50 Discontinued Groceries That Have Vanished from Shelves
You know that moment when you’re going down the snack aisle at the grocery store, only to find that your favorite bag of chips or indulgent cookie has been discontinued? Yeah, it’s the worst. Sometimes items do make a resurgence (hello, Dunkaroos), but most of the time, the long-lost groceries are just a memory. We’ve rounded up 50 discontinued groceries that everyone is begging to come back to store shelves. Here’s hoping some of these come back one day! (And for more nostalgia, here are 15 Discontinued Sodas You’ll Never See Again.)
Dessert Lunchables
These tasty snacks were the prized possession of any kid at the lunch table. The ’90s snack packs used to come in a variety of flavors including s’mores, Oreo cookies and frosting, and star sugar cookies with electric blue frosting.
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Jiffy Pop Popcorn
Since 1959, Jiffy Pop has been the reigning snack of choice for families all over the country. While it’s not technically discontinued, it can only be found in a handful of stores or online.
Circus Peanuts
Circus Peanuts were created in the 1800s and sold as part of the era of penny candies. The banana marshmallow creations are hard to find in stores now but can still be found at classic candy stores or online.
And for more throwbacks, These Old TV Dinners Will Make You So Nostalgic For Your Childhood.
Moon Pie Crunch
Classic Moon Pies got an upgrade in the 2000s with Moon Pie Crunch. The new treat came in two varieties: peanut butter and mint. Instead of the cake-like cookie on a traditional Moon Pie, the crunch version had crunchy cookies to make the sandwich, and there was no marshmallow filling.
Vanilla Nesquik
In 1979, Nesquik introduced a new riff on the classic chocolate powder with vanilla. Vanilla Nesquik took over grocery store shelves, standing alongside chocolate, strawberry, and eventually banana, only for the vanilla and banana flavors to be discontinued.
And for a modern twist on some of these classics, here are 25 Healthier Versions of Your Favorite Childhood Snacks.
Swanson TV Dinners
Swanson TV dinners were filled with things like meatloaf, roasted turkey, or fried chicken. These little beauties usually only got pulled out when a parent got off work late or if you got home from soccer practice and they didn’t want to cook.
Cröonchy Stars Cereal
If you were ever a fan of The Muppets, this cereal was probably in your pantry. The sugary cereal had an image of the Swedish Chef from The Muppet Show on the front, making it super appealing to kids of all ages.
And if you’re craving a bowl of the crunchy stuff, here are The Best & Worst Kids’ Cereals—Ranked.
Nehi Grape
If you ever drank grape soda at your grandparents’ house, odds are it was probably Nehi Grape. The caffeine-free soda has been off grocery store shelves for years but can still be ordered through online purveyors like Amazon.
Pink Panther Flakes
Cereals with recognizable pop culture characters on the front were all the rage in the early ’70s. Pink Panther Flakes had a bright pink coating that ended up turning your milk pink, too.
Jell-O Pudding Pops
Pudding pops were the best afternoon snack after playing outside with friends. The ice pops were eventually discontinued after sales did not meet expectations.
Keebler Magic Middles
Anything with the word “magic” in it has to be good, right? These soft cookies were filled with chocolate or peanut butter. Despite having a good following, they were discontinued, never to be seen again in the cookie aisle of the grocery store.
Reggie! Bar
The Reggie! Bar was named after New York Yankees right fielder Reggie Jackson. The bar was filled with peanuts and caramel then covered in milk chocolate. It did make a reappearance in the ’90s but was discontinued again shortly after.
Crystal Pepsi
The ’90s were a strange time in the grocery store. You had purple ketchup and clear Crystal Pepsi, which tasted like watered-down lemon-lime soda. The drink did have a re-release in the 2010s but hasn’t been seen since then.
Altoids Sours
Mint maker Altoids decided that the company needed to jump on the sour candy trend of the late ’90s and early 2000s and came up with Altoids Sours. They tasted good but ripped up the roof of your mouth as you sucked on them.
Kudos
It was always a great day at school when you found a Kudos granola bar in your lunch box. The bars were topped with candy and chocolate, so they were more like a sweet treat than a healthy granola bar.
And while Kudos aren’t on shelves anymore, you can make a copycat version at home! It’s one of our 7 Classic Childhood Snacks You Can Make Yourself.
Creme Savers
Creme Savers were the ultimate hard candies, and they could always be found in the glass candy jar at your grandparents’ house. They came in a few flavors, but the best was strawberry. Good news! Earlier this year it was announced that this beloved candy was returning to grocery store shelves after 10 years. Talk about happy endings!
Dannon Sprinkl’ins
Adding sprinkles to anything makes that item 10 times more exciting. Dannon Sprinkl’ins were a way to get more kids interested in eating the healthy-ish snack, but they were discontinued worldwide.
Squeezit
This fruit-flavored drink came in a plastic tube with a top that was always super-satisfying to rip off. The drinks were brightly colored and had fun names like Chucklin’ Cherry. Sadly, they were discontinued in 2007 and haven’t been seen since then.
Planters PB Crisps
All good things must come to an end, and for Planters PB Crisps that time was in 1995. The PB Crisps had a graham cracker shell with creamy peanut butter in the center.
Apple Newtons
Apple Newtons were the sweeter, more kid-friendly alternative to Fig Newton cookies. The filling was sweet and tasted just like apple pie. This apple snack was discontinued when Nabisco added more flavors like raspberry and strawberry to the lineup.
Black Cherry Vanilla Coke
Besides having the longest name for a soda ever, Black Cherry Vanilla Coke was good. The flavor lasted for just a little over a year, from 2006 to 2007. We wish we could still find this in the soda aisle.
Dunkaroos
Dunkaroos were the quintessential ’90s snack. The tiny pack contained cookies and a big glob of icing with sprinkles mixed in that you dunked your cookies into. There was always a bit too much frosting for the number of cookies, so the last few cookies in the pack were loaded with sprinkle-laced frosting. Dunkaroos made a comeback in 2020, but they sold out pretty quickly (no surprise there). Still, if you’re lucky, you might find them at a convenience store.
Surge Soda
Step aside, Four Loko. Surge soda was the original soda-energy drink combo. The soda was banned in most schools for being filled with way too much sugar, but we wish we could taste this drink one more time.
Triple Power Push Pop
Push Pops were always a go-to for kids. The idea of saving part of the lollipop for later and closing it with a lid was ingenious. Then someone decided that kids needed a triple push pop, with three different flavors to last three times as long. These can still be found at old candy stores but are hard to get your hands on.
Skippy Squeeze Stix
If you ever thought about eating peanut butter out of the jar, then you probably begged for Skippy Squeeze Stix. The tubes of plain or chocolate peanut butter were fun to eat, but they sometimes made a mess if you weren’t careful.
And for more throwbacks, don’t miss these 27 Great Foods from the 1990s That Will Remind You of Simpler Times.
Hershey’s Swoops
Chocolate that looked like chips were a real treat in every kid’s lunch box (as long as they didn’t melt before lunchtime). Hershey’s Swoops came in a few varieties, including Reese’s, Almond Joy, and York.
Haagen-Dazs Black Walnut Ice Cream
Black walnut wasn’t the most popular Haagen-Dazs flavor on the shelf, but it had a devoted fanbase before it was discontinued.
Bar None
Bar None was made by Hershey’s in 1987. The candy bar featured cocoa wafers, chocolate crème, peanuts, and a milk chocolate coating. Unfortunately, in 1997, Hershey’s discontinued the candy bar. The candy was picked up by Iconic Candy for a revival, but fans of the original concoction have said the new version doesn’t taste quite the same.
Aspen Soda
In 1978, Pepsi released an apple-flavored soda called Aspen, which was meant to compete with the lemon-lime soda craze. The soda was discontinued in 1984, but we can still remember the taste of the crisp and refreshing drink.
Hostess Chocodiles
This popular treat was simply a Twinkie covered in chocolate. When the product disappeared from store shelves in the late ’90s, people were upset. But a revival came in 2014 when the Chocodile was revived in miniature form. We still want the original size back, but until then, eating three miniatures will have to do.
There’s more where that came from! Don’t miss these 33 Super Popular Snacks From Your Childhood That Are Discontinued.
Nabisco Cheese Tid-Bit
Cheese Tid-Bits by Nabisco were small cheddar crackers formed into sticks. Nabisco stopped making these in the early 2000s even though they seemed to be popular.
Carnation Breakfast Bars
Carnation Breakfast Bars were a must-have in many houses in the ’80s. Online petitions to bring these back to grocery stores have popped up over the years, but none have worked yet. Here’s hoping one does someday.
Cheetos Twisted
The early 2000s were a strange time for snack foods. One of the more out-there offerings was Cheetos Twisted. These puffs were made in a curlycue with pointed ends. Eating one ring at a time was super satisfying and made the snack last longer.
Munch ‘Ems
These snack crackers were a cross between a cracker and a chip. Munch ‘Ems came in flavors like ranch, cheddar, and sour cream and onion. Sadly, they were taken out of grocery stores in the early 2000s.
Pizzarias Chips
Keebler once made chips that tasted just like cheese pizza called Pizzarias Chips. The snack gained a dedicated following until the chips were discontinued in the ’90s.
And for more throwbacks, don’t miss these 25 Great Foods From the 1970s That Will Remind You of Simpler Times.
Oreo Big Stuf
Oreo Big Stuf was introduced in 1984 and was about 10 times the size of a traditional Oreo. The cookie took a long time to eat, but it didn’t last a long time at the grocery store. It was discontinued after seven years, but we would love to have just one more of these tasty treats.
Philadelphia Strawberry Cheesecake Snack Bars
There’s no dessert better than cheesecake, and when Philadelphia cream cheese came out with these snack bars, they were always in our grocery cart. The bars had a graham cracker bottom, a cheesecake topping, and a strip of strawberry filling down the middle.
Taco Bell Lunchables
Lunch at school was always good when it included Taco Bell Lunchables. The lunch packs included tacos or nachos with some of the familiar tastes of the fast-food restaurant. These were discontinued in 2000, never to be seen again.
Oatmeal Swirlers
In 1998, General Mills’ Oatmeal Swirlers were introduced to the world. The playful breakfast allowed you to make oatmeal then make a fun design with fruit jellies. The breakfast staple was discontinued a few years later.
Dolphins and Friends
Dolphins and Friends were the cheese cracker cousin to Goldfish, but in our opinion, they had a superior taste. These were around in the late ’90s and early 2000s but haven’t been seen in years.
And if you’re looking for a healthy cracker option, don’t miss these 12 Healthy Store-Bought Cracker Brands, According to Nutritionists.
Jell-O 1-2-3
Jell-O molds had nothing on Jell-O 1-2-3, which debuted in 1969 and was taken off shelves in 1996. When you prepared the powder properly, it would separate and solidify on its own into three layers: a creamy top, a mousse middle, and regular Jell-O on the bottom.
Gator Gum
Over the ’80s and ’90s, Gatorade produced a gum that was supposed to quench thirst. The gum came in iconic Gatorade flavors like lemon-lime and orange but was taken out of grocery stores in 1989.
Milk ‘N Cereal Bars
Eating cereal was even easier with Milk ‘N Cereal bars. These breakfast bars used cereal kids loved like Cocoa Puffs and Cinnamon Toast Crunch to make a crunchy bar with a tasty milk-like center. These are still available in limited stores and online, but reviewers have said that they don’t taste quite the same as the original formula.
Pop-Tarts Snak Stix
These stick versions of the original Pop-Tarts were a yummy afternoon snack. The Stix came in a lot of the same flavors as the original Pop-Tarts but were discontinued in 2003.
Bagel-Fuls
Imagine never having to schmear cream cheese onto a bagel ever again. That’s what Bagel-fuls were. The stuffed bagels made the way for things like bagel bombs and Bantam Bagels to exist. We wish these were still on shelves so that we could enjoy a stuffed bagel whenever we wanted.
And for more throwbacks, here are 13 Long-Lost Foods from the ’80s That Will Stoke Your Nostalgia.
Vault
Vault was a hybrid soda and energy drink. The soda flavor is now used in Mello Yello, but that doesn’t give quite the same surge of energy as Vault did until 2011 when it was discontinued.
Ritz Bits S’mores Sandwiches
S’mores are a classic campfire treat, but when you couldn’t have a campfire, the Ritz Bits S’mores sandwiches always hit the spot. These were discontinued, and we would love to see them back on store shelves.
Pringles Prints
Kids would fight over who got to tell the next fun fact or joke that was printed with edible blue ink onto original Pringles chips. Pringles Prints didn’t last long on store shelves, but the memory of them will live on forever.
Pizza Spins
Imagine the flavors of pizza, all in a convenient cracker. That was the magic of General Mills’ Pizza Spins until they were discontinued in 1975.
Butterfinger BBs
These bite-sized candies made eating a Butterfinger even more fun. RIP.
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