Remember when grocery store shelves were filled with neon-colored drinks, cartoon-themed cereals, and candy that came with its own gimmick? Growing up in the '70s, '80s, or '90s meant getting attached to some pretty ridiculous snacks, many of which disappeared without much warning. Some have made brief comebacks over the years, while others are now little more than a distant memory and an occasional eBay listing. How many of these childhood favorites did you actually get to try?
Jell-O Pudding Pops
There was regular ice cream, and then there were those wonderfully creamy, slightly icy pudding pops. Chocolate, vanilla, or swirl was the big decision, and getting one out of the wrapper without making a mess was another challenge entirely.
Marathon Bar
Eight inches of braided caramel covered in chocolate sounds like a dental appointment waiting to happen, but that was part of the appeal. Mars sold Marathon bars from 1973 until 1981, complete with a ruler printed on the wrapper to emphasize their impressive length. Anyone still craving one can look for Britain's Curly Wurly, which is similar.
Hi-C Ecto Cooler
Slimer wasn't exactly the most appetizing mascot, but that didn't stop kids from begging for Hi-C Ecto Cooler. The neon-green citrus drink arrived in 1987 and became so popular that it outlasted the cartoon it was originally created to promote. Its occasional limited returns have only made people more nostalgic for the original juice boxes.
Koogle Peanut Butter
Chocolate peanut butter is understandable, but banana-flavored peanut butter is a little harder to explain. Kraft's Koogle spreads came in several sweet flavors during the 1970s, and the cartoonish packaging was clearly aimed at kids. It didn't survive the decade, although apparently some people never got over losing their favorite sandwich filling.
Carnation Breakfast Bars
Carnation Breakfast Bars were a popular option for busy mornings back in the '70s and '80s. Covered in chocolate with a chewy center, they were advertised as a quick and nutritious alternative to a traditional breakfast. They've been off store shelves for decades, but plenty of people still remember grabbing one before heading off to school.
Philadelphia Cheesecake Snack Bars
Philadelphia Cheesecake Snack Bars were a favorite in the early 2000s, offering individual portions of cheesecake without having to buy an entire cake. Each bar had a graham cracker crust and creamy cheesecake filling, with strawberry topping available in one of the varieties. Kraft eventually discontinued them, much to the disappointment of fans who still ask for their return.
Butterfinger BB's
The appeal was simple: all that crunchy Butterfinger filling, minus the commitment of eating an entire bar. These little chocolate-covered balls were perfect for movie theaters, road trips, or pouring directly into your mouth when nobody was looking. They vanished in 2006, and the Butterfinger products that followed never quite recreated the experience.
PB Max
PB Max was a peanut butter lover's dream, with a thick layer of peanut butter and crunchy cookie pieces covered in milk chocolate. Mars introduced the candy bar in 1989, but it only lasted a few years before being discontinued. Despite its short time on shelves, it remains a favorite among people who remember trying it.
Bonkers Candy
Bonkers commercials featured enormous pieces of fruit falling onto people's heads, which was certainly one way to advertise candy. The actual sweets were small, chewy rectangles with a fruity outer layer and a softer center. They were sold throughout the 1980s and became almost as recognizable for their commercials as for the candy itself.
Fruit String Thing
Eating Fruit String Thing was never as simple as opening the wrapper and taking a bite. The fruity snack came rolled into a spiral, which meant you could unwind it into one long strip or pull off little pieces. Betty Crocker sold it during the 1990s, when lunchboxes were full of snacks that doubled as something to play with.
Doritos 3D
Doritos 3D were a popular snack in the late '90s, offering a different take on the classic tortilla chip. Instead of being flat, they were puffed up into hollow triangles with a light, crunchy texture and plenty of seasoning.
Life Savers Holes
Life Savers introduced a bite-sized version of their classic candy in the 1990s called Life Savers Holes. These small, round candies came in plastic containers and featured many of the same fruity flavors as the originals. They were easy to eat by the handful, but didn't last nearly as long on store shelves as the traditional Life Savers.
Nestlé Wonder Ball
Nestlé Wonder Balls were hollow chocolate spheres with a surprise waiting inside. Early versions contained small plastic toys, but safety concerns led the company to replace them with candy shaped like Disney characters and other familiar figures.
Crystal Pepsi
Did you ever get to try Crystal Pepsi when it first came out in 1992? The clear cola looked more like sparkling water than regular Pepsi, although it had a similar flavor. It disappeared after just a few years, but if you missed it the first time around, you might have caught one of its limited comebacks.
Squeezit
Were Squeezit drinks a regular part of your school lunches growing up? These brightly colored fruit drinks came in squeezable plastic bottles with twist-off caps, with flavors like cherry, grape, and orange. They were especially popular in the '80s and '90s before General Mills discontinued them in 2001.
Keebler's Tato Skins
Keebler's Tato Skins were a popular snack in the '80s, made to look like slices of potato with the skin still on. They were thicker and crunchier than regular potato chips, with flavors like baked potato and cheddar cheese. The original Keebler version was eventually discontinued, although similar snacks have appeared under other brands.
Screaming Yellow Zonkers
If you grew up in the '70s or '80s, you might remember seeing Screaming Yellow Zonkers in their distinctive black boxes. The snack was made of popcorn covered in a sweet, buttery glaze, giving it a different taste from traditional caramel corn. Were these ever a favorite in your house, or did you usually stick with regular popcorn?
Hershey's Bar None
Hershey's introduced Bar None in 1987, featuring layers of chocolate wafers and chocolate cream covered in milk chocolate. The company later changed the recipe, adding caramel and peanuts to the original combination. The candy disappeared from Hershey's lineup in the 1990s, but another company eventually brought back a version of it.
Kudos Bars
Kudos Bars were a lunchbox favorite throughout the '80s and '90s, combining crunchy granola with plenty of chocolate. Some varieties featured M&M's, Snickers, or Dove chocolate, making them taste more like candy bars than a typical granola snack. Mars kept them around for decades before discontinuing them in the 2010s.
Sprinkle Spangles
General Mills introduced Sprinkle Spangles in 1993, featuring star-shaped cereal pieces covered in colorful sprinkles. The commercials even featured a genie mascot named Sprinkle Spangle, because apparently sugary cereal needed a little magic too. With all those sprinkles, was this really breakfast or just an excuse to eat dessert first thing in the morning?
Altoids Sours
Forget the usual strong peppermint flavor, because Altoids Sours were all about making your mouth pucker. Sold in colorful metal tins, these hard candies came in flavors like tangerine, raspberry, and apple, with a seriously sour kick. They were discontinued around 2010, but the tangerine flavor in particular is still remembered by people who grew up eating them.
Yogos
Kellogg's Yogos were little fruit-flavored bites covered in a creamy yogurt coating, sold in colorful tubes during the 2000s. Did you eat them one at a time, or was the entire tube usually gone before you even got to class? They disappeared around 2010, taking one of the more unusual lunchbox snacks with them.
Hubba Bubba Bubble Jug
Remember pouring what looked like powdered sugar into your mouth, only for it to turn into bubble gum? Hubba Bubba Bubble Jug was one of those strange '90s candies that made absolutely no sense until you tried it. The little plastic jugs were almost as much fun as the gum itself.
Orbitz Drink
Orbitz might be one of the strangest beverages ever sold in American grocery stores. The clear drink had colorful little balls floating inside, which somehow stayed suspended instead of sinking to the bottom. Did you actually enjoy drinking it, or were you mostly interested in watching the floating blobs?
Space Food Sticks
During the space craze, Pillsbury sold Space Food Sticks as a snack inspired by what astronauts ate. These chewy sticks came in flavors like chocolate and peanut butter and were individually wrapped for easy snacking. Did you actually like the taste, or was pretending to be an astronaut the main attraction?
Reggie! Bar
Named after baseball star Reggie Jackson, the Reggie! Bar was a chocolate-covered combination of caramel and peanuts. It debuted in 1978, right around the height of Jackson's fame with the New York Yankees. Baseball fans might remember the candy almost as clearly as the player who inspired it.
Betty Crocker Soda-Licious
Soda-Licious fruit snacks were shaped like tiny soda bottles, which was apparently enough to make them exciting in the '90s. They came in soft drink-inspired flavors and were packaged in individual pouches for school lunches. It was one of those snacks where the shape was just as important as the flavor.
Nabisco Dipsy Doodles
Dipsy Doodles were thick, ridged corn chips that were especially good for scooping up dip without breaking. They were a popular party snack for years, with their crunchy texture setting them apart from regular potato chips.
Planters PB Crisps
Remember those little peanut-shaped snacks that were actually filled with peanut butter? Planters PB Crisps had a crunchy cookie shell with a creamy center, and they also came in chocolate and peanut butter varieties. They were only around for a few years in the '90s, but their unusual shape and sweet filling made them stand out from other snacks.
Sunshine Chip-A-Roos
Sunshine Chip-A-Roos were bite-sized chocolate chip cookies that were popular during the 1980s. They had a crunchy texture and plenty of chocolate chips, making them an easy snack to eat straight from the package. Were you the type to eat a few at a time, or would you finish half the bag before realizing it?
