Entertainment
Top 10 Discontinued Snacks Americans Miss The Most (Part 2)
From popsicles to Pop-Tarts, everyone has a fave that they indulge in at the end of a hard day. But not everyone has the privilege of being able to eat their all-time favorites. Here are the Top 10 Discontinued Snacks Americans Miss The Most (Part 2).
10. Mickey’s Parade Mickey Mouse Bars
Do you remember this frozen treat in the shape of the mouse that has been a part of kids lives for nearly a century now. This lovable anthropomorphic rodent is extremely recognizable with his big ears, red shorts, yellow shoes, and white gloves. Mickey Mouse was first created to replace another Disney character, Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, who, quite unluckily, was brushed aside and disappeared – Oswald who? And while Mickey is most famous for his animated appearances, he also had his very own comic strip! The world’s most famous mouse has gone on to appear in more than 100 animated films! That’s one busy mouse. He was even the first cartoon character to get his very own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame! Considering his extreme popularity amongst the kids, it’s a surprise that that it took so long to release a summer treat in Mickey’s honor. Distributed by Good Humour back in the 1980s, the Mickey’s Parade Mickey Mouse Bars put a retro spin on your everyday ice cream bar. They were shaped like the head of the mouse we all know and love, and Mickey’s ears were dipped in chocolate. There was also a line of popsicles which also included Minnie Mouse, Goofy and Donald Duck. While these frozen treats may have faded from the freezers, they haven’t faded from our memories – and there are plenty of petitions to bring these back.
9. Magic Burst Pop-Tarts
Introduced in 1964, Pop-Tarts are the breakfast food that kids (and adults) have been obsessed with for decades. This super sweet toaster pastry has a sugary filling sealed inside two layers of thin crust, sometimes with icing or sprinkles adorning the top. Pop-Tarts are still around today, but only in some of the more conventional flavors: Strawberry Pop-Tarts, Brown Sugar Cinnamon Pop-Tarts, Chocolate… you get the idea. So yes, while you can always reach for a Pop-Tart if in the mood for one, there is one particular flavor you can’t reach for since it has vanished into thin air. Magic Burst Pop-Tarts were popular in the late 90s. There’s even a short thirty-second ad from 1999 that features a group of children (the self-proclaimed Breakfast Crew), who dance in funky outfits and tell you all about the wonders of Magic Burst Pop-Tarts. From the music to the outfits to the lava lamp at the end of the ad, it’s definitely a testament to its decade. These sweet treats were blue raspberry flavored, and the thing that made them fun was that they changed color when you toasted them. Say what? And they got rid of them why? In the online petition to bring them back, the comments are flooded with stories about these magical tarts: of how they melt in your mouth like no other – and of the wonder of watching your Pop-Tart change color, and then cracking it open to see the stripes inside. Let’s hope the encore to this vanishing act is a reappearance of Magic Burst Pop-Tarts.
8. BarNone Candy Bars
In 1987, Hershey’s released the BarNone candy bar (also known as Temptation to Canadian audiences), the first new candy bar that they’d released in decades. As you can probably guess, it was a big deal. Hershey’s reportedly spent $15 million on testing and development before releasing the new bar on a national scale. Shortly after distribution began, they invested even more money into national TV, radio, and newspaper ads, all advertising their new product. The theme of the ads was, “The chocolate lovers bar – it’ll tame the chocolate beasty inside of you”. BarNone featured a cocoa wafer, chocolate crème, peanuts and a milk chocolate coating. Because of how delicious it was, the BarNone candy bar quickly became a national favorite. Fans loved the combination of chocolate notes, the crispness of the wafer and the crunch of the peanuts. It truly was the perfect chocolate lovers bar. So what happened? Well, after five years of paradise, Hershey’s cruelly decided to change things up by adding caramel into the mix and splitting the bar into two smaller bars. By 1997 the thrill and magic of the original BarNone bar was gone and the product was discontinued. Much like an old flame or a discontinued TV show, chocolate lovers could never really get over the loss of the original BarNone. However, there’s no need to fear! Iconic Candy, LLC, a company which is dedicated to bringing back nostalgic candy, has recently picked up the rights to this fantastic snack. So be on the lookout. This is truly the one of the greatest treats out there, bar none. Pun intended.
7. Starburst Fruit Twists
Manufactured by The Wrigley Company, Starburst is a popular box-shaped, fruit-flavored soft taffy. They’re a popular Halloween candy, and it’s not uncommon for kids to trade flavors with their friends. But we’re not talking about the Starburst that can still be found, we’re talking about the Starburst of the past. Starburst Fruit Twists were extremely similar to Twizzlers, but, as its fans will tell you, the difference is that they tasted way better. Think Twizzlers, except make them softer, and with the bold flavors that are Starburst’s trademark. Plus, they came in four different flavors! The 1996 ad is actually extremely creative – everything you need a candy commercial to be. It features fun claymation, with bright colors, and creates a world that any kid would love to fall into. Those who ate these as kids are still die-hard fans, and there are plenty of online petitions calling for their mighty return. But why did they go away in the first place? Well, there are rumors that Hershey’s (the owner of Twizzlers) paid them off in order to remove competition from the shelves. Who said the world of candy was so sweet? But after a dedicated fan contacted the company, a representative said that people simply stopped buying the Starburst Twists, so they had to be taken off the shelves. While this is a disappointing end for the Starburst Fruit Twists, discontinued candies do tend to make a comeback every once in a while. Maybe, one day, we can taste the heavenly flavors of Starbursts Fruit Twists once again.
6. Black Pepper Jack Doritos
Originally released in 1964, Doritos, is an American brand of tortilla chips produced by Frito-Lay. Here’s a fun fact about these iconic chips: they were originally Disneyland trash. What does that mean? Well, back in the dark ages (when Doritos did not exist), a restaurant named Casa de Fritos had a lot of stale tortillas that they didn’t want to throw out. Instead, they cut them into triangles and made them into chips. Also, the first Doritos weren’t flavored! What?! No flavor?? The distinct orange-y dust, at the time of Dorito’s first release, wasn’t part of the Doritos experience. In 1966, this changed for good, when they released Toast Corn, their first chip flavor. After that, it was the Taco flavor in 1967, and then Nacho Cheese in 1972. Well, these chips have come a long way since then. Present at every single party you’ve probably ever been to, there aren’t many people in North America who haven’t eaten these triangles of joy. With their increasing popularity, Doritos has released a slew of new flavors since their modest beginnings, one of which was Black Pepper Jack Doritos. Packaged in a silver bag so shiny you could see your reflection in it, these Doritos were flavored with black pepper and jack cheese (instead of their normal nacho cheese). While these quickly gained a lot of fans, they were discontinued around 2008 in order to make room for other flavors. Let’s hope this one comes around again.
5. Little Caesars Chocolate Ravioli
Little Caesar’s is the third-highest ranking pizza chain in the United Staes, right behind Pizza Hut and Domino’s. While known for their pizza, it’s the chocolate ravioli that has Little Caesars fans looking back on the past. Founded over sixty years ago in 1959 by Mike and Marian Ilitch, its first location was in a strip mall in Garden City, Michigan, under the name ‘Little Caeser’s Pizza Treat’. The reason they named it Little Caesar’s was because Marian Ilitch, had nicknamed her husband Little Caesar some years prior. So, when they were looking for a name for their new restaurant, it was the obvious choice! Once they had their name, they needed the logo. So, a friend sketched out the now famous Little Caesar character for them, right there on a napkin from the restaurant! It’s easy to see how far they’ve come – Little Caesar isn’t so little anymore. Today, they operate not only in the United States, but also internationally, with restaurants in Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America! Here’s a fun fact about this pizza chain: in 1998, they filled out an order, which was at the time, the largest pizza order ever in the world. They had to make over 13,000 pizzas for the VF Corporation! In any case, this pizza chain has their fair share of successful items. Out of all their menu items, though, we’ve got to say that their most interesting has got to be their chocolate ravioli. Yup, you heard it here first – this was actually a thing. Surprisingly, people actually liked it, in a trashy but yummy kind of way. If they ever bring these back, we know we’d definitely want to give it a try – just to say we did.
4. Planters P.B. Crisps
Introduced in 1992 and discontinued by 1995, Planters P.B. Crisps were a delectable mid-90s snack that everyone wanted a bite of. But like so many great snacks, they were pulled from shelves quickly and quietly, without rhyme or reason. The packaging was a loud orange, with playful lettering on top. After ripping off the seal, you were immediately graced with the snack itself. Essentially, a P.B. Crisp was a graham cookie shaped like a peanut shell and filled with mouth-watering peanut butter creme. Also available were Chocolate Crisps, which had a chocolate creme filling, and PB&J Crisps, which featured (you guessed it) a strawberry jelly filling to go with the peanut butter creme giving the effect of a bite-sized PB&J sandwich. After you see them, you’re hit with the smell – like you were in a room made of Reese’s Pieces. After that, the taste. Just incredible. Upon their first introduction to the market, this snack was an immediate hit. Searching the Internet, there are countless pleas to bring them back, but little to no reasoning as to why they were discontinued in the first place. The only information is on the Wikipedia page, where, under reasons for discontinuation, it simply states that they were too delicious. Alas, we must acknowledge that nothing lasts forever, and try to find a way to properly mourn these amazing snacks – maybe by re-issuing them for one last hurrah.
3. Twizzlers Twerpz
Twizzlers is the product of one of the oldest confectionery companies in the United States – Y&S Candies – which today is owned by Hershey’s. First produced in 1929, their famous red vines are basically made up of corn syrup, wheat flour, sugar, cornstarch…so, sugar, sugar, and more sugar. Fun fact: Twizzlers aren’t actually licorice. Because they don’t include extracts from the licorice plant, they are referred to as a licorice-type candy. While the most popular flavor of Twizzlers is strawberry, the company has also experimented with its flavor line with grape, chocolate, cherry, watermelon, and there’s even cherry cola and rainbow! However, none of these flavors can compare to Twizzlers Twerpz. Slightly larger than a Nib and packed with way more flavor, Twizzlers Twerpz quickly gained popularity when they were released in the early 2000s. The thing that made them so special was the fact that they had a larger, chewier center, filled with a Starburst-like filling. Whoa! Licorice meets Starburst? These packed-with-flavor snacks were unfortunately discontinued in 2009, but if you want them back, there are plenty of petitions online that you can sign!
2. Crunch Tators
Everyone is familiar with Lay’s potato chips, but do you remember Crunch Tators? Frito Lays Crunch Tators were available around the late 1980s and early 1990s, and what made them stand out was that they were extra-crunchy, extra-spicy, and there was an alligator (with a cowboy hat!!) on the front of the bag. These came in two flavors – Hoppin’ Jalapeno and Mighty Mesquite BBQ – not sure how the gator fits in – maybe ’cause it rhymes with Tator? Being the first snack food producer to ever purchase TV commercials, Frito-Lay decided to live up to their history. They used product placement for Crunch Tators in Home Alone. It’s true (cue Macauley Culkin surprise face) – these snacks are a favorite of Kevin McCallister. A bag of the “Mighty Mesquite BBQ” flavor chips can be seen next to a can of Pepsi when Kevin is watching Angels with Filthy Souls and eating a rather large ice cream sundae. Well, even though these were fairly popular, they were discontinued shortly after. RIP Crunch Tators.
1. Cinna-Crunch Pebbles
Who doesn’t love the Flintstones? Back in 1971, Post decided to create a cereal based off of the widely-popular cartoon. The cereals first introduced were Cocoa Pebbles and Fruity Pebbles, the boxes of which featured all of your favorite characters! Cocoa Pebbles contain chocolate-flavored crisp rice cereal bits, while Fruity Pebbles contain crisp rice cereal bits that come in a variety of fruit flavors. Did you know this is the oldest surviving cereal brand that is based on characters from a TV series or movie. And while the Cocoa Pebbles and Fruity Pebbles are still alive and well, it’s the Cinna-Crunch Pebbles that were forced to bite the dust. Introduced in 1998, these were unlike any other Pebbles. Instead of being crisp rice, Cinna-Crunch Pebbles were described as “sweetened oat, corn and wheat cereal baked with a touch of real cinnamon.” The box claimed that the cereal had the “Best Cinnamon Sweet Taste In Bedrock” and a “Cinnamon Sweet Taste That Goes Crunch!”. A TV ad for the cereal showed that the cereal was created when a meteor crashed into the Cinnamon Bakery sending small nuggets of cinnamon goodness all over the town of Bedrock. This cinnamon-y sweet blessing was only around for a short amount of time – they were introduced as a Limited-Edition cereal, and were only available for around three years, before being sent back to the stone age in 2001.