Ah, the ’90s. We had such a plethora of things to compare with other kids- our crayons, our toys, our video games, the look of our folders. But there was another battlefield where social status and taste collided daily: the school lunchroom.

If you were a ’90s kid, you know that what you pulled out of your lunchbox—or what your mom packed into that brown paper bag—could make or break your cafeteria cred. Whether you were trading Dunkaroos for a Capri Sun or eyeing your friend’s Gushers with envy, these lunchtime snacks weren’t just staples of our childhood experience- they were currency. We may not totally remember it all, so let’s revisit the high-stakes elementary school marketplace commodities that were traded in the cafeteria.

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1. Dunkaroos

No lunchbox commodity list would be complete without Dunkaroos. These bite-sized cookies with that tiny tub of frosting were pure magic. Whether you were team vanilla or chocolate frosting, dunking those little kangaroo-shaped cookies was awesome.

The commercials made them seem contraband-level cool, with a radical animated kangaroo who basically dared you not to want them. They disappeared for a while but made a triumphant comeback in recent years—proving that some legends never fade.

And let’s be real: most of us probably licked the frosting out of the container once the cookies were gone. Zero regrets.

Trade Value: You could get pretty much whatever else you wanted with these

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2. Lunchables

Who didn’t feel like a tiny executive putting together their own charcuterie board with a stack of crackers, slices of mystery meat, and squares of cheese? Lunchables were the DIY power move of the cafeteria.

There was something about watching a classmate put together a Lunchables pizza that just triggered a certain level of jealousy (at least for me) back in elementary school. You’d always have that kid who perfectly placed out mini pepperoni pizzas on the table like a boss- and the results were so intriguing that offering up whole trade packages for a chance to get one was on the table.

The best part? Some Lunchables packs included a Capri Sun and a candy bar, making them feel like a full-on gourmet experience by third-grade standards, and worth whatever crazy trade packages you could muster to get your hands on one.

Trade Value: Pretty good odds of getting whatever else you wanted

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3. Capri Sun

Is it even a ’90s lunch without Capri Sun? Those shiny silver pouches were a hydration status symbol, but let’s be honest—it was an extreme sport trying to poke the straw into the pouch without stabbing straight through the other side.

And the commercials featuring kids surfing on literal waves of water and juice only added to the hype. There was a certain cool element of that silver pouch- maybe it was reminiscent of the T-1000, or the fact that we were so used to cartons that Capri Sun’s form factor (and contents) were just… refreshing.

Also: nothing bonded a table of classmates faster than the collective struggle of squeezing the last drops from the bottom of the pouch.

Trade Value: Added a boost to overall trade packages for something better

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4. Gushers

Fruit snacks were already popular, but Gushers took it to a whole new level of awesome. The moment you bit into one of these chewy gems and felt that fruity “gush” of liquid in the middle—it was like snack-time fireworks in your mouth.

Gushers weren’t just candy; they were an experience. Different fruit flavors? Check. Sour options? Check. The commercials showed kids morphing into giant fruit heads, which was equally weird and amazing. Parents thought they were healthier because they were “fruit snacks,” but let’s be real—they were basically candy disguised as vitamins.

Still, if you were lucky enough to score a pack of Gushers in your lunch, you were instantly cafeteria royalty.

Trade value: You could trade these for hard, material goods most of the time!

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5. School Pizza (the square slice)

I don’t know exactly how these slices of pizza were so good. But they were- there was something about the flavor, the texture (which even sometimes felt a bit rubbery), and the side of fries (strange but common) that made school pizza a staple of the grade school experience. And couple this with it being served on Fridays- where pizza Friday became more of a whole-day experience- this cafeteria item catapulted to legendary status.

We may never actually know what school pizza was made of (there were some rumors that maybe the ingredients were very soy-based), but it doesn’t matter- it has earned its place in our hearts as a top 10 school lunch item.

Trade value: Not actually that high since it was readily available, but you could leverage it

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6. Kool Aid Bursts

If Capri Suns represented the “refined cool” drinks of the ’90s lunch table, Kool-Aid Bursts were their colorful, hyperactive cousins. Packaged in bright plastic bottles with a twist-off top, these juicy (read: sugary) drinks were impossible to miss—and equally impossible to resist.

The cool bottle form-factor and multiple colors you would see out there in the wild, drew plenty of attention at the lunch table. On top of the looks, that distinctive “pop” when you twisted off the cap somehow made the drink feel a little more rebellious than your average juice box.

Plus, those wild commercials with the Kool-Aid Man crashing through walls yelling “Ohhh yeah!” pretty much sealed the deal. It almost made rolling with Kool-Aid Bursts more of a statement than anything else.

Trade Value: This is the type of cheap but effective asset you tossed in to sweeten the deal

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7. PB&J Sandwich (Cut Diagonally)

Sometimes simplicity wins. The peanut butter and jelly sandwich was the workhorse of ’90s lunches. Whether it was classic grape jelly or fancy strawberry preserves, PB&J was the dependable friend who never let you down.

Cut diagonally, these sandwiches were often wrapped lovingly in wax paper or tucked into a sandwich bag. Occasionally, you’d get the upgraded version: crusts cut off, or maybe swapping jelly for Marshmallow Fluff.

Bonus nostalgia points if your mom wrote a note on your napkin.

Trade value: Pretty much useless, but hey, it still tasted good

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8. Fruit by the Foot

Before adulthood, worrying about length was actually all about Fruit by the Foot, and whether one kid’s roll would actually contain more fruity-sugary-gel-tape than their peers. As a fruit snack, Fruit by the Foot was actually pretty delicious- and like Gushers, had a certain elevated level of trade value on the cafeteria marketplace.

And let’s not forget the hidden jokes printed on the paper backing—a little added bonus for those rolling with the Foot.

Trade Value: A decent trading token that would entice the poor folks with just PB&Js to give you a little extra in a trade

9. Chocolate Milk Cartons

A pretty stable supply of chocolate milk cartons lined most lunch room drink options, especially for those who bought lunch. There’s not much to say here except the beverage is pretty classic and the carton factor added a certain bit of nostalgia to it.

I wouldn’t say school chocolate milk was as good as what you could find elsewhere, but it did the job when the alternatives lacked.

Trade value: Surprisingly decent, especially if you could find the kid who wanted to chug down a second carton, or someone who wanted to trade up a juice box of some kind

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10. Cosmic Brownies

Last but definitely not least: Little Debbie’s Cosmic Brownies. These dense, fudgy squares topped with rainbow candy-coated chocolate chips were as close as a kid could get real dessert at school.

They weren’t just brownies—they were cosmic. With their chocolate frosting and those colorful candy bits, they looked like they belonged in the arcade or something- it wasn’t just a brownie, it was a brownie with elementary school bling on it that said “look at me, I’m better than the other brownies”. The taste? Pure sugar, some chocolate, but it didn’t matter. They were great.

Trade factor: You could trade these pretty easily and get most of what you wanted, but they are definitely a step down from Gushers or Dunkaroos.

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