Who Remembers Chugging Surge Soda?
Junk food is a competitive food category, and every generation has its tastes. In the late '90s, Surge Soda and 3D Doritos were all the rage, but eventually, both were discontinued despite being fun and distinct and having loyal fans. Here are 20 forgotten junk foods that need to come back.
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1. Trix Yogurt
This colorful yogurt was available in fun and vibrant flavors, such as Cotton Candy and Raspberry Rainbow. Kids loved the bright, swirly colors and having a yogurt that was as sweet as candy. It was discontinued in the mid-2010s, most likely because it was leapfrogged in popularity by healthier yogurt options. Trix Yogurt has made a few brief returns, and if it does so again, make sure you load up.
2. Butterfinger BB’s
These bite-sized, poppable Butterfingers delivered the same crispy, crunchy goodness that Bart Simpson loved. Unfortunately, they disappeared in the mid-2000s, leaving their fans wondering what happened and many of us without our favorite movie theater snack.
3. Surge Soda
The soda category is hyper-competitive, and Surge Soda was another one of its victims. Launched in the late ‘90s, Surge was Coca-Cola’s response to the popularity of Mountain Dew. It was bright green and ultra-caffeinated. The cult following from extreme-sports-loving teens was short-lived, but it deserved as much fanfare as Mountain Dew.
4. 3D Doritos
This version of Doritos offered puffed, cone-shaped chips without sacrificing the cheesy flavor of the original kind. Despite kids jumping headfirst into the novelty, these Doritos never entered the permanent rotation. They are still reintroduced to the market in limited runs.
5. PB Max
PB Max was a ‘90s candy bar that combined crunchy cookie, creamy peanut butter, and milk chocolate. The bar was shockingly discontinued despite strong sales. Rumors persist that the Mars family simply didn't like it.
6. Orbitz Soda
This bizarre ‘90s beverage was a fruit-flavored soda presented as a lava lamp. Teens embraced the tiny gelatinous bubbles that floated in this soda, but, for most, the texture was confusing. Orbitz was like drinking an experience, and it is missed by millions.
7. Planters Cheez Balls
Who remembers loving these neon-orange cheese puffs in the iconic blue can? Fans loved their tangy, cheese flavor, and many snacks have tried to replicate its appeal.
8. Swoops
Swoops were thin, Pringle-shaped chocolate pieces that came in flavors like Reese’s, Almond Joy, and Butterfinger. They looked cool and stacked perfectly. It was a sad day when they were discontinued after only a few years.
9. Jell-O Pudding Pops
These creamy, frozen pudding bars were a freezer staple in the ‘80s and ‘90s. They delightfully melted in our mouths, but were discontinued in the early 2000s despite their sales, appeal, and recognizable marketing.
10. Ouch Bubble Gum
Another quirky junk food from the ‘90s that was gone too fast and needs to come back. This bubble gum was packaged like Band-Aids inside a tin container. Their novelty has helped them remain one of the most fun candy concepts ever.
11. Pop-Tarts Crunch Cereal
This cereal from the ‘90s was like eating tiny Pop-Tarts in milk. Each piece had a delightful sugary crust and frosting. Kellogg’s discontinued it only to briefly bring it back in 2019.
12. Fruit String Thing
Part candy and part toy, this junk food was a long, chewy strip that was rolled into fun patterns for kids. It was interactive and fun and is remembered fondly.
13. Squeezeits
This candy is liquid nostalgia in a plastic bottle. It was so fun to twist and squeeze the bottle to drink the bright-colored liquid inside. The flavors had fun names, but this product was discontinued in the early 2000s.
14. Twinkies Cereal
How could any company discontinue this brilliant cereal idea? Turning this iconic junk food into a cereal proved to be short-lived, but it captured the creamy delight that are Twinkies. It was discontinued in the late ‘90s, but it would surely find new fans if released today.
15. Pizzarias Chips
Keebler launched these chips in the ‘90s, and they were made from real pizza dough and featured pizza-inspired flavors. They were crispy and portable and deserved a better fate than being discontinued before the decade was over. Fans still rave about their crunch and flavor.
16. Hi-C Ecto Cooler
This citrus drink was a Ghostbuster tie-in that quickly garnered a cult following with its sweet and tangy flavor. It only lasted until 2001, but it has made some comebacks tied to the film franchise’s reboots. Sadly, it never became a fixture, despite being a fun and delicious drink with a neon-green appearance.
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17. Kudos Bar
These chocolate-covered granola bars were like a dessert disguised as a snack. They rose to popularity in the ‘80s and ‘90s with their chewiness and because they came in peanut butter, Snickers, and M&M flavors. They disappeared in the 2010s as the category shifted toward healthier options.
18. Shark Bites Fruit Snacks
These shark-shaped fruit snacks were a fun junk food expedition. Some packs had the rare white shark in them, and fans were on the lookout for it. Despite fruit snacks never dipping in popularity, Shark Bites lost their luster over time and eventually vanished from grocery store shelves. Still, if you were a kid in the ‘90s, they were a nostalgic and treasured lunchbox item.
19. Reese’s Bites
Discontinued in the mid-2000s, these tiny, round versions of Reese’s were perfection. They had the same chocolate-peanut butter center and were fun to pop in your mouth. Perfect for movies and road trips, fans miss the flavor and convenience of this once-beloved snack. Reese’s Pieces and Minis are still on the market, but some argue that neither replaces the fun of Reese’s Bites.
20. Pepsi Blue
Launched in 2002, Pepsi Blue is considered to be a marketing failure. To many soda fans, it was a bold, berry-flavored cola with an electric blue appearance. It was quite sweet and unique, but also polarizing. It only had a short shelf life, but it built a cult following with many fans aching for its return.
