A bite of nostalgia: Our Weekly team reflect on treasured memories with Arnott’s biscuits + your chance to WIN!

As a young mum with four children, biscuits were something to treasure in our house, especially when it came to a Tim Tam. They weren’t just a sweet treat but a small moment of excitement, the kind everyone looked forward to, whether tucked into lunchboxes or brought out after dinner.

Chocolate was a rarity, so the kids sometimes made the most of extending the treat by carefully biting off the corners and turning it into a straw to drink their hot chocolate through on cold winter nights.

But even if it wasn’t a slam, our time gathered around the table, sharing stories and laughter, was a ritual that brought magic into ordinary evenings of their childhood and something we’ll always have stitched into the fabric of those busy, happy years.

Teddies might usually be nestled into a small child’s lunchbox, but they also happen to be a favourite sweet treat of a 30-something!

Mum would occasionally treat us to the little biscuit bears after doing the weekly shop. My two younger brothers and I would tussle over the box in the back seat of the car, prying them half-melted from each other’s hot little hands and scoffing them down before we’d even made it home.

These days, Tiny Teddy still makes an appearance in my pantry, with a few often tucked into my handbag in case of emergencies.

And the best part? I don’t have to share them with little brothers any more. Now I just have to fight my partner for them instead!

Without a doubt, my favourite biscuit has to be the Mint Slice. My Janma cemented my love of the classic cookie from childhood. Without fail, once the dinner plates were cleared and we had settled in to watch some TV, she would pull out the packet of Mint Slice. It is the perfect sweet treat to end the day and if we were lucky, we might be allowed a second.

In recent years, I have been diagnosed as gluten-intolerant, so I’m delighted that I can keep indulging with the gluten-free Mint Slice. They still have the same delicious taste and crunch, but I don’t have to worry about the dreaded sick stomach feeling.

I love the Monte Carlo biscuit – the buttery coconut and tangy raspberry combination reminds me of my favourite Louise cake, all wrapped up in one little treat.

Over the years, it’s become a tradition to enjoy a Monte Carlo with a cup of tea while watching the Monaco Grand Prix live on TV. There’s something special about that pairing – a little indulgent treat to keep you going through the late-night race.

The only time I broke that ritual was last year, when we were actually there in person, watching the Formula 1 cars race through Monte Carlo. Now, back home in New Zealand, I’ll savour each biscuit as I watch this year’s GP, bringing that unforgettable experience full circle.

I’ve loved books and reading from an early childhood, and when my son Noah was born, I wanted him to have the same enjoyment, but that wasn’t initially to be!

He adored being read to, but spelling was his bugbear and didn’t come so easily… until Arnott’s – more so, its Iced Animals – came to the rescue. I devised a little game where every time he spelled the characters correctly – e.g. Leo Lion, Baabara Sheep, Dougal Dog and Hilda Hippo – he could eat the biscuit. Needless to say, Ester Elephant was always the last to go!

They were also a hit at his birthday parties, without the learning thrown in.