Popular Snacks That Are Now Discontinued
It's always nice to have something that reminds you of the good parts of childhood. For some, it's the snacks they remember either sharing with a friend or eating while watching a favorite TV show. Unfortunately, many of the snack foods that millennials grew up loving don't exist anymore.
They were advertised to kids with catchy commercial jingles and bright packaging, which made it all the more exciting when they were brought right into their own kitchen. So, take a stroll down memory lane and don't get too upset when you find out these popular snacks are now discontinued.
Don't Choke On A Wonder Ball
Kids growing up in the 1990s may remember the commercial that asked them, "What's in the wonder ball?" Nestlé Wonder Balls were designed similar to the Kinder Surprise where the outer coating was a chocolate shell and inside were small figurines of Disney characters.
This quickly became a choking hazard and they were discontinued for the first time in 1997. A few years later they went on sale to the public once again, but instead of the figurines there was candy inside, based on characters from SpongeBob Square Pants, Care Bears, Pokémon, and more. Sadly, they were discontinued by Nestlé for the final time in 2007.
Shark Bites Were The Best Fruit Snack
There are numerous variations of gummy fruit snacks, but there were quite a few people who preferred Betty Crocker's Shark Bites. There is still a version that's made today, but most of the original ingredients have been changed. Shark Bites debuted in 1988 with bold flavors and were designed after Fruit Corners' Fruit Wrinkles.
During their prime, many special edition versions of the gummy were released such as fruit snacks shaped like shark teeth and a new tiger shark cream flavor. Fans of the original Shark Bites can find the new version in limited stores or online.
Fans Were Concerned When Cheetos Twisted Puffs Were Gone
Cheetos Twisted Puffs were possibly the thickest version of Cheetos on the market. These spiral cheesy snacks popped on shelves in 2002 and were only available for a decade. Kids and adults alike could eat them one segment at a time and admire their fun shape.
In 2013 a fan of the Cheetos Twisted Puffs was worried that they couldn't find it, so the Frito-Lay company took to their Facebook page to confirm the snack was gone. They let the Cheetos team know about the concern and others are hoping they'll start making them again.
Little Caesars Chocolate Ravioli Has No Pasta
Little Caesars chocolate ravioli was a niche item that only a few remember. It looked like a pasta ravioli, but was actually a white chocolate shell with a creamy milk chocolate center. The restaurant sold them in the 1980s and 1990s and they were once the chain's most popular dessert item.
Now, the chocolate ravioli cease to exist and are considered to be one of the nostalgic items on Little Caesars vintage menu. When their official Twitter page shared a throwback photo of the chocolate ravioli, many of their followers replied begging for them to be brought back.
Dunk-A-Roos Are Making A Comeback
Dunk-a-Roos may have been discontinued for the last eight years, but that's all about to change. This Betty Crocker snack launched in 1990 and was designed for people to dunk cookies into a glob of frosting. The cookies came in various shapes and flavors and were marketed with a cartoon kangaroo.
In 2012 Dunk-a-Roos were discontinued in America, but remained available to buy online up until recently. Those who loved this tasty treat will be happy to know what's next. The Dunk-a-Roos official Twitter page stated that the product will be re-released in the summer of 2020.
Doritos 3D Didn't Work Out
Doritos have been around since the mid-1960s when they were accidentally created in one of Disneyland's Mexican restaurants. It's been over five decades and countless versions of the classic chip have been created. One that didn't last too long, but still remained a favorite among many was Doritos 3D.
This cheesy snack was introduced on January 22, 1998, and came in the flavors Nacho Cheesier, Jalapeño & Cheddar, Texas Paprika, and Zesty Ranch. They can best be compared to the Bugles chip. Alas, Doritos 3D were discontinued in 2004, but there is a version that still exists only in Mexico.
What Ever Happened To Oreo O's?
In 1997 the popular Oreo cookie was turned into a cereal called Oreo O's. The cereal featured little O-shaped chocolate pieces. It made sense for Post to create an Oreo cereal because the cookie was usually paired with milk. There was also another variation called Extreme Creme Taste Oreo O's that added marshmallows flavored like the Oreo creme middle.
Although it did well in sales and with parental approval it was discontinued after Post and Kraft Foods ceased co-branding. For a while it was only available in South Korea, but in 2017 Walmart started selling the cereal again under a new name.
Skittles Bubble Gum Had A Short Run
Skittles have been around since the 1970s and there have been hundreds of variations of this sweet and sour candy. The makers thought it would be a good idea to combine it with gum, so Skittles Bubble Gum was launched in 2004.
It came with a convenient flip box so consumers could open and close it with ease and it had the same taste as the original Skittles. The candy bubble gum didn't last too long because it was discontinued two years later, right after the company released a new flavor called X-treme Fruit Skittles Gum.
Fans Persuaded Surge To Reemerge
Not many drinks come in the neon green color that Surge soda does. It was first introduced in Norway by the name Urge in 1996 and was so popular that it got an American release the following year. Surge was created to slow down the growth of Mountain Dew and used maltodextrin to give drinkers a burst of energy.
The sales weren't as great as the makers had hoped, which caused them to stop production in 2003. In 2014, fans of the soft drink created a Facebook campaign to get it back on shelves and after conducting a test market it was re-released.
Heinz EZ Squirt Ketchup Came In Every Color Of The Rainbow
The early 2000s were a strange time for food concoctions and one example is Heinz EZ Squirt ketchup. This product came in multiple colors and was mostly advertised to kids. All of the flavors ended up being limited edition and only lasted from 2000 to 2006.
The very first variety was called "Blastin' Green" and was used as a promotional product for the first Shrek film. Other colors included purple, pink, orange, teal, and blue. By the end of Heinz EZ Squirt’s production, over 25 million were sold, which was a 60 percent increase in the ketchup market.
The Simpsons Couldn't Help Butterfinger BB's Stay On Shelves
Butterfingers have been around for almost a century. The original bar is crispy peanut butter covered in chocolate and Nestlé has crafted a handful of spin-offs that they hoped would sell. This led to the creation of Butterfinger BB's.
Butterfinger BB's started production in 1992 and were most similar to Whoppers and Maltesers. Roughly the size of a marble, they were bite-size versions of normal Butterfingers. The candy was advertised with characters from The Simpsons during the 1990s. Butterfinger BB's ceased production in 2006, but were brought back a few years later under the name Butterfinger Mini Bites.
Giggles: You Can Eat Their Faces
One Reddit user remembers Giggles quite fondly, claiming they had a "very specific way of eating their faces." Giggles were a popular snack choice in the 1980s made from two shortbread cookies with a fudge and vanilla creme middle, similar to an Oreo.
Nabisco had to discontinue the cookie in the 1990s, even though it seemed to be doing well among its kid demographic. While most people haven't thought about the cookie in decades, some consumer experts believe it may do well if brought back and rebranded with fun emoji shapes.
Nintendo Cereal System Is Now Worth A Fortune
If anyone was smart enough to hold onto their box of Nintendo Cereal System they could make some serious cash. The cereal was released in 1988 and featured two bags inside, one being Super Mario Bros. and the other The Legend of Zelda.
Nintendo Cereal System was discontinued only a year later, but can now be sold for $100 to $200. The box also contained stickers of Nintendo characters and twelve trading cards called "Nintendo Power Cards." Even though it seemed like a great concept, consumers thought the taste was below average.
Planters Cheez Balls Are Officially Back
One of Cheetos' biggest competitors in the 1980s and 1990s were Planters Cheez Balls. These bite-sized cheese snacks came in a can similar to Pringles and it didn't take long for consumers to gobble them up. When they were discontinued in 2006 it created massive outrage among Cheez Balls fans.
A couple of years ago Planters decided to bring them back after numerous complaints saying they were taken off the shelves too early. To celebrate the comeback, Planters announced they would give away a Cheez Balls Cheez Powder shaker to 350 of the biggest Cheez Balls enthusiasts.
What Went Wrong With Jell-O Pudding Pops?
Jell-O Pudding Pops started appearing in freezer aisles in the 1970s, but the idea to use Jell-O pudding mix in frozen recipes dates back to the 1960s. They were a huge success in their first year after earning $100 million and tripled their sales five years later.
With strong sales they were expected to be on the shelves forever, but their numbers dropped and they were discontinued in the 1990s. The Popsicle brand reintroduced them in grocery stores, but they changed the taste, texture, and shape, which led to that version being discontinued in 2011.
Life Savers Holes Were A '90s Staple
Before Pixar was creating blockbuster movies such as Toy Story, Monsters Inc., and Frozen they were in charge of the commercials for Life Savers Holes. These were supposed to be the middles that were cut out from the original Life Savers candy and they came in a variety of colors and flavors.
It was a big hit in the 1990s, but it was recalled one year after its release due to packaging issues. Life Savers Holes continued to be sold for the majority of the 1990s, but most likely got discontinued because people reported biting and possibly choking on the plastic caps.
Whistle Pops Were A Two-In-One Deal
Whistle Pops were advertised as a candy and a musical instrument in one because as consumers were eating the lollipop they could blow into the stick that doubled as a whistle. They were made by the Spangler Candy Company and date back to the mid-1970s. The candy was quite popular up until the 1990s.
After two decades Whistle Pops fell into obscurity and were discontinued for a while. Then, in 2015 they went back into production under the new name Melody Pops after being bought by a company called Chupa Chups.
You May Be Able To Bring Back Altoids Sours
Altoids Sours were brightly colored candies that came in aluminum tins with flavors that included tangerine, apple, lime, raspberry, and mango. These sour candies hit the market in 2004 and were discontinued in February 2010.
Only some rare specialty candy stores have them in stock and private online sellers are charging hundreds and even thousands of dollars for this nostalgic treat. A Wrigley customer service representative stated the Altoid Sours were discontinued due to low sales, but if you're passionate about bringing them back you can call their 1-800 number to discuss the issue.
How Crispy M&M's Were Different Than The Original
M&M's were introduced to the world on September 10, 1941, after the son of the Mars Company founder saw soldiers from the Spanish Civil War eating a similar candy. There are now many varieties of M&M's, such as peanut butter, almond, pretzel, and caramel. In 1999 Crispy M&M's were released.
These were slightly larger than the original candy and featured a crispy wafer center. They lasted on shelves until 2005, but remained available in Europe and Southeast Asia. Ten years after they were discontinued it was decided the candy would return to America.
Mud & Bugs Cereal Was For The Ultimate Disney Fan
After the massive success of The Lion King, Disney teamed up with Kellogg's to create a cereal based on the movie. Mud & Bugs was meant to resemble the grubs the characters ate with chocolate cereal pieces and colorful bug-shaped marshmallows.
Not only was the Mud & Bugs theme used with cereal, but they also tried it with Pop-Tarts and popsicles. The cereal was launched in 2003 and came with a free Disney DVD that included previews for upcoming films. Not much time had passed before it was taken off the shelves due to low demand.
