Nostalgic Munchies

19 Nostalgic Snacks Adults Wish Would Come Back

Anyone else's mouth water at the thought of a Taco Bell apple empanada?

by Maggie Clancy
Getty Images, Courtesy @hellonostalgiapodcast; @CanadianMuna2; @BlakeisLiving; @BarkyBoogz; @the_funhilde; @1TuffCo0kie; Dr. Pepper; Emma Chao/Fatherly

One of the joys of parenting is sharing one of your favorite snacks with your kiddos. Seeing a kid break into a smile (or turn their mouth into a sour puss) as they take in their parents’ favorite childhood snack is priceless.

Unfortunately, cruel fates have torn some of the most beloved snacks off of the shelves, leaving adults who want to see their child’s face light up as they experience a tasty treat from the past damn near impossible.

Redditor u/kellerisdabest took to the site’s popular AskReddit to see which snacks from the past everyone missed the most, hoping that at least some of these old school treats would make a triumphant return just like the Choco Taco. Everything from McDonald’s all-day breakfast menu to the little surprises in cereal boxes had Reddit waxing nostalgic for some tasty treats.

The McDonald’s fried apple pie seemed to be the most missed snack, with over 2,000 upvoting the post pining for the fast food pastry, specifically its incarnation from the late ‘80s to early ‘90s that featured the “temperature of molten plutonium inside.”

Other snacks of yesteryear adults wish would grace their supermarket shelves once again include Butterfinger BBs, Taco Bell’s apple empanada, Kudos bars, Hershey’s chocolate milk powder, Philadelphia cheesecake bars, and Ritz Bitz s’mores. “The fact that these no longer exist is a travesty,” lamented one Redditor of the chocolate-marshmallow bite-sized snacks.

Fortunately for some fans, their discontinued products are coming back, even if for a short time. Berries & Cream Dr. Pepper, which was available in 2006 for a few quick months. Fortunately for fans of this snack, Dr. Pepper has been bringing the flavor back as a limited edition in the online Pepper Perks program, for anyone willing to go the distance for the raspberry-flavored soda. The McDonald’s snack wrap (a personal favorite) has been rumored to come back at some point in the near future.

Others, like the Jello Pudding Pop, Altoid Sours and the original Four Loko, are discontinued snacks that will likely stay in the past. Here are some of the most missed discontinued treats, as ranked by Reddit:

jfmdesign/iStock Unreleased/Getty Images

The McDonald’s deep-fried apple pie was the most pined-for nostalgic snack. Americans are out of luck, but according to some Redditors, the deep-fried goodness is available in the U.K.

OLIVIER DOULIERY/AFP/Getty Images

Remember those little prizes that came inside cereal boxes? So do all the Redditors on this thread! There was something so magical about a plastic ring or action figure pouring out of the cereal box.

Want these bad boys back? There’s a Change.org petition for that.

Welch’s Jelly Jars are still a hit on sites like eBay and Etsy. Unfortunately, they don’t come with the tasty nostalgic treat inside any more.

Apparently fans have tracked down random batches online at independent beverage sites. The hunt begins...

Bite-sized Butterfingers BBs were the perfect amount of nougat. Come back, please!

Fans have found ways to make their own grilled stuff burrito at home, but it just doesn’t hit the same...

These delicious chocolate pastries were the perfect addition to any Pizza Hut order, until they weren’t.

The PB Crisps fanbase might be the most dedicated to bringing back their favorite discontinued snacks. Seriously.

Fans of the sugary cereal on Reddit noted that they were pining for the original recipe from the ‘90s, not the reformulated (and quickly discontinued) “abomination.”

This one really hurt Taco Bell fans.

Ask any kid of the late ‘80s or early ‘90s what taste defined their childhood, and it is almost always Hi-C Ecto Coolers.

The M&M’s and Snickers Kudos bars were truly the best.

Ritz Bits sandwiches are still available in classic cheese and peanut butter, but fans on Reddit want the sweet sandwich snack back.

Despite its less-the-savory connection to Bill Cosby, people still pine for Jell-O pudding pops.

Fans of the fizzy and fruity drink can still get their hands on this Dr. Pepper flavor with the brand’s perks program.

Fans of all varieties of McDonald’s Snack Wrap have their workarounds but are excited that the popular Dollar Menu item is rumored to come back.

Yes, Four Loko still exists, but it isn’t the original recipe that was marketed as “energy beer” and featured the drink contained taurine, guarana, caffeine and wormwood in addition to up to 14% alcohol.

The McPizza had a limited run back in 2021, and now fans want it back.

What discontinued snack are you nostaglic for? And what would you do to get them back into your life?