What ‘everyday’ food was considered exotic when you were young?

[Splodgerbodgerbadger]

I remember the first time we had lasagne, it was a ready made one from M&S. It was considered very new and different by us. It must have been late 80’s early 90’s. We all loved it and had it every Saturday. Mum used to buy it, but then started making her own. It’s still one of my favourite dinners.

We never had curries or pasta growing up, it was generally things like mince beef, my Mum used to make that every Tuesday in gravy and we had veg and mash potatoes in the winter and new potatoes in the summer. I loved that too. Although the downside was we had tapioca for pudding as my Mum cooked it at the same time as the mince. I hated ‘frogspawn’, my Dad wasn’t keen either, but my sisters and Mum loved it.

Avocado
Kiwis

Quiche
Spaghetti bolognese
M&S prawn & mayo sandwich

Yogurt!

Tinned lychees

Yes yogurt !

Kiwi

Vienetta

Fruit juice
Smoked salmon

Mushrooms and avocados ( born in 1970).

Vesta

Sweet & Sour chicken. Which wash actually a sauce made by my mum and poured onto chicken dippers or similar with rice and veggies. Loved it.

Curry.

Then when I was older hummus. And chorizo.

Anything involving spice. My mother didn't like it so decided my brother and I wouldn't either.
We both do as adults.

Turns out my mothers view on food was greatly influenced on how well the cooks at her boarding school could make it. Apparently 60s boarding school food wasn't that good...

Cherry tomatoes!

Pineapple, kiwis, strawberries. Maybe not 'exotic' but much more of a special treat. 1980s.

Lasagna was really exotic, I remember asking to have it for my birthday dinner. We never had pasta, just the super long spaghetti and even that was a treat.
Cheese apart from cheddar was pretty unusual too

Spaghetti bolognese.
Any takeaway food other than a packet of chips (on holiday, sat on a wall outside a pub whilst my dad grabbed a pint).
Bought a wimpy burger meal with my first wage as a Saturday girl. I thought I’d totally made it, a golden memory.

Was also coming on to say yoghurt!

Curry
Garlic Bread
Chilli Con Carne

Think orange juice was a bigger deal too.

Salmon

Spaghetti that wasn't canned in tomato sauce.
The little cheese and tomato frisbees that the early 1970s referred to as pizza.
Rice served as the base for a savoury dish rather than made into rice pudding.
Any savoury dish that could be served with rice.
Beans other than baked beans in tomato sauce.
Fish that wasn't battered and served with chips.

Pasta. I probably first tried it when I was about 10.

Prior to that our dinners were always very meat, veg and potatoes based. Pork chops, lamb chops, liver and bacon etc. The potatoes were always just boiled and very plain. I loved potatoes and still do so I didn’t mind. When we were teenagers, burger and chips was a treat. No bun for the burger though, just the burger on the plate with chips. Probably had curry and Chinese takeaway for the first time as a teen.

I first tried houmous when I was about 18 at the home of a very middle class and cultured friend.

When I read the title I was going to say Lasagna. Also Vienetta and curry that wasn't just made out of mince, curry powder and raisins.

My friend had foods like pumpernickel, blood oranges and lychees for lunch in the early 90s, I thought they were exotic.

I wouldn’t say exotic but Canned salmon was exciting as we only had it at Xmas so it was big deal in our family! The 80s was great 😆 oh and probably kiwis too!

@BringBackCoffeeCreams

Vienetta

Oh yes I’d forgotten about Vienetta! The arguments we used to have over who had a bigger piece. My youngest sister and brother went to my Aunties house once and had a huge piece each, they couldn’t believe their luck.