Our Favorite Childhood Snacks In Syria

Back in the day, before foreign snacks like chocolate and biscuits became popular, there was a wide variety of childhood snacks in Syria, especially in Damascus, loved by both kids and adults. These treats came in many shapes and flavors and were affordable, often costing no more than five liras, and at best, ten liras. Let’s take a trip down memory lane and remember our favorite childhood snacks in Syria!

 Fakher: Everyone’s Favorite!

Fakher was a popular biscuit made of two layers of biscuit with caramel in between, all coated in chocolate or white chocolate. It cost 5 liras and was commonly found in school canteens and nearby shops. It disappeared from the market for a while, but a similar chocolate called “Princess” later appeared. Interestingly, Fakher is still available in Arabic stores across Europe and Syrian shops in the Gulf and Turkey, but it has vanished from Syrian markets.

Derby: Our Favorite Childhood Chips

Derby chips were every child’s favorite snack, with a distinctive aroma and taste that still brings back childhood memories. It was sold for 5 liras. Although it disappeared from the Syrian market, those living in Europe, the Gulf, and Turkey can still find it in Syrian stores.

Ruby: Wafer

Ruby was a chocolate-coated wafer with a famous advertisement slogan: “elak w la nessak el helou”. People often bought it because of the catchy ad and its delicious taste, especially compared to other local products.

Raneem: Thyme-flavored Puffs

Ranim chips came in various flavors, but the thyme-flavored ones stood out. These puffs were popular among kids for their unique thyme taste. It was often taken to school as a light snack.

Sami Biscuit and Raha (Turkish Delight)

This simple yet popular treat consisted of two plain biscuits with a piece of soft Turkish delight in between. The softer the delight, the better the taste. Our parents often ordered a specific type of delight called Raha Daraawiyeh for this snack.

Ras Al-Abd

Ras Al-Abed was a chocolate-coated cake shaped like a ball. There were rumors that it was made from leftover sweets, which made our mothers hesitant to buy it for us, but we still bought it and loved it.

PS: We are not proud of the name

Jelly Cup

A small plastic cup filled with fruit-flavored jelly, sold in pairs for 5 liras in the 90s and early 2000s.

Cookie

Cookie was the first cookie many of us knew, a delicious biscuit dough filled with chocolate, perfect for school breaks.

Twist

This came in various flavors, like hazelnut chocolate and milk chocolate. It was a great complement to coffee or tea and was considered a healthier option by parents because it contained less sugar and fewer artificial colors.

Dingo

Dingo was a cookie similar to Oreos, loved by both kids and adults, and also a great match with coffee or tea.

Lamees

Chocolate-coated biscuit fingers, uniquely packaged in a plastic dish. We loved balancing the remaining biscuits in the dish!

Halawa Homsiya and Bashmina

Traditional sweets loved by everyone. Expats visiting Damascus would always bring them back as gifts for their families and friends abroad.

Bonjus

A colored juice in a triangular carton, often enjoyed with a za’atar (thyme) manousheh. The best part? Blowing up the empty carton and popping it!

Kazooz (Soda) in a Bag

During the soda bag era, a local brand called “Crush” was popular. A glass bottle cost 5 liras, and if returned, it would fetch 2.5 liras. Kids often asked the vendor to pour the soda into a bag with a straw and return the bottle.

Aba’ib And Sakaker: Traditional Sweets and Candies

These were a must-have if you visited the Hamidiyeh market or passed by it, sold in paper bags from street carts. They were the candies of our generation.

Siham Gum, tattoos, and Mintad Gum

Siham gum was a favorite among children in the 90s and early 2000s. It came with temporary tattoos that washed off easily, which was the main reason kids bought it.

Mintad gum came in various flavors and was popular for being big and long-lasting in the mouth.

These simple childhood snacks brought immense joy to the children who experienced those days in Syria.