Back when microwaves were just starting to become standard equipment in kitchens, the microwave-ready food selection wasn’t that great. (Nowadays it’s weird to think of a frozen food that isn’t microwaveable.) One of the first foodstuffs I remember having in the microwave was a brand called Micro Magic.
They started with the simple, humble french fry. You’d get a three-pack of small boxes with a fair serving of crinkle-cut fries in each. Made sense, since it came from Simplot, the largest potato food manufacturer on earth. But then they expanded into sandwiches (burgers, chicken sandwiches) and – something I had totally forgotten about – milkshakes.
That’s right! They were sold in two-packs, and were frozen ice cold. After a good 30 seconds or so in the microwave, and a little stirring, you had a milkshake. It’s not that milkshakes are really difficult to make, or anything, but this was whiz-bang new technology!
Were the foods any good? Well, as good as microwave fries, burgers, and milkshakes sound, frankly. There aren’t any big sites talking about Micro Magic anymore, and a decent Google search brings back a few stray memories… nothing more.
Posted in Food and Beverage
sheryl October 15, 2006, 1:03 am
My sister and I loved the shakes we have been trying to find them forever !!! We still talk about them.
tommy cuellar April 2, 2007, 1:02 am
i posted a pic of the fries (still sold in japan) on my flickr. just click on my name to see it.
Patrick November 20, 2007, 10:43 pm
I flat out lived on the cheeseburgers in the late 80’s, early 90’s. my friends joked the s@#T out of me for eating them cause they couldn’t stand them, more for me !!! I would go to the food lion and buy as many as I could afford. I miss them, never tried the shakes it just seemed so BASS- ACKWARD to make a shake in the microwave, but i heard they were good. Never liked the fries, never crispy, and not the shoestring type i like best. PLEASE BRING BACK THE CHEESEBURGERS PLEASE !!!!!
Blake February 22, 2008, 5:13 pm
I guess Im not the only person searching for a micro magic bacon cheeseburger…I lived on them in the early 90,s thought we could not get them in Canada we made frequent trips to the state to pick some up…I really wish they would bring them back
George March 14, 2008, 2:29 pm
I can see you are an nostalgic, I also dearly recall the Micro Magic but I’ve accepted the fact that the world is changing and now I have plenty options for microwaving. To tell you the truth, I don’t regret anything and I am always up to try new kitchen recipes.
Avon April 10, 2008, 6:59 pm
I loved Micro-Magic food, personally 🙂
My main memory though is of the Milkshakes that I would nuke up for a bit, and the center would still be frozen solid, but then you’d stir it a little, wait a minute, and you’d have this nice chocolate shake….
What made me suddenly remember the great red boxes was a product at my local store called ‘Quickmeal’. It comes in a black box, but advertises a ‘cheeseburger sandwich’..
It tastes a lot like MicoMagic, but without the fries and shake to go with it, it’s not as good 🙂
Dave April 29, 2008, 8:28 pm
Ok, now for the inside scoop on Micro Magic. I was actually with the company that manufactured the products and packaged them for microwave use..not the shakes just the burgers, cheeseburgers, and what I don’t see mentioned here are the grilled cheese sandwiches with or without ham.
The reason, to the best of my knowledge, the product went off the market was due to a legal battle over the technology of the paper that was used to package the sandwiches. The technology was developed in Europe/Scandanavia and was based on a certain type of tree and the pulp that resulted from said tree. For some reason the finished paper product work extremely well with the microwaves in conducting heat to the product without making the bun and meat rubbery and unappetizing. Last I knew the product was still availabe in Europe but I can’t recall the brand name. If I find out I’ll return!
One side note, the product was made of very high quality ingredients so those of you that loved the product you can feel good about the quality!
Phyllis May 9, 2008, 3:34 am
I can’t take it. I need one. If I can’t have one then I see no reason to produce smiles anymore. And to all the Micro Magic haters, you’re entitled to your opinions… just as long as you know that they are wrong. It’s been at least 15 years since I’ve had a Micro Magic cheeseburger and yet that’s all I’ve been able to taste for days. I may never find that happiness again. Not until that melted magical cheese envelopes my tastebuds yet again. I love you Micro Magic cheeseburgers… more than I can bear to say. P.S. I am not fat.