I remember being in elementary school, sitting in the cafeteria and opening up my lunch, eager to see what was inside. (If it was pickle and pimento loaf with cheese, I was one happy girl!) My mom always included a little dessert treat in there, too. And, here’s the thing…my mom? Was a baker. She made home-baked cookies, brownies, cakes, cookie bars, etc. all the time! That green ceramic cookie jar on our counter was full more often than not. And, so, my lunchbox treats tended to be homemade cookies.
But the girl who sat next to me? Oh, man, her mom bought her treats. Little, individually wrapped bundles of decadent pleasure whose textures and flavors were foreign to me. Frosting, cream, swirly lines, spongy cakes…it was a completely new idea to me and I. was. jealous.
I didn’t get to sink my teeth into a Hostess® product until several years later when I attended middle school and often bought my lunch from the a la carte line. There, I discovered Hostess® Donettes® among the offerings. Five or six little mini-cakes all in a row, drenched in a layer of chocolate-flavored frosting. Yum. I ate far too many of them alongside my icy cold milk, but the memory is a good one.
Later, I became best friends with a girl whose mom regularly stocked Hostess® CupCakes®. We were young teens and loved to gorge ourselves on the rich, chocolaty snacks after school. We’d dance around her living room to NKOTB songs, fueled on joy and CupCakes®.
So, you might say, there’s a bit of nostalgia associated with Hostess® for me.
And guess what? I turned out like my mom! I bake–all the time! As a result, my kids are the ones who’ve never tried one of those elusive, cellophane-wrapped treats. I find it fun, every now and again, to get to share some little part of my history with them.
Hostess® has added two new offerings to the mix. Remember those Donettes® I fondly recalled? Yeah, well the ones I’ve enjoyed have a yellow cake center. And they’re good. But now? Hostess® has rolled out New Frosted Devil’s Food Donettes®. You know what that means? More chocolaty goodness in the form of devil’s food cake dipped in a chocolate-flavored coating.
My twelve-year-old self would totally have chosen those first, no doubt.
Also joining the line-up are New Hostess Chocolate Crème Twinkies®. My husband would be the Twinkie® connoisseur of the family, but he thought the idea of having an indulgent chocolaty crème filling on the inside was a good one; he was glad they weren’t messing with the traditional sponge cake exterior! Probably smart not to mess with a good thing; as one of America’s best known and most loved snack cakes, Twinkies® have been tantalizing taste buds and filling lunch boxes since 1930.
Hostess was kind enough to mail us a box of the New Chocolate Crème Twinkies®, and my hubby generously offered to try the first one. The verdict? Classic Twinkie® taste with a mild, chocolaty flavor. I’m guessing there will be more than a few fans of this new option!
Rediscovering Hostess® snack cakes was a trip down memory lane for me, and my kids love to come along for those childhood reminiscences.
What special Hostess® treat do you remember from your childhood that you’d love to share with your children or someone special in your life? Let me know in the comments to be entered for a chance to win a $100 Visa gift card, courtesy of BlogHer and Hostess®!
SWEEPSTAKES/GIVEAWAY RULES
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The Donettes were always my favorite!
tweeted: https://twitter.com/#!/KerryBishop/status/184820011947409408
My mom did not feed me stuff like this as a kid. LOL That said, mmmmm I love love love their Banana Walnut Mini Muffins! When I used to work, I would have a baggy of them with a cold OJ for breakfast nearly every morning. I miss that tradition, but not the working. LOL! Not a childhood memory but hope it will suffice! Thanks for the chance to win!!!
I tweeted here: https://twitter.com/#!/MsTofuFairy/status/185016094220750848
I like most Hostess snacks and I would get to choose a different one each week we’d go to the grocery store.
Hmmm… I can only recall the regular Twinkies, which, just aren’t the same nowadays. I don’t know how, but they just taste different or something!
2nd entry tweet! https://twitter.com/#!/kytah00/status/185511042657427456
I would love to share chocolate creme Twinkies with my daughter – they sound delicious
We rarely had sweets at home when I was a kid, but once day in school a friend gave me half her Twinkie – wow I was in heaven!
https://twitter.com/#!/LAMusing/status/185609779580895233
I was an adult when i had my first Hostess treat. It was a HoHo! Now I get the Donettes all the time
My favorite first and continuing memory of a Hostess® snack cake is the velvety sponge cake Twinkie and biting into the cream filling. Ummm. I like to share that.
tweet https://twitter.com/#!/leedhowell/status/185748898286022657
I remember always eating my Twinkie by first biting off each end and then eating the middle.
Thanks for the contest.
Blogged:
http://slehan.blogspot.com/2012/03/win-100-visa-from-hostess-blogher.html
If I was good and did my chores, my dad would take me to the convenience store on Saturday to choose a Hostess snack (always Ho-Hos or Cupcakes for me!)
https://twitter.com/#!/mrs_puddle/status/185921040927555584
I remember from my childhood when my mom gave me the Twinkies® after school I was so happy and I enjoyed the super soft cake that afternoon, this is my favorite memory of a Hostess® snack cake and I give my children the same Twinkies® after school, they are so happy to have them too.
ctong2[at]gmail[dot]com
I tweeted about this Giveaway: https://twitter.com/#!/ctong2/status/185969560061612034
ctong2[at]gmail[dot]com
A favorite memory I have was going grocery shopping with my mom as a child and we’d always buy a package of hostess treats to enjoy on the way home! Usually the Cupcakes or Hoho’s. Yummmmm. Simple but so fun!
My mom usually did a lot of baking so treats from the grocery store were rare. My dad would take Hostess cupcakes to work for lunch and I would sometimes get to share them. So good.
It started with hostess treats in my lunchbox for school and for the rest of my life, I’ve never been able to resist those little chocolate donuts. Thanks a lot, Mom!
I have fond memories of receiving donettes and twinkies from my grandparents when I visited.
Tweet – https://twitter.com/#!/willitara/status/186214779420033025
My earliest fave memory is getting home and dunking chocolate Hostess Donettes in milk.
tweeted
https://twitter.com/#!/wizardewu/status/186230627916447744
I remember the chocolate cupcakes and I want to share them with my hubby!
https://twitter.com/#!/ajoy1332/status/186242163003228160