15 birthday party foods that instantly transport you back to childhood

I grew up in the Midwest, and cookie cakes were a staple of childhood birthday parties. The large cookie is decorated with frosting, dolled up with M&Ms or Reese's Pieces, and is an easy, sharable dessert for all kids.

The quintessential party treat is pigs in a blanket. The tiny hot dogs wrapped in pastry are a delicious appetizer for all ages, but especially for children who are quite picky. I loved pigs in a blanket as a kid, and even find myself craving them now as a vegetarian!

Frito pie is a popular and easy dish for all ages. Made from chili, cheese and topped with salsa, refried beans, sour cream, or jalapeños, it's served inside a bag of Fritos. And at a kid's birthday party, Frito pie is a hit!

The classic treat is fun, interactive, and most importantly for parents, requires zero clean-up.

There is just something about Bagel Bites. Burning the roof of your mouth on molten pizza sauce and processed cheese straight off a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil is a sensation seared into my mind!

Ants on a log, or celery sticks with peanut butter topped with raisins, are a healthy and interactive birthday party snack for all kids. Good for the bug kids and those with parents who refused to let their children eat processed foods.

Ruffles chips and French onion dip is still the perfect treat, and every time I eat them, I'm transported back to childhood. My family usually bought pre-made onion dip from Dean's or Heluva Good!, but many parents made their own from French onion soup mix and a container of sour cream.

Bright red or blue gelatin set firm in bite-sized geometric shapes or served in small clear plastic cups topped with a squirt of canned whipped cream. If I'm being honest…I never enjoyed these.

Cupcakes are an incredible treat at birthday parties because they mean kids don't have to share. And the best kind of cupcakes are Funfetti of course. Vanilla cupcakes loaded with baked-in sprinkles, piled high with fluffy vanilla frosting and even more colorful sprinkles on top, what is better than that?

'90s kids loved Dunkaroos because it gave them a bit of independence. The snack contained cookies and frosting. All we had to do was dunk! Dunkaroos came in vanilla, chocolate, graham cracker, and strawberry, and were common at birthday parties. The beloved snack was discontinued in 2012, but after a lot of uproar, returned in 2020.

A healthier treat that reminds me of the birthday parties of my youth are fruit snacks, specifically Welch's. Bite-sized chewy treats made from fruit purees and juices are perfect treats for kids. And sometimes, as a 31-year-old living in New York, I throw fruit snacks into my lunch!

Is there anything better than a Capri Sun? The iconic foil pouches, the feeling of puncturing it with a tiny, yellow straw. I chugged so many Capri Suns as a kid, especially after running around at an outdoor birthday party.

Salty meets sweet, popcorn and M&Ms is a delicious snack for all ages. I remember digging my hands into giant bowls of freshly popped salted butter popcorn tossed with mini milk chocolate M&Ms. My favorite, favorite snack.

I don't think I attended a birthday party as a kid that didn't have Rice Krispies treats. The ooey-gooey, extra marshmallow squares are a delicious fan favorite. While kids these days may get personalized treats, back in my day our parents handed us the iconic blue wrapped snack.

I've always loved Totino's Pizza Rolls, ever since I ate them at a birthday party when I was seven. Did they burn the roof off my mouth? Yes. Did I dip them in ranch dressing to cool them down? Also yes!