The Groovy 3-Ingredient Snack '60s Kids Probably Don't Miss

In an age where folks were learning steak didn't need to be cooked well-done, hibachi was knocking at the front door, and raisins, peanut butter, and celery were actually a pretty good snack, you'd think food from the 1960s just couldn't miss. While true in many ways, there are some things best left to history, and the classic white bread, butter, and sugar combo is certainly amongst them.

Some retro food trends like ice cream sundaes, chicken pot pie, and even the often controversial ambrosia salad have been welcomed by 21st-century foodies like long lost relatives. But the bread, butter, and sugar after-school snack is more like that one cousin everyone "accidentally" lost contact with. While it may once have triggered all those happy chemical centers in the brain with its fat, sugar, and frugality, it's since been replaced by a whole new ecosystem of sweet and convenient treats, like mug cake or no-churn ice cream. While these may not be quite as simple as buttering and sugaring some pre-sliced bread, it's hard to argue that they aren't still convenient, delicious, and cheap.

While some folks from Europe or New Zealand may feel protective of their hagelslag or fairy bread, ready access to culinary information and affordable ingredients means most people are willing to put in a little extra effort to appease their sugar tooth. Still, whether you're a bread-sugar-butter apologist or just looking for ways to modernize your childhood craving, there are easy ways to upgrade this treat.

When slapped together and served in its raw form, bread, butter, and sugar is a mix of unrealized flavors and conflicting textures. However, these three ingredients are often the base of many delicious foods, like French toast, provided they're prepared properly.

With nothing but the right application of heat, you can transform this '60s sugar staple into something a bit on the fancy side. Butter both sides of the bread and sprinkle some sugar over just one. Lay it directly on a metal pan, sugar side up, and let it sit under the broiler until the sugar caramelizes for some toast brûlée that acts as a remarkable sweet dipping option at parties. Whether you're including a bowl of chocolate fondue, simple whipped cream, or smearing each slice with ambrosia, you can offer your guests a modern take on some nostalgic classics with little effort and low costs.

You can also upgrade any of the individual ingredients to try and solve some of the original recipe's issues. Brioche bread is fluffy and tasty enough to stand on its own, topping or no topping. Compound butters with dried fruits and spices provide some much-needed flavor outside of the simple fat and sugar. Sugar itself has plenty of substitutes, from honey to molasses, with far more flavor and no crunchy texture that can ruin good bread.