East German food was simple and often of good quality, without many preservatives or artificial flavorings. The selection at the Kaufhalle, the state-run supermarket, was limited: mustard came from Bautzen or Thuringia, crispbread from Burg and the “Kathi” baking mix from Halle. With a bit of luck there were Eberswalder sausages in a jar or Halberstädter sausages in a can. Then there were Tempo lentils and Tempo beans from Suppina, pasta from Riesa and quick-cook rice from Wurzen.
Many East German foods are still available today
“Kathi” survived the Wende, the political turnaround of 1989–90, and so did a whole range of other East German products that are on the shelves of many supermarkets today. Most of the companies were sold after 1990, but the well-known brand names stayed. Many East German foods were Pfennigartikel, items that cost only a few Pfennig (a hundredth of a Mark): a large jar of sugar beet syrup cost 18 Pfennig, and malt coffee was similarly cheap. Today, products like these cost considerably more at an organic food store.
East German drinks: Sekt, beer and schnapps
There were schnapps distilleries in every district of the GDR. Still well known today are Goldkrone and Goldbrand, Nordhäuser Doppelkorn and Schierker Feuerstein. At the Tanzvergnügen, the local dance night, people mixed vodka with Club-Cola. Beer brands such as Radeberger have held on, and wine was made in the Saale-Unstrut region and along the Elbe. Even back then, the most popular brand of Sekt (German sparkling wine) was Rotkäppchen from Freyburg an der Unstrut, today the most successful Sekt brand in Germany.
East German candy: Halloren, Knusperflocken and Bambina
Knusperflocken and Halloren-Kugeln are still in the candy aisle today. Halloren-Kugeln come from Halle, from Germany’s oldest chocolate factory, founded in 1804. Real chocolate was scarce in the GDR because cocoa had to be bought with hard currency. That is why there were sweets like Bambina, which was not chocolate in the strict sense. Bambina is still around too.
Broiler, Goldbroiler and Gastmahl des Meeres
In the GDR, roast chicken was called Broiler, and every larger city had a Goldbroiler restaurant. This was made possible by industrial chicken farming, which closed a gap in supply. Who introduced the name, which comes from English, is not known. Fish was served in the restaurants of the “Gastmahl des Meeres” (“Feast of the Sea”) chain. Snack stands were rare; bratwurst was mostly grilled at home.