Beloved Discontinued Snacks We Want Back

Snacking appears to be a great American pastime. Although other nations partake in an in-between meal nibble here and there, Americans rank at the top for their love of snack foods and their intake is significantly increasing every year. Perhaps it’s because noshing often goes hand in hand with watching television – a hobby many people spend much of their free time doing. It seems only natural that they would reach for snacks, in a range of salty and sweet to satisfy all their cravings.

This might account for the boom in U.S. snack sales, with the snack and bakery market accounting for more than 100 billion annually. This was only exacerbated during the pandemic, when a nation was homebound and free to chomp on chips, grab some pretzels, or nibble cookies and brownies, and carried over into our remote work, which allows more accessibility to the kitchen and all it has to offer. (Not everyone can find them, but these are regional potato chip brands the whole country deserves.)  

But not all snacks are created equal and while many are beloved and fare well, others weren’t able to endure and alas, were discontinued. To compile a list of chips, candies, and other such items that have passed into the repository of history, 24/7 Tempo consulted numerous snack-food fan pages, company histories, media websites, and rating sites. Many of these are beloved discontinued snacks we want back.

There are numerous reasons why many of our favorite snacks from childhood are no longer around. Sales of some products failed to match projections, the product didn’t fit into the strategy of a company that bought the snack’s parent, or the public’s tastes shifted toward more healthful options. Some of the products no longer with us are versions of other beloved items that remain on the shelves. (Here are some junk foods that are actually not so bad for you.)

Thanks to social media, and various crowd-sourcing platforms like change.org and online petitions, companies have encountered determined customers who want to see their beloved snacks return. This snack resolve has been somewhat successful with certain bites, like 3D Doritos, Dunkaroos, and Oreo Cakesters, seeing a return.

Then there are others often still made in other countries, like Australia, Canada, and Mexico, where you may be able to place a mail order. As a last resort, you can scour the internet where you might find a like-minded snack aficionado like you who might be willing to part with a Peanut Butter Oompa or Life Savers Holes. 

Marathon Bar

• Inaugural Date: 1973 (similar to the British Curly Wurly bar, above)
• Ceased production: 1981
• Parent company: Mars

Reggie! Bars

• Inaugural Date: 1978
• Ceased production: 1982
• Parent company: Wayne Candies

Willy Wonka’s Peanut Butter Oompas

• Inaugural Date: 1971
• Ceased production: 1982 (?)
• Parent company: Quaker Oats

Gatorgum

• Inaugural Date: 1980s
• Ceased production: 1989
• Parent company: Fleer Corporation

Life Saver Holes

• Inaugural Date: 1990
• Ceased production: Early 1990s
• Parent company: Nabisco

Summit Cookie Bars

• Inaugural Date: 1977
• Ceased production: 1991
• Parent company: Mars

Jumpin’ Jack Cheese Doritos

• Inaugural Date: 1990
• Ceased production: 1995
• Parent company: Frito-Lay

Jell-O 1-2-3

• Inaugural Date: 1969
• Ceased production: 1996
• Parent company: General Foods

Juliettes

• Inaugural Date: 1984 (reInaugural Date 1993)
• Ceased production: 1985 (Ceased production again 1996)
• Parent company: Little Brownie Bakers for Girl Scouts

Carnation Breakfast Bars

• Inaugural Date: 1975
• Ceased production: 1997
• Parent company: Carnation

Hershey’s Bar None

• Inaugural Date: 1987
• Ceased production: 1997
• Parent company: Hershey

Cheetos Cheesy Checkers

• Inaugural Date: 1995
• Ceased production: 1998
• Parent company: Frito-Lay

Taco Bell Lunchables

• Inaugural Date: Late 1980s
• Ceased production: Late 1990s
• Parent company: Oscar Meyer

Tato Skins

• Inaugural Date: 1985
• Ceased production: 2000
• Parent company: Keebler

Cheese Tid-Bit

• Inaugural Date: Around the late 1960s
• Ceased production: Early 2000s
• Parent company: Nabisco

Fruit String Thing

• Inaugural Date: 1994-95
• Ceased production: Mid 2000s
• Parent company: General Mills

Pillsbury Waffle Sticks

• Inaugural Date: Around 2003
• Ceased production: Around 2007
• Parent company: General Mills