The Nostalgic Drink Mix You Might Remember Eating Straight From The Packet

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Whether you chalk it up to its colorful packaging or rambunctious, door-hating mascot, it's no secret that generations of children grew up begging their parents to buy a box of Kool-Aid. Between the brand's fun-loving spirit and line-up of fun flavors (some better than others), its appeal has lasted for decades, with its products remaining a favorite amongst kids and nostalgic adults alike. That said, it seems as if some people's love of Kool-Aid could be influenced by memories of enjoying it in an unexpected way. If you guessed eating the mixture straight from the packet, you'd be right.

Many of us may have just watched our moms emptying some Kool-Aid into a pitcher with sugar and water, but there are plenty of online commenters who talk about having ditched the water to create something akin to Fun Dip or Pixy Stix. "Once the sugar was added, the contents were mixed by a finger. The finger was then licked and dipped into the mix until the Kool-Aid/sugar mix was gone," as one Redditor remembered. And while there were also purists who'd eat the Kool-Aid powder by itself or add other ingredients like salt or powdered coffee creamer, the sugar route definitely had folks entranced.

When Kool-Aid was invented by Edwin Perkins in the 1920s, it was a bottled liquid drink known as "Fruit Smack." After a few years, it was turned into a powdered mix distributed in paper envelopes to cut costs, though Perkins probably never thought that people would be eating the powder itself. So who knows what he would've thought about Kool-Aid mix being a beloved snack amongst Boomers, not to mention the ongoing online discourse surrounding his invention.

Granted, it wasn't just Boomers who enjoyed this sugary snack. While they didn't necessarily eat their Kool-Aid sugar mix straight out of the packet, multiple members of a Gen X Facebook group talked about putting it in plastic baggies, with one person even saying that their "sister and her friends would mix it up and take it to grade school in baby food jars." And perhaps that had something to do with what another commenter said about the mix being so popular "our school banned it," adding that "if we came in with red fingers, we got in trouble." Thankfully, though, younger Kool-Aid powder lovers can now satisfy their cravings in a way that won't land them in hot water with their teachers: Kool-Aid Lollipop Dippers.