There's something so comforting and nostalgic about those childhood and Aussie classics. At SBS Food HQ we love embracing that nostalgia, and celebrating all those flavours and favourites.
Here's a list (in no articular order - what would you put at number one?) that we hope will rekindle those bake sale, canteen and milkbar vibes and encourage you to get playful with. Honourable mentions go to Scorched Peanut Bars, Wizz Fizz, Splice, Clinkers, Minties, Redskins, Jaffas and Fruit Tingles. Obviously, trusty pavlova, Tim Tams and melting moments are a given, really, so consider the list count to actually read 28 - with so many things to choose from, what a time to be alive!
1. Violet Crumble
A crumbly honeycomb toffee centre coated in compound chocolate and you can spot the packaging a mile away with its vibrant metallic purple and gold, which was specifically created for the chocolate bar.
Did you know: The bars are double-coated to seal the honeycomb.
A recipe to embrace the vibe: Crushed Violet Crumbles and a good quality vanilla ice-cream make these macadamia and ice-cream sandwiches pop. (Or try this recipe to make your own chocolate-coated honeycomb).
2. Polly Waffle
This chocolate coated, marshmallow and wafer filled bar was first sold in 1947, but declining sales saw it discontinued in 2009. Those who loved this familiar bar were devastated. The good news: in 2024, it returned as the form of Polly Waffle Bites.
Did you know: English teacher Nerida O'Shea set up a Facebook page at the beginning of 2013 called "Bring Back the Polly Waffle, which attracted more than 50K likes and helped show this bar still had plenty of fans.
A recipe to embrace the vibe: Make the Polly Waffle roll, a tribute to the classic, in giant roulade form.
3. Mint Pattie
Usually shining side-by-side its partner in crime, the Golden Rough (that much-loved slim coconut chocolate round), Mint Patties are likened to a peppermint marshmallow with its chewy mint centre, coated in chocolate. Sold in a 20 g snack size, it's like an everyday cousin to the after dinner mint.
Did you know: The Mint Pattie has been in circulation for over 60 years.
A recipe to embrace the vibe: Mint Patties meets sandwich cookies in these no-bake chocolate peppermint patties.
4. The chocolate crackle
Served in those paper patty cupcake cases, these were the epitome of bake sales, school fetes and birthday parties across the country. Rice Bubbles, fine coconut, icing sugar, cocoa and the vegetables fat binding agent known as Copha, brought together this easy snack without any baking fuss.
Did you know: The first (known) recipe for chocolate crackles appeared as an ad for Copha, in the Australian Women's Weekly back in 1937.
A recipe to embrace the vibe: The childhood favourite has grown up in our popcorn version with tart dried cherries to counter that bittersweet cocoa.
5. Milo
The ratios were always a little ad hoc, right? This chocolate and malt powder is usually mixed with milk or water and what is so striking about this chocolate milk is it's inability to actually dissolve completely, therefore making that extra spoonful of Milo on top pure genius.
Did you know: MILO was first launched to the public at Sydney's Royal Easter Show in 1934.
A recipe to embrace the vibe: Put an Australian twist on a classic Italian dessert with this Aussie tiramisu, which uses Milo in the liquid mix the biscuits are dipped in.
6. Aeroplane Jelly
Do you remember the jingle? There's a special place in the hearts of all Australians for those jelly crystals.
Did you know: Tram driver Bert Appleroth first made these jelly crystals at home in his own bathtub in 1927 and began distributing therm along his Sydney tram route.
A recipe to embrace the vibe: This Turkish delight trifle uses Port Wine flavour Aeroplane jelly, part of a glorious that adds flavours of Turkey and Australia to the classic dessert.
7. Musk sticks
That glowing pink! A little crisp on the outside and tender in the centre - these grooved sticks are the perfect lolly bag filler!
Did you know: Most commonly seen in pink, these lolly sticks with their strong floral perfume have been made for at least 80 years. Variations are also in other colours and flavours.
A recipe to embrace the vibe: You can make your own at home with this easy recipe.
8. Fairy bread
Triangles of fluffy white bread covered with butter, topped with 100s and 1000s - it might seem like a lazy treat, but it is one that was ever sure to satisfy at kids birthday parties.
Did you know: No artisan sourdough bread, no cultured salted butter and no sprinkle variations or mixes are used in making of traditional fairy bread. But of course there are a million variations!
A recipe to embrace the vibe: The childhood favourite becomes a colourful cake!
9. Vanilla slice
The classic vanilla slice tugs at heartstrings like no other. Almost everyone loves a good vanilla slice and it's one of those baked treats that sandwiches luscious custard filling in between deeply golden (it has to be deeply golden) pastry and is finished off with a dusting of icing sugar.
Did you know: The largest custard slice in the world belongs to the Dulwich Bakery in Adelaide with their astonishing 804.11 kg version MADE IN 2016 earning them their place in the Guinness World Record books.
A recipe to embrace the vibe: Get your hands on this this vanilla slice and you'll never look back.
10. Iced VoVo
When a vanilla bikkie is layered with a raspberry jam and topped with pink fondant and coconut it could only mean one thing - Iced VoVo! There is a lot happening in this one biscuit and we're totally okay with that.
Did you know: In 2007, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd referred to them in his election victory speech, saying “Friends, tomorrow, the work begins. You can have a strong cup of tea if you want, even an Iced VoVo on the way through. But the celebration stops there.”
A recipe to embrace the vibe: These fun little VoVo cakes with raspberry frosting.
11. Finger bun
Wasn't it all about the icing - usually white or pink, and some ventured into sprinkle territory. They were the stars of so many local bakeries and were a sort-of distant cousin to fairy bread in that they had a bready base that was topped with a colourful sugary delight.
A recipe to embrace the vibe: An Aussie favourite gets a slight Asian twist in these strawberry iced finger buns, made with soft Asian-style milk bread buns.
12. Wagon Wheel
Marshmallow, jam and not one but two biscuits get a chocolate finish in this almost biscuit sandwich.
Did you know: They are beloved here, but were first sold in the UK.
A recipe to embrace the vibe: Nostalgia meets elegance in these pistachio and rosewater Wagon Wheels.
13. Lamington
Australia, New Zealand, Australia, New Zealand... there are many claims about who holds the reigns on this one. We can all agree they are special! The vanilla sponge cake is dipped in melted chocolate and covered in a generous amount of coconut. They can be layered with cream or jam, or both, and are a sure bet when it comes to cuppa o'clock.
Did you know: Australiaa has a national day for lamingtons, which falls on July 21st.
A recipe to embrace the vibe: Get the recipe for these super simple, super quick one-bowl lamington fingers here.
14. Twisties
These corn nibbles were the kind that always left their mark - as they literally left their salty coating on your fingers after munching on a bag. With the likes of Cheese and Chicken proving popular, other flavours include Hot Dog, Taco, Tangy Tomato and Peri-Peri.
Did you know: In Italy, Twisties are called "Fonzies" - can anyone tell us why?
A recipe to embrace the vibe: We're not going to pretend these are Twisties! But with parmesan, anchovies and poppy seeds, these biscuits also deliver a powerful, salty punch.
15. Chiko Rolls
It’s about as Australian as the meat pie. The deep-fried 'mystery meat' snack typically included mutton, cabbage, barley, celery, rice, carrots and spices. The mix was wrapped in a thick egg and flour dough, then fried until golden.
Did you know: The first Chiko Rolls were inspired by Chinese egg rolls, which were invented by Chinese-Australians.
A recipe to embrace the vibe: Push the flavour boundaries with the Mexican-style Chiko Roll (below) or a Chiko Roll-inspired vegetable and barley roll.
16. Potato scallops
Batter up at the local takeaway joint or the ol' fish and chip shop, as potato scallops or potato cakes - whichever name you know them by - take the stage. Contrary to their name, they don't contain any seafood, simply thinly sliced potato that's battered and deep-fried until crisp.
Did you know: In Victoria, NT and Tasmania they're called potato cakes, in South Australia they're known as potato fritters, while in NSW, Queensland, Western Australia and the ACT they're mostly potato scallops. What do you call them?
A recipe to embrace the vibe: These classic potato scallops are fluffy inside, crunchy and golden on the outside.
17. Prawn cocktail
It's a celebration in one bite. This 1960s-inspired retro canape brings together the crunch of salad with fresh seafood and of course, a tangy cocktail sauce.
Did you know: This retro snack originated in England and was the most popular d'oeuvre between the 1960s and 1980s.
A recipe to embrace the vibe: Give your guests a little surprise with an Aussie spin on this retro classic by adding lemon aspen to the sauce in this recipe.
18. Vegemite
It's been going strong for over 90 years and it's a household (and office drawer) staple for most – and hilarious taste-testing video footage for those who haven't tried it before. It is the dark, yeasty spread that just keeps on giving and is typically a butter/bread or butter/cracker combo with variations that delve down cheese and avo lane.
Did you know: Over 22 million jars of Vegemite are sold every year.
A recipe to embrace the vibe: These cheesy scrolls are filled with Cheddar and Vegemite, for a satisfying bun that's perfect for picnics or lunchboxes.
19. Meat pies
A meat pie and sauce - it's a classic and possibly Australia's answer to the American hamburger.
Did you know: According to Food Standards Australia New Zealand, Australians each eat an average of 12 meat pies a year; that's a total of 270 million pies.
A recipe to embrace the vibe: Check out this Aussie beef pie that's flavoured with beer and Vegemite, making it an Aussie triple-threat.
20. Dim Sim
Not to be confused with 'dim sum', dim sims refers to a specific type of dumpling - shumai. It's a Chinese-inspired meat and veg (usually pork and cabbage) snack, usually deep-fried and available at the fish and chip shop, while steamed versions are also becoming available at certain markets and eateries.
Did you know: They're also called "dimmies". (Aussies sure do have a way of shortening words like no others.)
A recipe to embrace the vibe: Try Marion Grasby's version.
21. Sausage sanga and democracy sausage
Sanga meaning sandwich and sausage, well, sausage. This is a backyard classic that closely hangs osausage ut with the sausage sizzle. Pop your snag, onion, egg, sauce and whatever else is going or more to the point, whatever else you can fit in, perhaps two snags!
Did you know: While exercising your democratic right to vote, you can also exercise your right to sausage sizzle. That snack stall that greets you when you cast your vote is all part of the process, right?
A recipe to embrace the vibe: Make it even heartier with this square sausage and egg sandwich.
22. Shapes
Baked not fried, a box of Arnott's Shapes goes a long way to snack satisfaction. Original Pizza, Chicken Crimpie and Original Barbecue are a few of the stars and with new flavours on the shelf - we want to know... are they as good as the old faithfuls?
Did you know: That the white shape on the Shapes box is actually the shape of that flavour's biscuit - mind blown?
A recipe to embrace the vibe: These Parmesan crackers pack a punch when it comes to flavout (and bonus for anyone who can't have gluten, these are gluten-free, too, though you wouldn't know it). Have fun with cutters to make the 'shape' your own!
23. Golden Gaytime
Toffee and vanilla ice-cream dipped in chocolate and wrapped in biscuit crumbs!
Did you know: The Golden Gaytime family has grown, with ice-cream tubs, special flavours in the ice-cream-on-a-stick version (lamington! birthday cake!), Golden Gaytime biscuit sandwiches and even a cake mix.
A recipe to embrace the vibe: Golden Gaytime shortbread sandwich with shortbread biscuits, caramel buttercream and malt crumb.
24. Melting moments and custard kisses
These melt-in-the-mouth buttery biscuits, often with indents on the top made with fork tines, come in several versions, some with custard powder and some without, and variations on the icing used to sandwich them, too.
Did you know: Variations are known as melting moments, custard creams, custard kisses or yo-yos - but we can all agree they are an Aussie biscuit favourite.
A recipe to embrace the vibe: How pretty are these passionfruit and citrus melting moments!
25. Weis Bar
It's basically summertime in ice-cream bar form. Fruit and cream team up in the refreshing Weis Bar. This was one dessert that combined your love of icy treats with that of vanilla ice-cream.
Did you know: Weiss served up their first bar back in 1957 in Toowoomba at their then corner store, Fruito Bar. They have tried to make a whole bar made of simply cream and it was just too rich, so they'll be sticking to the fine balancing act of fruit and cream.
A recipe to embrace the vibe: This layered mango and coconut kulfi is part Indian dessert and part Weiss bar. What’s not to like?
See Aussie favourties get a makeover in the Bring Back the Classic collection at SBS On Demand.
SBS Food is a 24/7 foodie channel for all Australians, with a focus on simple, authentic and everyday food inspiration from cultures everywhere. NSW stream only. Read more about SBS Food
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