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!

Veined cheeses were suddenly very popular: Stilton was no longer just for Christmas, Roquefort, Gorgonzola and that Welsh one.
(Cauliflower and Stilton Soup, anyone?)

mini kiev's
waffles/smily faces
vienetta
ratatouille
beef bourgeon
moussaka
thin beef burgers
oven chips

findus pancakes

Panda pops drinks
trios
Wagon wheels
pop tarts
golden grahams
push pops
dummy lollies

If you can get hold of some Eternal Beau crockery, or better still enormous white plates, everything will look 1990s.

Oh yes alcohol can definitely be themed to the 90s - alcopops and anything with lime & salt but not sure they'd resonate if you were a child!

Oh yes! I lusted after Eternal Beau. Thank fuck I never actually did get any

I think we also started using/buying fresh herbs in the 90s

Am loving this thread - a lot of things became fashionable and prolific in the 90s but they haven't disappeared like things from the 70s & 80s did.

Cheesey soup was so claggy wasn't keen

Cheese cake was huge in the 90s go for cheesecake

Cous cous with apricots in it. Bleugh!

think we also started using/buying fresh herbs in the 90s

Yes little pots of windowsill herbs was all the rage!

I remember my mum telling me avocados must never be eaten because they were so high in fat..!

Lasagne was quite 90s I think. We used to get those packet pastas at the shop and skive off at someone’s house - you cooked them in milk not envy

We had a lot of pork chops / lamb chops / veg too.

Profiteroles were a treat. I used to dream of posh HD ice cream but would get choc ices.

I ate a lot of pate, scotch/savoury eggs/sausage rolls but I was a tween/teen.

Yes so many disgusting alcopops!
I used to have coke floats but not sure what decade they belong to.

For me, 90’s food is micro chips, pot noodles, paste, Chicago town pizzas, crispy pancakes, turkey dinosaurs, toast toppers and pukka pies!

Oh i remember cheese with apricots in

Roasted vegetable and goats cheese quiche.
Parma ham
Thai curry
Bruschetta

Salmon encroute and parsley sauce!! That was classic 90s to me! I forgot that one!

Also those waffle-like bites but in letters!

Curly fries came in the 90s they came with paninis which were also 90s and ciabatta, chorizo and definitely pesto

Grolsh beer

What the fuck happened to Chup a chup lollies

They were everything in the 90s and early 00s. Now gone and forgotten.

90s plates to me are those really brightly coloured ones with a swirl and a contrasting bright coloured rim from Whittards (we were students/young professionals!). Eternal Beau was the kind of thing my my mum had. Friends who got married in their 20s all had Denby on their wedding lists.

Suddenly by 1999 colour had completely disappeared from crockery. I remember having my own flat in 2000 and being so proud to open my cupboard and see everything was white! The Whittards plates dispatched to the charity shop.

Oh pannins

Cosmopolitan cocktails and Aussie Chardonnay to drink

The late 90s was naked chef time so a jamie dish

Starter, Toasted French bread and goats cheese served on mixed leaves with balsamic dressing.
Main, Chicken Cordon Bleu served with sugar snap peas and dauphinois potatoes.
Pudding, Poached pears in red wine sauce or chocolate mousse on raspberry coulis,

Nibbles, caramelised pecans, olives, avocado dip with bread sticks.

Angel delight
Sara Lee Gateau, arctic roll or vienetta
Party rings, jammie dodgers, iced gems
Skips and quavers, wotsits
Dairylea anything
Sandwiches cut into various shapes with a sandwich cutter
Potato smiles, alphabets, crispy pancakes, micro chips
Bear shaped ham

Sun dried tomatoes were a big thing as was pesto!

I remember lots of banofee pie as well.

Ooh or river cafe cookbook