Hot Pockets Are The '90s Food Trend That Refuses To Go Away

If you were a kid of the '90s, you probably had your share of Hot Pockets back in the day or you still might eat them. Insider claims these frozen savory snacks hit freezers in the early '80s after brothers Paul and David Merage invented them. They were a game changer for busy moms and dads who didn't always have time to cook meals, and a favorite for their kiddos.

But unlike some food trends that waned in popularity by the end of the millennium, Hot Pockets have not only stuck around — they've evolved. Today, you can buy them with a variety of fillings, including bacon, egg, and cheese; chicken bacon ranch; four cheese pizza; and hickory ham and cheddar, to name a few. The full product lineup is available on the Hot Pockets website.

So whether you were a kid in the '90s or decades later, Hot Pockets are still very much "a thing," but why? What is it about these microwaveable turnovers that has helped keep them around, generation after generation?

The convenience factor, of course, is one of the most obvious reasons. On its Twitter page, Hot Pockets asked followers for a compliment. Tweeter @brian_phares replied with a pretty straightforward response, "You are delicious and convenient." On the Hot Pockets website, "ready in minutes" is a phrase used as a promote the convenience of the product.

This, of course, is in reference to the microwave option for heating Hot Pockets. According to the website, using a conventional oven or air fryer would take about 28 minutes or 15 minutes respectively.

The taste seems to be another reason that has kept millions of shoppers in stores, buying more boxes of Hot Pockets throughout the years. One fan had a lot to say about the turnovers on Facebook, in response to a post that asked fans to name the Hot Pocket they're most thankful for. Her post began with, "The sun shines brighter today than usual" and ended with her naming ham and cheese as her favorite.

Both children and adults have been enjoying the convenience and flavors of Hot Pockets since the '80s. Gopuff lists the frozen savory snack as one of the most popular snacks of the '90s, and it's still readily available on grocery store shelves today. But will they remain popular for another decade? Only time will tell.