What did you/your family consider a treat growing up that really wasn’t?

[ClassicStripe]

I’ve just randomly remembered that when I was younger me and my sister thought it was the most amazing treat to have our mum’s bath water after she was finished with it. She didn’t even use bubble bath so it was literally just lukewarm water but we absolutely loved it. This was in the early 90’s and we had regular hot warm bubble baths which makes it even stranger that we were so pleased by using mum’s old water!

Any food out of a packet We had a smallholding and lived on organic, pure, natural, wholesome food. My parents were adventurous and skilled cooks so we ate brilliantly, but we craved Smash, Vienetta, Oven Chips, Angel Delight, etc.

We did have Shloer at Christmas!

Going to the Wimpy Bar for a cheese burger and chips

As soon as I read the title I thought Viennetta! Then I read your post and you reminded me, when I was little like maybe 4-6 my dad used to “not be able to eat all of his pasta” and then I, presumably fussy about eating my own dinner, would “get to” eat his literally cold plain pasta!

A chocolate from an Advent calendar, we had paper ones until I was a teenager and a chocolate one was fancy to me.
10p at kids club in the school holidays to get a packet of Meanies pickled onion crisps and a panda pops.
I found 50p in a telephone box once and I still remember how excited I was.

Also, making our own desserts by putting ice-cream in a bowl and pouring on sauce, crushed biscuits, raisins, chocolate chips etc.

A pot noodle.

Lol
i remember this and it was a massive treat!

Pressing buttons. Any buttons. The button on the traffic lights, the buttons to open the doors on trains, the buttons on the cash machine - your mum would lift you up so you could reach them and they'd make that satisfying beeping noise! If another child was there and pressed any button before you could press it you felt massively aggrieved - ruined your cousins coming to visit as this basic privilege was denied or severely reduced as the buttons had to be shared between you all 😂But the love you were supposed to have for your cousins was supposed to make up for it! It was one of the highlights of leaving the house (when your cousins weren't with you at least!).

We used to travel to KFC once per year via boat.

A melon, I remember my dad cutting them up and sharing it with the family. It was a real treat.

Treats that weren't really treats
Cheese and Tattie pie (never realised it was because it was the end of the month and Mum and Dad were broke)
Cheese sprinkled on beans on toast
Tinned fruit for pudding on a Sunday
Pop. Any pop!

Treats that really are such special memories that they will always be seen as a treat -
Our Saturday treat was always a trip to the library (free), then a plate of chips at Mr Cod's (50p each). Then we went to Sainsbuggers for the food shop. No car, so we could only buy enough that we could carry (Mum, Dad, me, and brother). I didn't realise until they told me when I was married with kids myself that they timed it for when the reduced section was being done, and also, having just eating, we never shopped on an empty stomach!

On Sundays we got a 10p bag of sweeties each on the way home from church. Dad's an atheist, so he stayed home and cooked Sunday Lunch - he does the best roasties in the world.

A memory that I still see as a treat is that every Friday was "Vicky Wine Night". My dad would stop off at Victoria Wine on his way home from work, get a bottle of wine for him and Mum, a Britvic 55 each for my brother and me, a bag of Kettle crisps (normally New York Cheddar), and a chocolate bar each. Then we would sit and watch Channel 4 together - Cheers and Roseanne in the early days then, Friends, Frasier, Whose Line is it Anyway etc. My parents hardly ever went out when I was young, as they couldn't afford a night with a sitter etc. But I loved our Friday nights so much that even when I was 18, Friday night was Vicky Wine night and I went clubbing on Saturdays instead.

Came on to say this