As we look back, we remember some snacks as the perfect lunchbox companions, afternoon treats, and childhood memories. But somewhere along the way, they vanished and left behind only nostalgic recollections and perhaps a few old wrappers stored in drawers packed with sentimentality. Let’s remember the goodies we would do anything to have again!
Marathon Bar
The Marathon Bar stretched eight inches of braided caramel coated in chocolate, daring kids and adults alike to chew their way through its sticky goodness. It even had a ruler printed on the wrapper to prove just how long it was. But in 1981, it disappeared from shelves and left fans mourning its perfect caramel-to-chocolate ratio.
Jell-O Pudding Pops
A Jell-O Pudding Pop is the perfect summer companion. It’s creamy, rich, and packed with that unmistakable pudding flavor; no wonder it was a household favorite in the ’80s and ’90s. Many have tried to replicate it, but die-hard fans insist that nothing comes close to the original.
Planters Cheez Balls
Bright orange, perfectly round, and packed with enough artificial cheese flavor to stain your fingers for hours—Planters Cheez Balls were snack perfection. Fans begged for their return, and in 2018, Planters brought them back for a limited time, but they never fully reclaimed their former glory.
Seven Up Bar
Seven flavors in one candy bar? It sounds like a dream, but it was once a delicious reality. The Seven Up Bar, made by Pearson’s Candy Company, was like a sampler box in bar form that featured seven individual sections, each with a different filling: coconut, caramel, nougat, butterscotch, fudge, buttercream, and Brazil nut.
Squeezit
If you were a kid in the ’80s or ’90s, you knew the joy of twisting the top off a Squeezit bottle and chugging the fruit-flavored sugar water inside. These brightly colored drinks came in flavors like Chucklin’ Cherry and Mean Green Puncher, with bottles shaped like little cartoon characters. The fun was in the packaging as much as the drink itself.
Whistle Pops
Whistle Pops were an obnoxious toy and a treat all in one. These lollipops doubled as actual whistles, which annoyed plenty of adults. The high-pitched chirp was a surefire way to drive parents crazy, but that was part of the fun. They disappeared sometime in the early 2000s.
Peanut Treets
Before peanut M&M’s ruled the world, there were Peanut Treets. These candy-coated peanuts were a British favorite, but they made their way to U.S. shelves. Unlike M&M’s, Treets had a glossier, more rigid shell, which made them almost impossible to melt in your hands.
Banana Frosted Flakes
Banana and Frosted Flakes may sound like an odd match, but in the ’80s, Kellogg’s made it work. This cereal took the classic Frosted Flakes formula and added a hint of banana flavor. It wasn’t around for long, as if the world wasn’t ready for banana-flavored cornflakes.
Trix Yogurt
Trix Yogurt hit the shelves in the ’90s and turned the classic fruity cereal into a colorful, swirled snack. It was sugary, artificial, and absolutely delicious. Kids begged their parents for the neon-colored cups in the grocery aisles, but eventually, they disappeared.
Crazy Cow Cereal
Crazy Cow turned your ordinary milk into chocolate or strawberry flavor! It featured crunchy, flavored pieces that dissolved into the milk and created an extra treat at the bottom of the bowl. It didn’t last long—disappearing before the ’80s began, but it left a lasting impression on those lucky to have tried it.
Swoops
Chocolate shaped like potato chips? That was the genius behind Swoops, Hershey’s 2003 creation. Each curved chocolate piece mimicked the shape of a chip, which made for an oddly satisfying snacking experience. They came in classic Hershey’s, Reese’s, Almond Joy, and York Peppermint Patty flavors, but despite their novelty, they didn’t stick around.
Screaming Yellow Zonkers
Screaming Yellow Zonkers were covered in a sweet, buttery glaze and came in black boxes covered in wild, psychedelic designs. Their quirky branding and addictive taste set them apart from the usual caramel corn. After their launch in the 1960s, they developed a cult following, but by the early 2000s, they vanished.
Willy Wonka’s Oompas
Oompas were the peanut butter-filled candies everyone wanted in their lunchbox, even before Reese’s Pieces took over. These bite-sized treats had a candy shell, smooth peanut butter, and chocolate center. For a brief moment in the ’80s, they switched to a fruit-flavored version, but it just wasn’t the same. By the early ’90s, they disappeared entirely.
Giggles Cookies
These sandwich cookies from the ’80s featured two smiling shortbread faces with chocolate and vanilla crème peeking through their playful grins. They had a light crunch and the right amount of sweetness.
Hubba Bubba Bubble Jug
Powdered gum might sound like a prank, but for kids in the ’90s, Hubba Bubba Bubble Jug was a peak innovation. This little plastic jug held fine, dusty granules that magically transformed into chewy, sugary gum once they hit your tongue. The flavors were bright and ridiculously artificial in the best way possible.