Suddenly S’Mores

In 1990, I was a fat kid with a sweet tooth and a radar for new junk food. If it was sugary, gooey, or came in a brightly colored box, I was on it like syrup on pancakes. So when Nabisco introduced Suddenly S’mores, I was already primed and ready. I had seen the commercials more times than I could count, each one promising warm, melty s’mores straight from the microwave. No campfire needed. No sticks. No waiting. Just instant gratification in a foil pouch.

Now, living in a rural area meant we were always a little behind the curve when it came to new snacks. The big city kids probably had Suddenly S’mores weeks before we even saw a shelf tag. But I kept my eyes peeled every time we went to the grocery store. I’d scan the snack aisle like a detective, hoping to catch a glimpse of that familiar box. And then one day, there they were. Nabisco had finally delivered the goods to our corner of the world, and I was elated.

I remember the first time we opened a box. It was such a novelty that the whole family gathered around the microwave like it was a magic show. My mom, ever the cautious one, warned us not to stare directly into the microwave while it was running. She was convinced it would fry our eyeballs. So while my dad, my brother, and I tried to sneak peeks through the cloudy microwave door, she stood guard like a hawk, waving us back with a wooden spoon.

The gimmick was simple but brilliant. Each package contained two graham-flavored cookies, each with a layer of chocolate, and a dehydrated marshmallow sandwiched in between. You popped it in the microwave for about fifteen seconds, and out came a warm, gooey s’more. It was like dessert alchemy.

I got the honor of trying the first one. My brother was already loading the next into the microwave before I had even taken my first bite. That first box didn’t stand a chance. We devoured it in one night. Even my dad, who usually stuck to more traditional snacks like peanuts or oatmeal cookies, was hooked. Mom didn’t even hesitate to buy another box on our next grocery run. The second box lasted two nights. Barely.

After a few more rounds, the rest of the family started to lose interest. The novelty wore off for them. But not for me. I was still all in. I kept eating them regularly, savoring every bite. Then one lazy afternoon, I didn’t feel like waiting for the microwave. I tore open the package and ate one cold. And to my surprise, it was just as good. Different, sure, but still delicious. The marshmallow had a chewy texture, the chocolate was firm, and the cookie had a satisfying crunch. It was like discovering a secret second version of the snack.

I started packing them in my school lunch. They made the perfect dessert. And even better, they became prime trade bait in the cafeteria. Since they came two to a pack, I could eat one and trade the other. I swapped them for Shark Bites, half a Fruit Roll-Up, or whatever else caught my eye. Suddenly S’mores became my lunchtime currency.

Sadly, they didn’t last long. I don’t think they made it past 1990. One day they were there, and the next they were gone. Just another casualty in the ever-changing world of snack food. I kept looking for them for a while, hoping they’d make a comeback. But they never did.

To this day, I still think about them. That first bite. The microwave hum. The way the chocolate melted just right. It’s one of those little memories that sticks with you, warm and sweet like the treat itself.

And somewhere, probably in a dusty box in the attic, there’s a crinkled Suddenly S’mores wrapper tucked between old comic books and baseball cards. A relic of a time when dessert came with instructions and a little bit of microwave magic.