Long before the days when everything had a healthy alternative, supermarkets and dakakin (grocery stores) were food-heavens for> Jordanian kids.
All the snacks and goodies we ever craved, whether it was potato chips or ice cream, were to be found there.
Here are nine of the yummy snacks that defined our school years:
1. Disco chips
Unlike its name suggests, it didn’t contain disco balls but that didn’t matter. It tasted really good, was found everywhere, and was simply our favorite brand of potato chips.
2. Mr. Chips Crocodiles
Created by the same company that brought us Disco chips, these ones were actually shaped like little crocodiles. The flavor was a mix of cheddar cheese and pizza... and that honestly couldn't get any tastier.
3. Ringo chips
These were another favorite for Jordanian kids and were the most addictive of all chips. It had one distinctive cheesy flavor but came with a messy outcome: orange cheesy fingers.
4. Tarboush
The famous Lebanese chocolate dessert was in every student’s lunchbox and the first thing they would buy at the dukaneh. They're tiny chocolate-covered marshmallow domes and yes, they taste just as good as they sound.
5. Sharawi Gum
In Amman, you can’t go through your childhood - even your adulthood - without knowing this famous local gum and having chewed it a bunch of times till the flavor was gone.
6. Chiclets
No matter which flavors they came in, it was the second popular gum after Sharawi. Chew as much as you can in one go, that’s how we used to roll!
7. Fusen Bubble Gum
This bubble gum had a cute Panda wrap and a stick-on tattoo on the inside. The tattoos were the most exciting part, of course, and the gum tasted and smelled like strawberries.
8. Popsicles
These defined all Jordanian kids' summer breaks! Sitting by the pool with a refreshing popsicle on the go was the real deal. Whenever and wherever the sun and heat got too much, these colorful tubes were there to make it all better.
9. Eisberg Ice Cream Sandwiches
Nothing describes fine Jordanian products like the ultimate ice cream brand Eisberg. With a wide range of ice creams available, the sandwich was a major hit amongst kids.