19 Forgotten Grocery Items Boomers Wish Would Make A Retro Revival
Remember walking down grocery aisles in the ’60s and ’70s when shelves were stocked with colorful, innovative treats that have since vanished?
As a kid, I’d beg Mom to toss these delights into our cart, completely unaware they’d someday become distant memories.
Now, decades later, many of us who grew up during the Baby Boomer era find ourselves reminiscing about these discontinued delicacies that brought so much joy to our everyday meals.
1. Jell-O 1-2-3: The Triple-Layer Dessert Magic
My grandma would make Jell-O 1-2-3 every Sunday after church, and watching those three distinct layers form seemed like kitchen sorcery to my 8-year-old self. This powdered mix transformed into a stratified dessert with creamy top, mousse middle, and classic Jell-O bottom – all from one package!
General Foods introduced this treat in 1969, and it quickly became a staple at family gatherings and potlucks across America. The scientific separation happened during refrigeration, creating that wow factor without any extra work.
Despite its popularity, Kraft discontinued it in 1996, leaving fans heartbroken. Some dedicated home cooks have tried recreating the recipe with regular Jell-O and whipped toppings, but nothing quite captures that original triple-decker delight that made dessert time so special.
2. Marathon Candy Bar: The Braided Chocolate Challenge
Eight inches of braided caramel covered in milk chocolate – the Marathon bar wasn’t just candy, it was an experience that lasted the entire Saturday morning cartoon lineup! Mars introduced this legendary treat in 1973, marketing it with a ruler printed on the wrapper to prove its impressive length.
The commercials featured a Marathon John character racing against time, perfectly capturing the bar’s appeal: it was designed to be savored slowly, not devoured in seconds like other chocolate treats. My friends and I would compete to see who could make theirs last longest.
Sadly, Marathon disappeared from shelves in 1981. Though the UK’s Cadbury Curly Wurly bears some resemblance, American Boomers still yearn for that specific taste and texture that made Marathon uniquely satisfying.
3. Tang: The Astronaut’s Breakfast Drink
Nothing made breakfast more exciting than that neon orange powder transforming ordinary water into something extraordinary. I’d stir it vigorously, pretending I was preparing for a space mission just like the astronauts who made Tang famous during the space race era.
Created by General Foods in 1957, Tang truly skyrocketed in popularity when NASA included it in John Glenn’s Mercury mission in 1962. Suddenly, every kid wanted to drink what the astronauts were drinking, making this citrusy beverage a morning staple in countless American households.
While technically Tang still exists, true Boomers know today’s version doesn’t taste the same as the original formula. The distinct flavor profile of the 1960s and 70s Tang has been altered, leaving those who remember the original craving that authentic space-age orange goodness.
4. TV Dinners In Foil Trays: Compartmentalized Convenience
Friday nights meant TV dinner night at our house – those shiny aluminum trays with perfectly divided sections for meat, vegetables, and dessert made mealtime an event. The satisfying crinkle of peeling back that foil cover revealed steaming salisbury steak, corn, and if you were lucky, a brownie or apple cobbler!
Swanson pioneered these meals in 1953, revolutionizing how busy families approached dinner time. The original aluminum trays conducted heat beautifully, creating those deliciously crispy edges on the mashed potatoes that plastic containers simply can’t replicate.
Environmental concerns eventually led to the switch to microwave-safe plastic trays in the 1980s. While today’s frozen dinners might be more convenient, they’ve lost that distinctive taste that came from cooking in metal – a flavor profile that transported you straight to the comfort of mid-century American dining.
5. Space Food Sticks: The Chewy Astronaut Fuel
Before energy bars became a health food staple, we had Space Food Sticks – those chewy, cylindrical snacks that made us feel like we were training for NASA! I’d stuff these caramel or chocolate rods into my lunchbox, proudly showing them off to envious classmates who were stuck with ordinary cookies.
Pillsbury developed these “astro-snacks” in the 1960s as actual space program food. They were shelf-stable, nutritionally balanced energy sticks that astronauts could easily slide through a port in their helmets during spacewalks.
The genius marketing campaign connected these simple snacks to America’s space obsession, making them wildly popular throughout the late ’60s and ’70s. While modern protein bars serve a similar purpose, they lack the fun, futuristic appeal that made Space Food Sticks a lunchbox status symbol for kids dreaming of exploring the final frontier.
6. Brach’s Pick-A-Mix Candy: The Grocery Store Treasure Hunt
The rainbow-colored Brach’s candy bins represented the pinnacle of grocery shopping excitement when I was a kid. Mom would hand me a small paper bag, allowing me to select a quarter-pound of whatever combination I wanted – those butterscotch discs, chocolate stars, and jelly nougats were like edible jewels!
Brach’s Pick-A-Mix stations were fixtures in supermarkets across America, with their distinctive sloped bins and metal scoops. The freedom to create your own personalized candy collection made this a uniquely interactive shopping experience that’s largely disappeared from modern stores.
Beyond the candy itself, it was the ritual that made it special – the careful deliberation, the satisfying sound of candies hitting the bag, and the cashier weighing your selection. While Brach’s candies still exist in pre-packaged form, that magical self-serve candy counter experience has largely vanished, taking with it a sweet piece of American shopping tradition.
7. Tab Soda: The Original Diet Cola Pioneer
That distinctive pink can with the three-letter name was the ultimate status symbol for weight-conscious women in my neighborhood. My mom and her friends would sit around our patio, Tab cans in hand, discussing neighborhood gossip while I wondered how they could possibly enjoy something so bitter!
Launched by Coca-Cola in 1963, Tab was the first mainstream diet cola, sweetened with saccharin instead of sugar. Its slightly metallic, uniquely sharp taste was unmistakable – you either loved it or hated it, with very few people falling in between.
Coca-Cola finally discontinued Tab in 2020, blaming pandemic-related product streamlining. Despite never achieving the sales of Diet Coke (which eventually replaced it as Coca-Cola’s flagship diet drink), Tab maintained a fiercely loyal following for nearly 60 years, with devotees still lamenting its disappearance from coolers and refrigerators across America.
8. Carnation Breakfast Bars: The Original Meal Replacement
Long before protein bars lined entire grocery aisles, Carnation Breakfast Bars promised a complete meal in a convenient, chocolatey rectangle. I’d unwrap one every morning before catching the school bus, convinced I was making a healthy choice despite the candy-like taste.
Introduced in the 1970s, these bars came in chocolate chip, peanut butter, and caramel flavors. The commercials claimed they contained the nutrition of a complete breakfast – “juice, cereal, milk, and toast” – all in one portable package.
Carnation discontinued these beloved bars in the early 1990s, despite their devoted following. While today’s granola and protein bars might seem similar, fans insist nothing matches the original’s unique texture and flavor profile. The combination of satisfying chewiness and genuine dessert-like taste made them feel like you were getting away with something naughty, even though they were marketed as nutritious.
9. Franco-American Spaghetti: The Canned Pasta Comfort
Rainy days meant one thing in our house: Franco-American Spaghetti straight from the can, preferably with hot dogs sliced into perfect rounds mixed throughout. That distinctive sweet tomato sauce bore little resemblance to authentic Italian cuisine, but it offered a unique comfort food experience that no homemade pasta could match.
The Campbell Soup Company produced this canned pasta beginning in 1887, making it one of America’s earliest convenience foods. The SpaghettiOs spin-off eventually overshadowed the original product, with its circular pasta shapes appealing more to children.
While Campbell’s still makes canned pasta, the original Franco-American branding disappeared in 2004, and longtime fans insist the recipe changed too. The specific sauce formula – slightly sweet with a distinctive texture – created a nostalgic flavor profile that Boomers can still taste in their memories, even if they can’t find it on store shelves anymore.
10. Hi-C Ecto Cooler: The Ghostbusters-Inspired Citrus Drink
Opening my lunchbox to find that neon green juice box was like striking gold in the elementary school cafeteria. Hi-C Ecto Cooler wasn’t just a drink – with its Slimer character from Ghostbusters plastered on the package, it was a status symbol that proved your parents were undeniably cool.
Coca-Cola launched this tangerine-flavored beverage in 1987 as a tie-in with The Real Ghostbusters cartoon series. The drink’s popularity outlasted the show by years, eventually becoming its own cultural phenomenon that transcended its promotional origins.
Though Hi-C discontinued Ecto Cooler in 2001, they briefly revived it for the 2016 Ghostbusters reboot. That limited return only intensified fans’ desire for a permanent comeback. The distinctive citrus flavor profile, combined with that impossible-in-nature green color, created a sensory experience that remains firmly embedded in the taste memories of a generation.
11. Wonder Bread: The Building Blocks Of Childhood Sandwiches
Those perfectly uniform, cloud-like white slices built the foundation of my childhood lunches. Wonder Bread wasn’t just sandwich material – it was a cultural institution that promised to “build strong bodies 12 ways” with its enriched formula.
The bread’s pristine appearance and pillowy texture made it irresistible to kids and convenient for parents. I’d squish a fresh slice into a dense dough ball just to experience that unique texture transformation before mom caught me playing with my food.
While Wonder Bread still exists, many Boomers insist it doesn’t taste the same as the original recipe from their youth. The iconic loaves with red, yellow and blue balloons on the packaging represented American food innovation at its height – creating something so processed it seemed futuristic yet comforting simultaneously. Those perfectly uniform slices symbolized the postwar optimism and technological advancement that defined the Boomer childhood experience.
12. Shake-A-Puddin’: The DIY Dessert Experience
Saturday afternoons at Grandma’s house often featured the magical ritual of making Shake-A-Puddin’. The premise was brilliantly simple: add cold milk to the special container with the powder, secure the lid, then shake vigorously until the contents transformed into instant pudding.
Royal Desserts introduced this interactive treat in the 1960s, distinguishing it from regular instant pudding by making the preparation process part of the fun. The distinctive plastic container with its red lid became instantly recognizable in refrigerators across America.
The pudding itself wasn’t remarkably different from other instant varieties, but the experience of creating it made it special. Kids fought over who got to do the shaking, turning dessert preparation into entertainment. While instant pudding still exists, the loss of that dedicated shaker container and the ritual it created represents another piece of hands-on food culture that’s disappeared from modern kitchens.
13. Beemans Chewing Gum: The Digestive Aid With A Distinct Flavor
Grandpa always carried a pack of Beemans in his shirt pocket, ready to offer a stick whenever we complained about an upset stomach after too much ice cream. The pepsin-infused gum had a subtle spiced flavor that was simultaneously medicinal and delicious.
Created by physician Dr. Edward E. Beeman in the late 1800s, this gum was marketed as both a treat and a digestive remedy. The distinctive packaging featured a pig logo – an unusual but memorable branding choice that made it instantly recognizable on store shelves.
While technically still produced in limited quantities, Beemans is nearly impossible to find in regular stores today. The gum achieved renewed fame when featured in the movie “The Rocketeer” as a good luck charm, but for Boomers, it represents something more personal – the comforting ritual of accepting a stick from an older relative who swore by its stomach-settling properties.
14. Tuna Twist: The Lunchtime Innovation
Lunchbox monotony vanished the day Mom discovered Tuna Twist – StarKist’s answer to boring sandwiches. The innovative package contained a can of tuna, a packet of mayonnaise, and a packet of relish all in one convenient kit, ready to mix and spread.
Introduced in the 1970s, Tuna Twist simplified lunch preparation while giving kids the interactive food experience they craved. I’d carefully mix the components together at the cafeteria table, feeling like a sophisticated chef creating culinary magic while my friends watched enviously.
The product disappeared by the mid-1980s, likely made obsolete by the introduction of pre-mixed tuna salad in pouches. However, the original Twist kits offered something special – freshly mixed ingredients and that satisfying moment of transformation as plain tuna became a flavorful spread. The ritual of mixing created ownership of the lunch-making process that pre-mixed products simply can’t replicate.
15. Chef Boyardee Pizza Kits: The Box-To-Table Italian Night
Friday night meant pizza night in our house, but not from delivery – we made our own using Chef Boyardee’s complete pizza kits! The box contained everything: flour mix for the crust, sauce in a can, parmesan cheese in a paper shaker, and even a packet of yeast.
These kits, introduced in the 1950s, brought Italian cuisine into American homes long before pizza became ubiquitous. The commercial’s catchy “Friday night is pizza night” jingle became embedded in the consciousness of an entire generation.
Rolling out that dough on the kitchen counter created family memories no delivery pizza could match. While modern versions of the kit still exist, Boomers insist they’re not the same as the original formula. The distinctive flavor of that sauce and the texture of that rising crust represent a hands-on cooking experience that connected families around the dinner table in a shared culinary adventure.
16. Pop Rocks: The Explosive Candy Experience
Pouring those tiny crystals onto your tongue unleashed a symphony of crackling sensations unlike anything else in the candy aisle. I still remember my first experience with Pop Rocks – the surprise, confusion, and delight as they fizzed and popped in my mouth, creating an interactive candy experience that felt like science fiction.
General Foods chemist William Mitchell invented this carbonated candy in 1956, but it wasn’t commercially released until 1975. The distinctive popping sensation came from pressurized carbon dioxide gas bubbles trapped in the hard candy, which released when dissolved by saliva.
While Pop Rocks are still available today, many Boomers insist the original formula created a more intense sensation. The candy became infamous through the urban legend that mixing it with soda would cause your stomach to explode – a myth so pervasive that General Foods had to launch a campaign to reassure parents of its safety.
17. Libby’s Fruit Float: The Two-Tone Canned Dessert
Opening a can of Libby’s Fruit Float was like revealing a magical dessert universe – fruit cocktail suspended in firm jello on the bottom with a layer of fluffy pudding on top. The clear delineation between layers made it seem like some kind of food sorcery to my young mind.
This ready-to-eat canned dessert appeared in the 1960s, offering busy homemakers a quick and impressive-looking treat with zero preparation. The aluminum can came with a pull tab, making it accessible even to kids eager for an after-school snack.
Libby’s discontinued Fruit Float decades ago, likely due to changing consumer preferences for fresher desserts. Yet the novelty of that perfect stratification – the way the fruit pieces remained suspended exactly in place within the jello layer – represents a food engineering achievement that created a unique textural experience no modern dessert has quite replicated.
18. Dippy Chocolate Pudding Packs: The Interactive Snack Adventure
Lunch wasn’t complete without the thrill of peeling back the foil on a Dippy pudding pack and discovering the separate compartment filled with candy sprinkles or cookie crumbs. This wasn’t just dessert – it was an interactive food adventure that let kids control the final flavor and texture combination.
Introduced in the 1970s, these pudding packs revolutionized the lunchbox dessert category by adding an element of customization. The small plastic spoon included in each package made it perfect for school lunches, eliminating the need for silverware from home.
While similar products exist today, the original Dippy packs had a specific pudding texture and topping combinations that created a unique sensory experience. The ritual of carefully sprinkling the toppings, then deciding whether to mix them throughout or leave them on top, gave children a rare moment of culinary decision-making in an otherwise adult-controlled food world.
19. Dixie Cup Ice Cream: The Wooden Spoon Revolution
Nothing signaled a special occasion quite like those little waxed paper cups of ice cream that came with their own wooden spoon tucked under the lid. The spoon itself became part of the experience – the slight woody taste mixing with the sweet ice cream created a flavor combination that plastic spoons simply can’t replicate.
Dixie Cups ice cream originated in the 1940s, becoming a staple at school cafeterias, birthday parties, and special events. Each lid featured pictures of celebrities or cartoon characters, creating a collectible element that enhanced the treat’s appeal.
While small cups of ice cream still exist, the original Dixie Cups with their wooden spoons have largely disappeared, replaced by plastic containers and plastic utensils. For Boomers, that specific combination of waxy paper container, wooden spoon, and slightly softer ice cream texture represents a sensory memory that modern alternatives can’t quite match, no matter how premium the ice cream itself might be.