1. Oreo Big Stuf
Launched in the 1980s, Oreo Big Stuf was exactly what it sounds like—a comically oversized Oreo cookie roughly ten times the size of the original. It was packaged individually, probably because no sane person should eat more than one in a sitting. Nabisco retired it in 1991, likely due to its sky-high calorie count and changing consumer attitudes. But let’s be real: there was something joyful about its sheer absurdity.
Even though no one needed an Oreo that big, the novelty made it unforgettable. Kids would proudly take them to lunch like a trophy snack. It was a sugar-fueled status symbol. Today, it lives on in nostalgic YouTube reviews and the wistful memories of Gen X snackers.
2. Cheetos Lip Balm
Yes, this actually happened. In 2005, Frito-Lay released a Cheetos-flavored lip balm, aiming for novelty but landing squarely in “why, though?” territory. Imagine rubbing artificial cheese powder onto your lips and calling it hydration. It wasn’t on shelves for long, and the world collectively agreed to never speak of it again.
But in its short, cringe-worthy life, it became a cult curiosity. People still joke about it online, and unopened tubes occasionally pop up on eBay. The very idea of combining skincare and snack food is peak mid-2000s marketing chaos. We’re embarrassed it ever existed—but admit it, you kinda want to smell one.
3. Hershey’s S’mores Bar
Introduced in the early 2000s, the Hershey’s S’mores Bar was a pre-packaged take on the campfire favorite. It had a graham cracker base, marshmallow creme, and a thick layer of Hershey’s milk chocolate—all in one tidy bar. It didn’t really taste like a real s’more, but it scratched the same itch, especially if you didn’t have access to a fire pit. It quietly disappeared from shelves a few years later, despite its loyal fanbase.
The texture was a little strange, and the sweetness was cranked up to eleven, but that was kind of the charm. It felt indulgent in a way that made it perfect for lunchboxes or midnight snacks. People still hunt for similar products, but nothing quite measures up. It wasn’t perfect, but it filled a very specific, marshmallow-shaped hole in our hearts.
4. Pepsi Blue
Pepsi Blue was launched in 2002, aiming to tap into the teen market with its electric blue hue and berry-cotton-candy flavor. It looked like windshield wiper fluid and tasted like melted blue Slurpee with carbonation. People were confused, intrigued, and mildly horrified. It disappeared by 2004 after poor sales and mixed reviews.
And yet, for a brief moment, it was everywhere—especially at middle school dances and convenience store coolers. It was aggressively ’00s, from the color to the marketing. Pepsi briefly revived it in 2021, but only for a limited run. It wasn’t good, but it was unforgettable.
5. Reese’s Peanut Butter & Banana Creme Cups
Released for a limited time in 2007 to honor what would’ve been Elvis Presley’s 72nd birthday, these cups featured a layer of banana-flavored creme beneath the classic Reese’s peanut butter. It was a nod to The King’s famous love for peanut butter and banana sandwiches. The flavor was bizarrely good—salty, sweet, and just the right amount of weird. But like a limited-edition vinyl, it vanished almost immediately.
People who tried it still talk about it like a fever dream. Reese’s hasn’t brought them back since, despite periodic fan requests. It was one of those flavor experiments that shouldn’t have worked but kind of did. And for that, it earns its place in the discontinued snack hall of fame.
6. Jell-O Pudding Pops
Originally made famous by Bill Cosby’s TV commercials in the ’80s, Jell-O Pudding Pops were a creamy frozen treat that somehow managed to be both rich and refreshing. They were basically frozen chocolate pudding on a stick. The texture was unlike any other popsicle—dense, velvety, and a little chewy. They quietly disappeared in the 2000s, despite continued demand.
Generic versions have tried to fill the void, but none quite capture that exact flavor. It’s one of those treats that brings back summers, scraped knees, and sticky fingers. You didn’t just eat one; you devoured them. They’re gone, but pudding hearts still pine.
7. Planters Cheez Balls
Planters isn’t known for snacks outside peanuts, but Cheez Balls were their glorious exception. Bright orange, perfectly round, and explosively cheesy, they hit shelves in the 1980s and became an instant hit. They came in a blue canister that was oddly satisfying to shake. Sadly, they were discontinued in 2006.
Fans were vocal about the loss, creating petitions and fan pages. In 2018, Planters brought them back temporarily, but they haven’t stuck around consistently. There’s just something about that fake cheese flavor and the weirdly airy crunch. You didn’t eat Cheez Balls—you inhaled them.
8. 3D Doritos
3D Doritos launched in 1998 with a clever twist—puffed-out, tube-like shapes that felt futuristic. The crunch was more airy than the standard chip, and the flavors (like Jalapeño Cheddar) were bold. They felt like what a cool teen in a sci-fi movie might eat. They quietly faded away in the mid-2000s.
Their disappearance led to years of clamoring from fans. In 2021, Frito-Lay did bring them back, but the new version wasn’t quite the same in shape or flavor intensity. The originals felt innovative and risky. We miss the version that dared to dream in three dimensions.
9. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Pies
These radioactive-looking snacks were released by Hostess in 1991 to tie in with the TMNT cartoon craze. They were green-glazed pies filled with a bright vanilla pudding and pure sugar chaos. If you were a kid, they were the height of culinary sophistication. Adults, however, likely found them terrifying.
Despite their limited shelf life (both literally and figuratively), they were a runaway hit. Hostess pulled them within a few years, possibly due to the sheer insanity of the concept. But the packaging and pie live on in nostalgic YouTube taste tests. It’s a snack that never should’ve existed—but thank goodness it did.
10. Dunkaroos (Original Formula)
Dunkaroos debuted in the early ’90s and featured cookies with a little tub of frosting for dunking—dessert as finger food. Kids were obsessed, and lunchroom trades were fierce. But the original version was discontinued in the U.S. in 2012, only to return in 2020 with a slightly tweaked recipe. Fans swear it’s not quite the same.
The OG frosting was thicker, sweeter, and had a hint of something chemically magical. And the cookies were sturdier, almost aggressively crunchy. The updated version feels more like a facsimile than a resurrection. Still, we miss the sugar bomb that once ruled our childhoods.
11. Life Savers Holes
These tiny candies were introduced in the early ’90s as the literal “holes” punched out of Life Savers. They came in flip-top containers and had the same flavors as the rings, but in Tic Tac-sized bites. Unfortunately, they were pulled due to choking hazard concerns. Apparently, making candies smaller doesn’t always make them safer.
But fans loved their portability and novelty. There was something rebellious about them—like eating candy meant for adults but with a kid twist. They were fun, poppable, and highly collectable. Today, they’re a cautionary tale in packaging design and a source of sweet, fleeting nostalgia.
12. Swoops by Hershey’s
Swoops were thin, Pringle-shaped chocolate slices introduced in the early 2000s. They came in molded plastic trays and flavors like Reese’s, Almond Joy, and York Peppermint. The idea was that chocolate could be eaten like chips—cool in theory, awkward in execution. They melted fast, crumbled easily, and never really caught on.
Still, they had charm. Each swoop felt like a little luxury, like chocolate reimagined for snackers on the go. They lasted just a few years before disappearing into clearance bins. But we low-key admired their ambition.
13. Crystal Pepsi
Crystal Pepsi hit the market in 1992 with a bizarre pitch: cola with no caramel color. It looked like Sprite but tasted like mild Pepsi, which totally messed with your brain. The clear soda trend didn’t last, and neither did Crystal Pepsi—it was gone by 1994. A few nostalgic revivals popped up over the years, but none stuck.
Its legacy is more about what it represented than how it tasted. It was the edible version of the ’90s: strange, bold, and obsessed with transparency. Even if it wasn’t good, it was unforgettable. And in a way, that’s what makes a snack truly legendary.
This post 13 Discontinued Snacks That Had No Business Existing—But We Miss Them Anyway was first published on American Charm.
