The 1980s Microwave Meal Brand That Was Gone Too Soon

The '80s were a decade of, how should we say, experimentation when it came to microwave meals. While it's hard to imagine a kitchen without a microwave today, the machines were still a bit of a novelty in the '80s — only about 25% of American homes had one in the kitchen in 1986. This meant that microwave meals from brands like Mirco Magic and Lunch Bucket, which promised hearty dinners in 90 seconds, were a new and exciting option for those lucky enough to own a microwave oven. While some microwaveable foods left a little (okay, a lot) to be desired, others were major hits among those who started to embrace the microwave — including items from the Micro Magic brand.

While many people remember Micro Magic fries fondly, fries weren't the only beloved item from the brand. Shoppers could brush their mullets, put on their fanny packs, and pick up Micro Magic microwaveable cheeseburgers, hamburgers, chicken sandwiches, and even milkshakes. The fries, however, stood out among the rest of the brand's offerings. They came with a cardboard crisper (kind of like the crisping sleeve that comes with Hot Pockets) with the goal of creating a fast-food-style crispiness without requiring a run to McDonald's. Believe it or not, microwaving frozen fries is still one of the best ways to make them super crispy.

In a time long before the air fryer, microwaves were the best option most home cooks had for creating a quick, hot meal. Those who actually remember eating Micro Magic foods don't necessarily remember them tasting great, but they have a strong sense of nostalgia around creating their own food when they got home from school (Micro Magic items were popular in the era of the latchkey kid, after all). Some Reddit users remember the fries being decent, while others remember them tasting soggy. Temperature variation was also an issue, with some of the fries coming out burned while others remained chilly.

As competition in the microwaveable foods market began to heat up, Micro Magic foods eventually went the way of Hi-C Ecto Cooler, Buitoni Instant Pizza, and other forgotten snacks from the '80s. That being said, the brand did manage to hold its ground for awhile. Micro Magic items reportedly weren't fully discontinued until 1999 — and some social media users have mentioned that the brand is still available in Japanese grocery stores.