Enter the delectable 90s time capsule, where our taste senses were treated to an exhilarating rollercoaster of sensations that are, regrettably, now a thing of the past. We’ll take a nostalgic trip back to the meals that were previously discontinued but tantalized our senses with their unusual designs, vivid hues, and audacious claims. These culinary jewels are more than simply edibles; they are pieces of a bygone period, with each mouthful capturing the essence of a simpler, neon-hued time. From classic treats that defined after-school munchies to beverages that prompted playground arguments. Come along as we uncover the tales behind these vanishing sweets and celebrate the tastes that drove our childhood explorations.
Butterfinger BB’s
There was a strong fanbase for these round treats from when they were released in 1992. They had everything people loved about the original Butterfinger bar; crispy, buttery peanut-flavored candy drenched in creamy milk chocolate. Why did Nestle discontinue BB’s? It’s a mystery! Some say it was about how the chocolate coating would melt and slip off the peanut candy base, making a mess.
Fruitopia
The 1990s saw an outbreak of nostalgia for the 1970s. This was evident in the Coca-Cola Company’s advertising for its 1994 fruit-flavored drink, Fruitopia. With swirling colors, trippy music, and New Agey slogans of self-acceptance, Fruitopia was set to overthrow competitor Snapple’s dynasty. It was created in 1994 and was phased out by 2003.
Squeezits
These drinks came in character-shaped bottles with fun names like Chucklin’ Cherry and Grumpy Grape. The one drawback was that the bottles didn’t fit into a lunchbox, which the company corrected later in the decade. Still, it wasn’t enough to keep the product afloat, perhaps due to parents moving away from products with excess sugar and dyes in the 2000s.
Dunkaroos
Kids in the 1990s felt extra special when they opened their lunch box and saw a pack of Dunkaroos. These small, divided packs included a side with mini-cookies and one with flavored icing. They were discontinued in 2012, but thanks to a loyal and persistent fanbase, they were reintroduced in 2020, so you don’t have to miss these anymore!
Sprinkle Spangles
These sparkly, star-shaped corn puffs with a genie mascot should have been a hit. What kid doesn’t love sprinkles? Oddly enough, the main complaint about this breakfast cereal was that it was too sweet. Sales dropped, and the product was discontinued in 1998. Still, it had its cult following, and to this day, people are still searching for a comparable cereal.
PB Crisps
Crispy graham cracker outside, creamy peanut butter filling inside. This was the draw of Planters’ PB Crisps, introduced in 1992. As of this writing, a website is dedicated to a “movement” to bring back PB Crisps, and the fans seem intent on keeping up the good fight.
Crystal Pepsi
In 1992, Pepsi introduced Crystal Pepsi and marketed it as the first clear cola. Crystal Pepsi had its devotees and did alright in the market, but company executives had hoped for a bit better. Lack of consumer enthusiasm and sabotage from rival Coca-Cola killed the drink in 1994. Check out other discontinued sodas from prior decades.
Wonder Balls
These spherical treats from Nestle consisted of a chocolate shell that housed a surprise toy inside. Kids were delighted by this winning combination of toys and candy, but some parents and company executives became concerned that the toys could be a choking hazard. The product was discontinued in 1997 but returned in the late 2010s with safer surprises like candies and stickers.
Oreo O’s
When Post released Oreo O’s cereal in 1997, boxes flew off the shelves. The cereal mimicked the flavor of America’s favorite cookies, and the nation was hooked. The love affair lasted ten years. The product was discontinued due to branding issues between Kraft Foods and Post Cereals. Thanks to popular demand, Post brought this Oreo cereal back in 2019 and is now available worldwide.
Pop Tarts Crunch
Pop Tarts Crunch Cereal offered consumers all their favorite things about Pop Tarts (delectable pastry crust with sweet, soft filling) without needing a toaster. Sadly, this crunchy morning meal option disappeared in 1995, just a year after its introduction. It came back by popular demand in the late 2010s. Check out other Pop Tarts that have been discontinued.
Dannon Sprinkl’ins
This fun kids’ yogurt is an often-forgotten discontinued ’90s food. The little cups had surprise sprinkles or color-changing bits hidden in the lid. Despite catchy ads and decent public reception, Sprinkl’ins didn’t fare well and ended up being discontinued. Today, most yogurts are a healthy choice rather than full of sprinkles.
Jell-O Pudding Pops
Jell-O Pudding Pops burst onto the scene in the 1980s with now-iconic commercials featuring the then-megastar Bill Cosby. Pudding Pops came to a sudden and sad end when Jell-O announced that making them was no longer profitable for the company.
Altoids Sours
Altoids were initially known for being “curiously strong mints.” Later, the company that made the mints found a new way to overwhelm consumers’ taste buds with the release of Altoids Sours. But it wasn’t in the cards for them to last. Perhaps it was that Altoids were an “adult’ candy, and it was mostly kids who enjoyed sour products. We may never know.
Waffle Crisp Cereal
Introduced in 1996, Waffle Crisp Cereal gave consumers a new way to enjoy a breakfast classic. The crunchy, waffle-shaped bits burst with maple syrup flavor that left a delicious taste in the milk. While they were discontinued in 2018, their absence was short-lived. Post Brands returned the cereal to shelves in the summer of 2022.
Keebler Magic Middles
These top-notch cookies filled with chocolate and peanut butter were one of Keebler’s most indulgent treats. The crumbly shortbread, the creamy, gooey filling—heaven! It is unclear why they were discontinued; Keebler possibly needed to make way for new products.
Oreo Cakesters
Oreo Cakesters are moist chocolate snack cakes filled with vanilla creme. They were an instant hit with all the goodness of an Oreo cookie but softer. While they were discontinued in 2012, they were one of many “nostalgia snacks” brought back in recent years thanks to persistent campaigning by millennials.
Creme Savers
The Mars Company added a new member to their Lifesavers family when they introduced Creme Savers in 19996. These hard candies featured swirls of fruit and vanilla cream flavor. They were discontinued in 2011 but were revived in 2021 in a joint effort between Mars Wrigley and Iconic Candy.
Fruit String Thing
In the ’90s, fruit snacks ruled the lunchbox. What started out as a humble backpacker’s fuel (fruit leather) ended up being an entire sector of the snack industry with fierce competition between companies. It stayed on shelves until the mid-2000s, then disappeared to make room for new trends in snacking.
Trix Yogurt
In the ’90s, companies went to great lengths to get kids to eat yogurt. This included offering it in crazy colors and kid-friendly flavors and, in this case, capitalizing on the popularity of breakfast cereal. Trix Yogurt was a lunchbox favorite for a while, but the product was discontinued as companies moved toward more natural snacks for kids.
Philadelphia Cheesecake Bars
Cake bars were super-popular in the ’90s. Cream cheese maker Philadelphia capitalized on this trend in 1999 with Cheesecake Bars. Unfortunately, difficulty with the manufacturing process led the company to discontinue the product in 2003.
Banana Nut Cheerios
With a natural-tasting banana flavor tinged with cinnamon, this cereal impressed kids and adults alike. Although it was discontinued in the 2000s, Banana Nut Cheerios will always hold a special place in our hearts and stomachs.
Cereal Straws
These edible straws let kids enjoy cereal in a new way. They could use the straw to drink the milk in their bowl, and then when they were done, they could eat the straw, which came in several popular cereal flavors.
Choco Tacos
It was a long run for Choco Tacos, invented in 1983 and discontinued in 2022. Klondike’s taco-shaped ice cream snacks were one of the iconic snack foods of the ’90s. Klondike has left the door open for some hope that the Choco Taco may eventually return, so we’re keeping our fingers crossed.
3D Doritos
90s kids were stoked about these puffy triangular snacks from Doritos. Their crispy, light formula made the Doritos flavoring powder “pop” somehow. Today, you can still experience that fun flavor with Doritos 3D Crunch, a revamped version of the old favorite. Will it stay on the shelves? Time will tell. Check out other discontinued Doritos to petition for.
French Toast Crunch Cereal
What makes French Toast Crunch?” This question was asked in ads for this maple-syrup-flavored breakfast cereal in the ’90s and 2000s. Fans of the cereal were disappointed in 2006 when General Mills took it off the shelves to make room for new products, but to their delight, the company brought it back in 2014.
Froot Loops Straws
Froot Loops Straws were a fun way to have your milk and cereal. It was cereal, shaped like a straw! What’s not to love? Apparently, parents and consumer groups didn’t love it at all, and it was discontinued in 2009 in an effort to weed out children’s snack products that included too much sugar and dye. The good news is that the product was reintroduced in 2022 at the request of nostalgic cereal fans everywhere.
Yogos
These little pastel-colored bits of yogurt-flavored candy were a snack-time favorite. They were available in strawberry, strawberry-banana, and mixed berry flavors. Yogos were yet another product that ended up on the chopping block because of concerns over health and children’s food advertising.
Fruit-Shaped Trix
In the early ’90s, General Mills changed the shape of its fruit-flavored Trix cereal from mini balls to fruit shapes. Without explanation, Trix was changed back to tiny spheres in the late 2000s; however, the taste has always remained the same. I still miss the fruit shapes that I had as a kid.
Cinnamon Tic-Tacs
Tic Tacs, miniature mints with a bold flavor, have been on the shelves for over 50 years. While their mint and orange flavors have always been favorites, their cinnamon flavor won hearts in the ’90s. America has had an on-again/off-again love affair with these spicy red mints; they’ve been discontinued and brought back a few times and still appear as a limited-edition seasonal flavor.
Hubba Bubba Bubble Jug
Remember the big pink jugs of powdery candy pieces that turned into bubble gum when chewed? The packaging was cute, the gum was flavorful, and it was simply fun to chew. There have been multiple petitions to bring this product back, but so far, no luck!
Ice Breakers Liquid Ice
Ice Breakers Gum was one of the 90’s most popular breath fresheners. Unfortunately, reality didn’t live up to the hope. Many people complained that these liquid-filled mints were too strong or left a bad aftertaste, so the product was withdrawn from circulation after only a year.
Doritos Guacamole
Guacamole Doritos could have been the next big thing, but consumers didn’t grab onto it the way Frito Lay had hoped. The product was discontinued only two years after its introduction. In the following years, guacamole -and everything avocado-related—enjoyed a moment in the sun. This may have made Frito Lay consider having another go at their Guacamole Doritos, but so far, no such luck.
Cheetos Twisted Puffs
These snacks offered the same cheesy flavor as the original Cheetos, but with a twist—literally. The puffy, light corn twists were delicious and fun to eat, but Frio Lay didn’t see fit to keep them around forever. They were discontinued to make room for other Cheeto flavors and products that marketers felt were more in line with emerging trends and preferences. Still, people have petitioned the company for years to bring Twisted Puffs back.
Ritz Bits S’mores
Ritz Bits were already one of the most popular snacks of the ’90s, and their appeal went through the roof with the introduction of Ritz Bits S’mores. These sweet snacks consisted of round mini graham crackers with chocolate and marshmallow filling. Fans were disappointed to have to say goodbye to this bonfire-inspired snack in 2016.
Gator Gum
Gatorgum was available in lemon-lime and orange and claimed to quench thirst just like the popular hydration drink, Gatorade. It first hit the scene in the late 70s but disappeared and was revived to better success in the ’90s. By the 2000s, it seemed to disappear into the ether, and few people today even remember it.
Cheetos Paws
Much like Twisted Puffs, Cheetos Paws were puffy Cheetos in a fun shape; in this case, cheetah paws. Yep, you could snack on cheese-flavored snacks in the form of Chester’s feet. As odd as that sounds, kids liked them. They are records of them being discontinued in the ’90s, but they’re actually still available, as of this writing, on Amazon and Walmart’s website.
Entenmann’s Butter Coffee Cake
This rich, buttery crumb cake was an unforgettable part of weekend breakfasts for many people during the ’90s. It was the perfect accompaniment to a hot cup of coffee or if you were a kid, a cold glass of milk. While it was mostly older people who enjoyed this treat, many younger ones made happy memories sharing it with a parent or grandparent.
Ooze Tube
There was often an element of “yuck” to ’90s products aimed at kids. The era’s children delighted in eating snacks that looked like bugs, slime, or nuclear waste. Ooze Tubes were among these slightly gross but fun treats. These tubes full of colorful gel candy may have gone off shelves years ago, but they’re still available online on Amazon and from specialty candy shops.
Hostess Chocodiles
Chocodiles are chocolate-covered twinkies, although that may be a point of debate for some who claim that the cake is different between the two products. But whatever they are, they acquired quite a fan base, and people were upset when they got discontinued. Luckily, they were re-released in 2014, to the delight of chocolate lovers everywhere.
Hershey’s Swoops
Hershey’s Swoops were solid chocolate curved discs that resembled the shape of potato chips. They were marketed as a luxurious treat and were favored mainly by grownups. While the snack had some die-hard fans, it didn’t get the sales the Hershey Company had hoped for. This may have been due to its high price and small serving size. Whatever the reason, Swoops and now just a sweet memory.