12 Snacks Every North Carolina Kid Grew Up Eating After School
Remember those magical moments right after the school bell rang, when the books got tossed aside and the real excitement began? For kids growing up in North Carolina, that rush home always meant one thing: snack time.
But these weren’t just ordinary snacks—they carried the flavors of the Tar Heel State itself, rich with local traditions and small-town pride.
Whether it was a sweet treat tucked into a lunchbox, a bag of something salty from the corner store, or a homemade favorite waiting in the kitchen, every bite became part of childhood. These after-school munchies filled bellies and shaped memories.
1. Lance Crackers: The Lunchbox Legend
Nothing said ‘you’re home from school’ quite like tearing open a cellophane package of Lance crackers! Those little orange cracker sandwiches with peanut butter filling were practically currency in my neighborhood.
My grandma always kept her pantry stocked with the variety pack – ToastChee, Nekot, and Van-O-Lunch all nestled together in crackling wrappers. The Charlotte-based company has been making these iconic snacks since 1913.
We’d trade them at the kitchen table while swapping school day stories. Sometimes I’d smash two packs together to make a super-sandwich that would leave my fingers deliciously dusty with cracker crumbs.
2. Cheerwine: The Cherry-Red Treasure
Grandpa called it ‘Southern champagne’ but to us kids, Cheerwine was liquid magic in a bottle. That deep burgundy soda with its wild cherry kick was our reward for surviving another school day.
Born in Salisbury back in 1917, this fizzy drink became our afternoon ritual. I remember racing my brother to the fridge, the cold glass bottles clinking as we pulled them from the door. That first sip always tickled my nose with bubbles.
Mom would scold us for drinking it too close to dinner, but we’d sneak sips anyway. Nothing beat the sugar rush of Cheerwine and homework – except maybe Cheerwine with a Moon Pie!
3. Krispy Kreme Doughnuts: The Hot Light Happiness
Friday afternoons meant one thing in our house – if that red ‘Hot Now’ sign was glowing at the Winston-Salem Krispy Kreme, we were making a detour. My dad would pull into the parking lot with a carful of hungry kids from soccer practice.
Walking inside was a sensory overload of sweet, yeasty perfection. We’d press our noses against the glass, watching those pillowy rings float down the river of oil before getting baptized in that signature glaze waterfall.
The first bite always disappeared too quickly – melt-in-your-mouth warm, impossibly light, and gone in seconds. No fancy flavors needed – the original glazed was perfection that made homework seem miles away.
4. Texas Pete Hot Fries: The Spicy Study Fuel
Fingers stained red and lips on fire – Texas Pete Hot Fries weren’t for the faint-hearted! Despite the name, these fiery potato sticks were born right here in Winston-Salem, becoming my go-to fuel for tackling math homework.
The bright red bag would catch my eye in the pantry after school. That first crunchy bite started mild before the signature Texas Pete heat kicked in – just enough spice to wake up my brain cells without sending me running for water.
Mom always knew I’d been snacking when she spotted the telltale red dust on my textbook pages. Worth it every time! The empty bag never lasted long enough to make it to the trash before my brother would shake out the last spicy crumbs.
5. Bojangles’ Biscuits: The Buttery Bliss
Stopping at Bojangles’ after school basketball practice was our team’s victory ritual – win or lose. Those golden-brown biscuits, crackling at the edges and cloud-soft inside, were worth every extra lap we’d run the next day.
Founded in Charlotte in 1977, Bojangles’ mastered the art of the buttermilk biscuit in a way that made even my grandmother jealous. We’d tear them open, steam rising, and slather them with packets of honey or grape jelly.
Sometimes Mom would bring home a box for an after-school surprise. The car would smell like buttery heaven, and homework could wait five more minutes while we devoured those still-warm pieces of Southern comfort.
6. Mt. Olive Pickles: The Tangy Textbook Companion
Cracking open a jar of Mt. Olive pickles was music to my ears after a long school day. That first whiff of vinegary goodness would hit my nose as I fished out a crisp dill spear – the perfect companion to history homework.
Since 1926, this Mount Olive company has been jarring up crunchy cucumbers that somehow taste better than anyone else’s. My grandpa swore it was the Carolina water that made the difference.
Mom would catch me sneaking pickle juice straight from the jar, leaving a trail of dill-scented droplets across the kitchen floor. The sweet gherkins were saved for special days, but those kosher dills were an everyday treat that made spelling lists much more bearable.
7. Pepsi: The Carolina-Born Refresher
Long before I knew Pepsi was born in New Bern, NC in 1898, I knew it was the soda that appeared in our fridge like clockwork. That caramel-colored fizz in the blue can was practically a member of the family.
After sweaty playground battles, nothing quenched my thirst like that first ice-cold sip. Dad was a loyal Pepsi man who’d rather go thirsty than drink ‘that other cola.’ His dedication made every can taste like hometown pride.
We’d pour it over crushed ice on the porch while tackling reading assignments. The bubbles would tickle my nose while I turned pages, occasionally spilling drops on my book report – leaving sticky circles that marked my progress.
8. Moravian Cookies: The Paper-Thin Perfection
Moravian cookies from Old Salem were like edible gold coins in our house – so thin you could almost see through them, but packed with spicy ginger or molasses flavor that seemed impossible for something so delicate.
Those round tins with their distinctive artwork were reserved for company, but somehow always found their way into my after-school snack rotation. I’d stack them carefully, seeing how many I could eat at once without breaking the tower.
Each cookie was rolled paper-thin by bakers continuing a tradition brought to Winston-Salem by Moravian settlers. One was never enough – their whisper-light texture tricked you into thinking ten hardly counted as a single snack. Mom pretended not to notice the dwindling supply.
9. Livermush Sandwich: The Controversial Classic
Livermush sandwiches divided my classroom into two camps: devoted fans and horrified critics. This western North Carolina specialty – a pork liver loaf sliced and fried until crispy – was my weird-but-wonderful afternoon protein boost.
My Charlotte friends thought I was crazy, but in Shelby, it was practically the official town food. Dad would have thick slices sizzling in the pan when I walked through the door, the savory aroma filling the kitchen.
Sandwiched between white bread with a squirt of yellow mustard, it fueled countless homework sessions. The crispy outside giving way to a soft, spiced interior was my reward for surviving another day of fractions. City kids had their fancy snacks – we had livermush!
10. Carolina Peanut Brittle: The Tooth-Testing Treat
Grandma’s homemade peanut brittle appeared like magic whenever report cards came out. Those amber-colored shards studded with NC-grown peanuts were worth the risk to my dental work!
She’d wrap chunks in wax paper, the brittle glistening with sugar crystals that caught the afternoon light. Breaking off a piece required serious commitment – that satisfying crack followed by a race against the melting sugar sticking to my fingers.
Made with peanuts from the eastern part of our state, this wasn’t just candy – it was geography and chemistry combined into one sweet lesson. The salty-sweet combination somehow made science homework less painful, even if the brittle occasionally wasn’t as forgiving to my baby teeth.
11. SunDrop: The Liquid Sunshine
SunDrop hit different after a long school day – that electric yellow citrus soda packed more caffeine than its competitors, making it the unofficial fuel of North Carolina homework sessions. My first taste came from my cousin in Cabarrus County, who swore it was the only proper way to wash down a Moon Pie.
The distinct bottle with its sun logo became my afternoon companion. While other sodas played it safe, SunDrop had a citrus punch that zinged through your system like liquid sunshine.
Mom limited us to one bottle, claiming we’d be ‘bouncing off the walls’ otherwise. She wasn’t wrong – that sugar-caffeine combo had me speed-writing book reports in record time, my pencil moving nearly as fast as my thoughts.
12. Neese’s Sausage Biscuits: The Savory Study Break
Neese’s sausage biscuits were our family’s definition of ‘breakfast for snack time.’ That savory aroma would greet me at the door on days when Mom felt particularly generous – spicy pork sausage patties tucked inside flaky biscuits.
Since 1917, this Greensboro company has been making sausage that tastes like nowhere else. The sage-heavy recipe was a closely guarded secret that somehow made algebra equations easier to solve.
Dad would heat them up, wrapped in foil to keep them warm. The first bite released a perfect balance of meat and spices, with just enough pepper to wake up my brain cells. Sometimes we’d add a drizzle of honey – that sweet-savory combination was worth every crumb that ended up in my textbook pages.