10 Forgotten Food Brands From The 1980s
The 1980s produced a tide of bold food brands that shaped the decade’s snack culture and family tables. Many of these brash creations won hearts and inspired loyalty, then suddenly vanished as tastes changed and companies rebranded or disappeared. This article explores ten vibrant food brands from the ’80s that once captured imaginations and defined entire childhoods. Their flavors, packaging, and ads now live on in the collective nostalgia of those who experienced that unique era.
1. Orange Julius
Orange Julius was once a mall food court favorite, offering a creamy, frothy twist on orange juice that stood apart from other drinks. The slightly fizzy, citrusy treat became hugely popular with teens and shoppers throughout the 1980s. It delivered a sweet, tangy flavor blended with a distinct vanilla profile, making it neither a typical juice nor milkshake. Orange Julius stores are now rare finds, leaving only memories of its refreshing taste and retro orange-and-white branding.
2. Jell-O Pudding Pops
Jell-O Pudding Pops were an innovative frozen snack, providing the creamy texture of pudding on a stick. Launched in the early 1980s, these treats became a favorite for their rich chocolate, vanilla, and swirl flavors that set them apart from regular ice pops. As demand waned and production costs rose, Jell-O Pudding Pops faded quietly from supermarket freezers. Their unique blend of nostalgia and taste remains hard to replicate, with modern imitations never quite matching the original’s charm.
3. Sizzlean
Sizzlean was a popular 1980s breakfast meat promoted as a healthier alternative to bacon. Made from a mix of pork, beef, and turkey, it claimed to have 50% less fat than traditional bacon but still contained about 37% fat. It offered a chewier, meatier texture and was marketed with slogans like “Move over, bacon, there’s something leaner!” Despite its popularity, changing dietary preferences led to its decline and discontinuation by 2005. Sizzlean remains a nostalgic memory of 1980s breakfasts.
4. Carnation Breakfast Bars
Carnation Breakfast Bars were pioneers of the breakfast-on-the-go trend, providing a portable meal for busy mornings. Launched by Carnation, these bars offered chocolate and peanut butter flavors wrapped around grains, making them feel like an indulgence while promising nutrition. While they enjoyed massive popularity in the ’80s, competition and changing breakfast habits caused their decline. Fans still seek out the taste and texture that blends nostalgia with the simplicity of earlier convenience foods.
5. Hi-C Ecto Cooler
Hi-C Ecto Cooler was a vivid green juice box sensation inspired by the Ghostbusters franchise, featuring the Slimer character on the package. Its citrusy, tangerine flavor and glowing color made it a standout in childhood lunchboxes. After movie tie-in promotions faded, Ecto Cooler was discontinued in the early 2000s, with only occasional limited runs for film reboots. Its cult following illustrates the power of clever branding and fun flavors to spark nostalgia long after the last box was sold.
6. Bonkers! Candy
Bonkers! candy by Nabisco was famous for its chewy fruity shell and punchy liquid center, providing an intense sweet burst with every bite. Around the mid-1980s, the ads for Bonkers! were almost as memorable as the candy itself, featuring outlandish situations and fruit dropping from the sky. Bonkers! slipped quietly off shelves as tastes changed, becoming a nostalgic memory for those who remember its unique texture. Attempts to revive the treat have never matched the earlier popularity.
7. Keebler Tato Skins
Keebler Tato Skins stood out as a potato chip actually made from real potato skins, offering a hearty, baked crunch and robust flavors like cheddar and bacon or sour cream and chive. These chips mimicked the taste of loaded potato skins at restaurants, making them a snack aisle favorite. As snack trends moved towards lighter chips, Keebler discontinued Tato Skins, though similar products under different brands still try to fill that gap for devoted fans.
8. McDonald’s Deep-Fried Apple Pie
McDonald’s deep-fried apple pie became an iconic handheld dessert, beloved for its crispy exterior and piping hot, sweet apple filling. First introduced in the 1960s, it rose to fame in the 1980s, often deemed dangerously delicious for its molten interior. In the 1990s, health trends prompted McDonald’s to switch to a baked version, leaving disappointed fans reminiscing about the original’s extra crunch. The fried pies now hold legendary status among fast-food enthusiasts.
9. Good Humor Fat Frog
The Good Humor Fat Frog ice pop was a whimsical treat, shaped like a plump frog with candy eyes that delighted kids through the ’80s. Distributed via ice cream trucks, its green, fruity exterior and playful design made it an instant hit at summer gatherings. As branding and tastes changed, the Fat Frog disappeared from Good Humor’s lineup. People who enjoyed its quirky charm still seek out novelties with playful shapes and memorable flavors, but few compare to the original.
10. Five Alive
Five Alive was a citrus juice blend that combined the flavors of orange, lemon, lime, tangerine, and grapefruit in a single, zesty drink. Packaged in cartons or frozen concentrate, Five Alive was a staple at breakfast tables and family gatherings during the 1980s. Over time, as juice preferences shifted and new drinks emerged, Five Alive became harder to find in stores. The brand’s vibrant taste and march-of-the-citrus ad campaigns left a lasting impression for fans of bold flavor
11. Squeezits
Squeezits were fruit-flavored drinks sold in colorful, squeezable plastic bottles, becoming a hit with children through their fun packaging and wild flavors. Each bottle featured a quirky character, and kids loved twisting and squeezing every drop. Debuting in the mid-1980s, Squeezits became a lunchbox staple before concerns about sugar and artificial coloring removed them from shelves. Still, many remember collecting the bottles and trying every flavor for the bright, cheery taste of childhood.
