Discontinued Foods That Live On In Our Memories

The world of discontinued foods can be bittersweet. After all, nostalgia and food go hand in hand. And while many foods become obsolete because of poor sales, there are some scary reasons, too.

Life Savers Holes

Life Savers Holes were a candy marketed as the holes that came from the original round Life Savers. It’s pretty brilliant when you think about it.

But aside from the candy being a potential choking hazard, the packaging had some issues, too. The problems started in 1991, a year after it came out.

Apparently, children and teens would chew on the cap and potentially choke on it. The candy was re-released with safer packaging, but it disappeared by 1999.

Toxic Waste Nuclear Sludge Chew Bar

Apparently, the Toxic Waste Nuclear Sludge Chew Bar totally lived up to its name. In 2011, the candy was recalled due to high levels of lead. 

The CDPH found that a majority of the bars contained approximately 0.24 parts per million (ppm) of lead. The FDA limit for candy is 0.1 ppm.

In other words, candy can have up to 0.1 ppm of lead and still be considered safe. Unsurprisingly, the Toxic Waste Nuclear Sludge Chew Bar was discontinued.

Nestlé Magic Ball

If you grew up in the 1990s, you probably knew all about the Nestlé Magic Ball. It was a hollow chocolate ball with a plastic toy inside.

Usually, the toy would be a Disney or Pokémon character, so you can imagine the excitement around them. However, the little plastic toys were choking hazards. 

An act in 1983 declared that food with”nonnutritive objects” was illegal, which basically described the Magic Ball. The FDA deemed the Magic Ball illegal shortly after.

Pepsi Blue

In 2002, Pepsi Blue hit the soda scene. It was a cotton candy-flavored soda and contained “Blue 1,” a food coloring agent.

The cobalt coloring was banned in multiple countries at the time Blue Pepsi came out. It’s not surprising, considering this looks like it could be nuclear waste.

The dye is now considered safe, but in the early 2000s, it was super controversial. By 2004, Pepsi Blue was discontinued. Such a shame. Not really.

Lucas Limon

Lucas Limon was a powdered candy manufactured by a Mexican subsidiary of Mars, Inc. It was packaged in a container that looked like a spice shaker.

The lemon-flavored candy was typically used as a seasoning on fresh mangoes, but kids often poured it right into their mouths. There were actually three flavors.

But, following a familiar trend, the candy was found to contain high levels of lead. The manufacturer discontinued the product, but some is still out there.

Trolli Road Kill

Trolli Road Kill is one of those candies that probably wouldn’t fly these days. But then again, the candy wasn’t considered very cool in 2005, either. 

The fruit-flavored gummy candies were shaped like flattened dead animals. They even had tire treads, which only emphasized the “road kill” aspect of this chewy treat.

The New Jersey SPCA protested the candy. According to a 2005 article on NBC News, a spokesperson said it sent the wrong message to children.

Reese’s Bites

When it comes to peanut butter cups, it’s hard not to think of everyone’s favorite, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. They’re as classic as classic candy gets.

Yet, with so many variations over the years, there were bound to be a few flops. Reese’s Bites are the perfect example of a doomed Reece’s product.

These little chocolate balls were full of the same peanut butter goodness. However, in 2007, they were discontinued due to them being potential choking hazards.

Haribo’s Sugar-Free Gummy Bears

Gummy bears may be cute and delicious, but one brand might make you think otherwise. In 2014, Haribo’s Sugar-Free Gummy Bears disappeared because of unpleasant side effects.

The little bears reportedly caused symptoms like diarrhea, gas, loose stools, and, ultimately, intestinal damage. That’s serious. And it was all because of an ingredient called lycasin.

Lycasin is a sugar substitute mostly made of maltitol, a sugar alcohol often used to replace sugar. The only problem? Our bodies can’t digest maltitol, which causes…issues.

Planters Cheez Balls

According to Business Insider, Planets discontinued their Cheez Balls back in 2006. But back in 2018, they decided to bring the cheesy snack back to market.

This decision was inspired by the fact that customers were begging for this product — even though they aren’t the healthiest snack in the game.

Also, in addition to Cheez Balls, Planters allegedly brought back Cheez Curls, another beloved ’90s snack. Just make sure you eat these snacks in moderation.

Doritos 3D

In the mid-’90s, Doritos 3Ds were released to the delight of kids everywhere. They were like regular Doritos, but puffier. What could be better than that?

They had a certain flakiness to them that made them really fun to eat. Though, they definitely scratched up your mouth. It was worth it.

Doritos 3Ds came in Nacho Cheese, Zesty Ranch, and Jalapeño Cheddar. Please, Doritos, bring these back — but make them easier to eat this time.

Dunkaroos

General Mills discontinued Dunkaroos — a snack that involved dunking small cookies into a tiny bit of frosting — back in 2012. But that was just in the United States.

Dunkaroos were still sold in Canada. Fortunately, Walmart started selling their own version called Dunk ‘N Crunch, which honestly looks just as good as the real thing.

The only problem is that this isn’t the best snack to be promoting to kids. But every once in a while, it’s a nice treat.

Taco Bell Seafood Salad

Taco Bell isn’t known for seafood, and to be honest, there’s a reason for that. Back in the 1980s, Taco Bell introduced a seafood salad.

It was made of shrimp, snow crab, and whitefish and served in an edible tortilla bowl, much like their Fiesta Taco Salad. But it didn’t last long.

It was eventually discontinued due to multiple cases of food poisoning from this menu item. Somehow, we’re not surprised that Taco Bell seafood didn’t sit well.

Shark Bites

Shark bites were a delicious gummy snack that were shaped like sharks. They were well-known for being on the harder side.

Unfortunately they no longer are around, but for those people who enjoyed gummy snacks that were a bit more firm, then these were the go-to!

Sharks are quite fascinating creatures. They are vicious and scary but also really interesting to learn about. They also taste great in gummy snack form!

Altoids Sours

We honestly can’t believe these aren’t around. These little sour candies from the company that makes classic Altoids were so deeply ingrained in the early ’00s.

The sour candies, which came in an aluminum tin, came in a wide range of fruity flavors. Unfortunately, sales (somehow) ebbed in the late ’00s.

The company discontinued Altoids Sours in 2010. We’re still holding out hope that one day, we’ll see them back on the shelves at the grocery store checkout.

Hershey’s Bites

If Hershey’s Bites look absolutely delicious to you, you’re not wrong. These were like eating a chocolate donut and a candy bar all in one.

Unfortunately, this is another innocent snack that fell victim to being labeled a choking hazard. Actually, they probably have a point there. But it’s still tragic.

These little bundles of joy came in various flavors like Cookies ‘n’ Cream, Reese’s, and Heath Bar. They were frozen and then microwaved for a lava-cake-like effect.

Creme Savers

If you’re anything like us, just seeing this packaging brings back a wave of amazing creamy, strawberry smells and flavors. We swear we can taste it.

Creme Savers came out in 1996 as a spinoff from regular Life Savers. The most popular flavor was probably Strawberries and Creme.

These candies also came in Orange and Creme, though. Both flavors mysteriously disappeared around 2011, and people have been begging for them back every since.

Pudding Pops

Did you know Pudding Pops were discontinued? If you were a fan of these back in the ’90s, you probably noticed that they disappeared from shelves.

These were the ultimate after-school treat or dessert, but apparently, they just weren’t a big money-earner. Sales dropped off, and Jell-O pulled the product from production.

Of course, you can find other popsicle varieties that are similar to Pudding Pops. But nothing will ever really fill the Pudding-Pop-filled hole in our hearts.

Hershey’s Swoops

Have you ever looked at a Pringle and thought, “What if this was made of chocolate?” Someone at Hershey’s did, and the company gave us the answer.

However, they may have flown too close to the sun when they created Hershey’s Swoops, which were essentially Pringles made of chocolate. We just weren’t ready.

Those who had the chance to try Swoops unanimously loved them. But they were too much of a novelty to really take root as a snacking staple.

Kudos Granola Bars

Somewhere buried deep in your memory rests a vision of grabbing a Kudos granola bar when you came home from school. Or maybe that’s just us.

These “granola” bars were actually just candy. But you could more easily convince your parents to buy them by telling them they were a healthy snack.

Kudos Bars emerged from the ether (or from Mars headquarters) in 1986. They were super popular until the early 2010s, when they quietly disappeared from shelves.

Waffle Crisp Cereal

Can’t decide between waffles or cereal for breakfast? In the ’90s, you didn’t have to, thanks to Post’s Waffle Crisp cereal. And in fact, you don’t today!

Waffle Crisp was discontinued in 2018, but it came back to us in 2022. Those three years when we didn’t have Waffle Crisp were dark times indeed.

The cereal was so popular that when it disappeared, people took to social media to protest. Post actually rewarded some fans with a free box upon its return.

Squeezits

Nothing screams the 90s like brightly colored liquid and a big “Artificially Flavored” stamp right on the front of the label. We just didn’t care.

Squeezits were a fruity drink that came in its own little plastic bottle. Apparently, we didn’t care much about protecting the environment back then, either.

This sweet drink actually lasted until 2001, and it has reappeared temporarily several times since. But the last time it was produced was in 2012.

Oreo Sippers

Sure, you can dip Oreo cookies in milk. But have you ever thought about what it would be like to drink milk through an Oreo cookie straw?

Oreo Sippers came out in 2009, and they seemed like a great idea at first. But the reality of drinking milk through a cookie straw isn’t pretty.

In the realm of discontinued foods, this is one that we can graciously say goodbye to. We just don’t want to slurp milk through a soggy cookie.

Trix Yogurt

Here’s another discontinued food that was so popular that the brand had to bring it back. How else can you get kids to like yogurt?

Trix Yogurt was a blend of classic Trix cereal flavors with Yoplait Yogurt, and it was an immediate hit. It was first introduced back in 1992.

This sweet snack disappeared from shelves in 2016, but it seems like it was just a cry for attention. The product was back by May of 2021.

Strawberry Cheese Danish Pop-Tarts

The Strawberry Cheese Danish flavor of Pop-Tarts might have been doomed from the start. Although we’re not sure why—it actually sounds delicious to us at SoYummy.

This flavor hit stores in 2007, and it was discontinued in 2009, just two years later. What’s even weirder is that the flavor was apparently rather popular.

It’s possible that fans of the Strawberry Cheese Danish Pop-Tart were a vocal minority. It seems likely that sales just didn’t live up to the hype.

BBQ Fritos

Fritos Bar-B-Q corn chips have a storied history of being discontinued and brought back to market. It seems they owe their success to some very active fans.

The flavor, which is a tangy twist on a classic Fritos corn chip, was discontinued in 2018. At the time, fans thought it was goodbye forever.

Fans created a petition to bring them back, with 32,000 signatures. The snack was brought back temporarily in 2020, then made a permanent return in 2022.

Black Cherry Vanilla Coke

If Black Cherry Vanilla Coke sounds sickeningly sweet to you, you’re not wrong. This syrupy flavor was released in January of 2006, but it didn’t last long.

Reportedly, for the first six months after its release, Black Cherry Vanilla Coke made up only 4% of Coca-Cola’s overall sales, compared to 13.5% for Coke Cherry.

Sales were just too low to keep this flavor around, and it was discontinued in 2007. At the same time, though, Coke brought back Vanilla Coke.

Fruitopia

Another discontinued Coca-Cola product, Fruitopia, originally hit supermarket shelves in 1994. If you were around in the ’90s, then you remember this fruity refreshing drink.

It was so popular that people still talk about it today, 30 years later. But some marketing blunders towards the end of the ’90s led to decreased sales.

Fruitopia was officially discontinued in the United States in 2003. But you can still find the fruity drink in Canada and even online, for a price.

Salsa Con Queso Cheetos

Anyone who says they don’t like Cheetos is probably lying. Cheetos are an American classic and one we’ve all at least tried. But what about this flavor?

Salsa Con Queso Cheetos came out in 2000, bringing cheesy, slightly spicy joy to kids in cafeterias everywhere. But all good things must come to an end.

This Cheetos flavor was discontinued in 2008. Like many other discontinued brands, this one came back for a limited release in 2020, sparking waves of nostalgia nationwide.

Philadelphia Cheesecake Snack Bars

Do you remember Philadelphia’s sweet and portable cheesecake bars? If so, you probably grew up or at least enjoyed a good snack in the early 2000s.

These bars weren’t necessarily the most healthy treat to take on the go, but that didn’t matter in the early ’00s. We loved them all the same.

These bars were discontinued in 2005 due to manufacturing problems. But fans are so adamant about their return that there’s a petition with more than 40,000 signatures.

Nestlé Wonka Bar

It’s hard to maintain sales for a product that’s based on a movie. And that was proven true by Nestle’s famous Wonka bars, a chocolatey, caramelly treat.

When Charlie and the Chocolate Factory premiered in 2005, Nestle brought these bars back to market. They had originally been released by Quaker Oats in 1975.

As hype died off around the movie, so did demand for these bars. And when Wonka came out in 2023, there was no sign of their return.

Gone But Never Forgotten

Some of these snacks may have been discontinued for good reasons. For example, we definitely can’t get behind any foods that contain lead or other hazardous materials.

But some of these discontinued foods definitely suffered unfairly from poor marketing or manufacturing problems. Philadelphia Cheese Cake Bars did nothing wrong, and we want them back.

We can only hope that with enough fan hype, the more popular snacks on this list can make a comeback. Hey, it happened for Trix Yogurt!