potato and leek soup.

Maybe have Bridget Jones on in the background

curried egg mayonnaise (which can either go in sandwiches or into vol au vents & prawn & pineapple filling to

Angel Delight
Vesta Curry
Those burgers in a tin
Fray bentos pie

I don't think the 90s are that different from now, tbh. The 70s, on the other hand would be fab.

Yes to jelly whip! We always had pineapple, pineapple jelly whipped with evaporated milk and tinned crushed pineapple, lush!

Armi we defintley ate avocados in the 90s. I can't t believe they are such a big 'new' thing now.
The other 90s fruits were Shannon fruits and Star fruits.
Quail eggs.
Stuffed peppers and mushrooms.

Sunny delight and litres of apple and orange juice for kids. Fizzy water, perrier for adults. Orangina was nice.

Sara Lee gateaux and mint vienetta

Local hotel did a thing in the 90s called a high tea that I’ve yet to find out if anyone else had - toast with butter, followed by a main of sorts (I don’t think a very big main), and then scones, pancakes, tea and coffee and piles of tray bakes and meringues . Pingu ice cream for kids . Absolutely bloody wonderful .

When we did the hostess badge at brownies circa 1998 my friend (who’s nan owned the hotel) hauled up an entire high tea (main course replaced with tray of sandwiches) to brownies .. it was spectacular and really put my dairylea sandwiches and chocolate crispie cakes to shame !!

The high tea thing was definitely 1991-1999ish , it stopped by about 2000 - but could be unique to where I’m from maybe and probably dates back a bit earlier !!

Delia’s your woman.
Salmon mousse, cod wrapped in bacon with a saffron rice timbale and chocolate pud with a raspberry coulis.

Here’s Masterchef from 1996 m.youtube.com/watch?v=OSpV8vfxP2A

I remember eatingrjis at seversl dinner parties in the 90s. Made it myself a couple of few times. Surprisingly delicious, it is the home made harissa sauce that makes it. so very easy to make in advance as a starter maybe.
www.deliaonline.com/recipes/collections/delias-summer-collection/roasted-vegetable-couscous-salad-with-harissa-style-dressing.

Monkfish was huge on 90s cookery programmes. God knows why.

Sushi
Haagen Daks (sp?)
Fajitas & quesadillas
Blue cheese and broccoli soup
Garlic bread and chilli

I'd agree with previous posters that most of these suggestions sound far earlier than the 90s to me.

The 90s was the era of Delis's comeback and Ready Steady Cook.

Delia was massively into extra virgin olive oil and stuff like that. Rocket, halloumi, tapenade, tiramisu. That sort of thing.

I'm wracking my brains to think what they cooked on Ready Steady Cook. Stir fries? It had to take less than 20 minutes...

Food was just the same! Stop trying to make us feel old

Delis's?

I meant Delia!

Toasted toppers, Primula spread sandwiches, Vienetta!

No-one ate avocados in the 90s. er... yes we did...

My mum is veggie and going out to dinner 90% of the time the veggie choice was only one for each course: goats cheese and caramelised onion tart to start, mushroom risotto for main.

Gary Rhodes was popular then, and obvs Delia. Maybe have a look at and old cookbook?

Also, they loved to tower food in naice restaurants in a mousse ring.

Agree vienetta and also after eights!