We don’t know if we’re just feeling nostalgic, but the snacks on offer nowadays just don’t compare with the far-out fast food options, cult-favorite candies, sugary cereals, and 1990s sodas that we grew up on. However, luckily for the kids (and big kids) of today, many have been revived. From Taco Bell’s Enchirito to Cheez Balls and Cereal Straws, these are the foods and drinks we loved in childhood that came back (albeit for a brief time, in some cases).
Click or scroll through our gallery to discover 36 nostalgic foods that made a comeback – counting down to the most-missed snack of all.
We've based our ranking on the enduring popularity of each food in the USA and Canada. This list is unavoidably subjective.
Not the typical offering from a chain known for its burgers and fries, the McLobster – a lobster roll with shredded lettuce and lobster sauce – was added to McDonald’s menus in America in 1992. Sadly, due to supply issues, you can now only get this luxurious fast food favorite in Atlantic Canada and New England in the summer, when lobsters are abundant.
These small, cake-like donuts were sold by Hostess – but the company went under in 2012, citing rising pension and ingredient costs as the cause. However, when the brand returned the following year, so did its favorite treats. First introduced in the 1930s, the ring-shaped snacks now come in a few different varieties, including powdered, double chocolate, and strawberry cheesecake.
These round lemon, orange, clove, cinnamon, and chocolate candies are some of America’s oldest and most nostalgic, dating all the way back to 1847. So you can imagine the horror when the factory that produced them suddenly closed in 2018, just months after being saved from bankruptcy. However, Spangler Candy Company saved the day by bringing them back, complete with their original wax paper wrappers, in 2020.
This celestial candy was launched in the US in 1963, at the height of the Space Race, when all things out of this world captured the public's imagination. However, by the turn of the century it was no longer relevant, and its parent company Spangler Candy Company discontinued it. Not the first candy to be brought back by a fan, Astro Pop was relaunched by California entrepreneur Ellia Kassoff in 2010, along with new Astro Pop soda.
In 1990, McDonald’s did something completely outside the box and launched Mighty Wings – bone-in spicy, breaded chicken wings – in the US. A menu staple up until 2003, the product was removed for 10 years before being brought back in 2013. The return was viewed as a failure, and they were soon discontinued. However, that didn't stop the fast food giant reviving them once more in 2016. We suspect we haven’t seen the last of the wings, either...
Hollow chocolate balls with toys inside, Wonder Balls were first sold in the States in the 1990s under the name Nestlé Magic Balls. Children loved them, but they were banned by the FDA for being a choking hazard in 1997. The treats briefly returned without the toy (and filled with smaller candies) in 2000, then again in 2016 with a Minion theme as a tie-in with the movie Despicable Me 2. Since then, Super Mario, Paw Patrol, and Space Jam: A New Legacy Wonder Balls have been released.
Introduced by The Coca-Cola Company to compete with Pepsi’s Mountain Dew, fizzy, citrus-flavored Surge arrived in the States in 1996. It had a bright green can and was marketed as having a ‘hardcore edge.' However, it eventually fell out of favor and was taken off shelves in 2003. Since then, it has reappeared a number of times, including on Amazon Prime, at Burger King chains, and at convenience stores around the country.
Remember the 1990s trend for clear foods and drinks – which people loved because they thought they were healthy? Around that time, Pepsi launched Crystal Pepsi in America and Canada; however, people were confused about what it was meant to taste like, and it failed to take off. Nevertheless, those desperate for a sip of nostalgia were given the opportunity to taste the fizzy drink again when the brand was revived in 2015, 2016, and 2017. In 2022, there was another chance to relive the 1990s: to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the drink's launch, Pepsi gave fans the chance to win six bottles in a social media competition.
A little like whoopie pies, Oreo Cakesters – soft, vanilla creme–filled cookies – came on the scene in 2007. They were popular at first; however, they disappeared just five years later, in 2012. Though some people have wondered whether they weren’t popular enough to stay in production, they must have had enough fans to justify a return. In 2022, Nabisco brought them back, along with new peanut butter–filled Nutter Butter Cakesters.
It had been 12 years since American kids (and big kids) had been able to infuse their glass of morning milk with the fruity flavor of Froot Loops or the chocolate flavor of Coco Pops. Then, in 2021, Kellogg’s decided to reward us by relaunching its 1990s snack Cereal Straws, which had been discontinued in 2009. Mornings have now been returned to their former glory.
In the 1990s, bubble gum came in powder form and was sold in jugs, courtesy of Hubba Bubba. The quirky candy was discontinued in the 2000s, but it was recently brought back to life by Iconic Candy, which is responsible for resurrecting a number of other retro candies. The original tropical flavor was back on shelves in early 2024, with more flavors planned for the future.
When Clearly Canadian launched in Canada in 1987 and in the US in 1988, sugary sodas were the order of the day – and the flavored sparkling water provided a refreshing alternative. Bottles flew off the shelves throughout the 1990s, but interest soon waned, and the product was discontinued by 2010. However, the drink made a triumphant comeback in 2015, when venture capitalist (and long-time fan) Robert R. Khan set up a crowdfunding campaign to facilitate its return.
Creme Savers, the creamy version of legendary Life Savers candies, are fondly remembered. First launched in 1998 by Nabisco, they had a good run until they were discontinued in 2011. Much missed for over a decade, they made a triumphant return a decade later, rescued by nostalgic candy lovers Iconic Candy in 2021. Best of all, Iconic Candy claimed that nothing had changed, leaving the creamy candies just as tasty as everyone remembered.
Count Chocula, Franken Berry, and Boo Berry made their North American debut in the early 1970s, as the first chocolate, strawberry, and blueberry-flavored cereals with marshmallow pieces. In the beginning, they were available year-round – but since 2009, they’ve been a little scarcer in stores, appearing once a year around Halloween. In 2023, the first female monster, Carmella Creeper, was revealed.
Canadian chip brand Hostess was founded back in 1935. A popular homegrown company, it maintained its position as the nation’s favorite into the 1980s. However, after merging with US brand Lay’s in 1988, Hostess began to decline, and its branding was replaced on most products. However, happily for those who loved Hostess' original chips, they were brought back as Munchies in 2024. The snacks come in classic flavors like ketchup and barbecue, and they feature monster characters that were previously part of Hostess' branding in the 1980s and 1990s.
This 1970s American candy bar – featuring caramel, fudge, peanuts, and chocolate – hadn't been seen since the days it was sold for 15 cents. So, it was a surprise when The Hershey Company brought it back in 2013, with a new red wrapper in place of the original white one. However, if you weren't quick to buy it, you missed out; sadly, its return was short lived.
Taco Bell is the place where many of us got our first taste of Tex-Mex food, so its menu items have a lot of nostalgia attached. For 1980s kids, the Meximelt holds plenty of memories. Combining a flour tortilla, seasoned ground beef, and fiesta salsa with a three-cheese blend, it was a cross between a Fresco Soft Taco and a quesadilla. It was discontinued in 2018; however, it returned in 2024, as part of the Decades menu in the US, and as part of the Cravings Value Menu in Canada.
Oreo O's cereal was launched by Post and Kraft in the US in 1998, following a decade of sweet cereal launches. Featuring little chocolate loops and dollops of sugary creme, it was an instant hit. It had a near decade-long run in shops before it was discontinued in 2007, only remaining available in South Korea. However, a 1990s renaissance provided prime conditions for its return to the US and Canada in 2017 – and we were more than happy to welcome it back.
This fancy dessert has been a British favorite since it launched in the 1980s. However, it was less successful in the US and Canada, arriving in the mid-1980s – and leaving not long after. Nevertheless, since being reintroduced in 2021, Viennetta is back in the States (but not Canada) for a second time, so you can get your hands on the delightfully retro treat once more.
Although it’s hard to believe now, McDonald’s sold pizza in the USA and Canada between the late 1980s and late 1990s. The pies came with toppings such as cheese, pepperoni, green pepper, and onion, but slow cooking times prevented the menu item from having staying power. Regardless, there was much excitement when McDonald's Pizza briefly returned to select stores in the US in 2017.
Exchanged between classmates and friends since 1902, Sweethearts were lost along with Necco Wafers when Necco's factory closed in 2018. When the Spangler Candy Company saved the iconic brand in 2020, they were sold again with original sayings such as ‘Be Mine’ and ‘Kiss Me,’ as well as lyrics from recent pop songs.
If you haven’t tried this meaty sandwich from McDonald’s, we don’t know where you’ve been. The McRib was first introduced in the US in 1982 – and it features a pork patty shaped like a rack of ribs, plus barbecue sauce, sliced onions, and dill pickles. It was a permanent fixture until 2006, but since then it's left and rejoined the menu on a yearly basis in the US. It returned to McDonald's Canada in 2024.
Surprisingly, CupCakes, which debuted in 1919, are Hostess' bestselling product, not Twinkies. Nonetheless, they vanished from shelves in 2012, along with some other favorite baked items, when the company was bought and restructured. They returned with a bang six months later, with more cocoa packed into each cupcake, plus the tagline 'The Sweetest Comeback In The History Of Ever.'
Originally launched as a limited-edition treat, Crispy M&M’s, featuring a puffed rice center, arrived in the US in 1998. However, seven years later, the crunchy snacks were taken off shelves, and devastated fans campaigned for their return. It worked, and Crispy M&M’s came back in 2015 – only to be discontinued again a few years later. The Crunchy Cookie flavor is a close replacement, but if you want the real deal, you can still source Crispy M&M’s from other countries.
Launched by Planters in North America in the 1970s, these bright orange, cheese powder–dusted corn puffs were extremely popular over the following decades. However, in 2006, the company decided to focus on its main product, which was nuts, and got rid of them. It was a Change.org petition that initiated the retro snack’s return in 2018.
Taco Bell lovers in Canada and the US were treated to the return of a sweet fan favorite in 2024 when the Caramel Apple Empanada was put back on the menu for a limited time. Featured on the Cravings Value Menu in Canada and the Decades menu in the US, the 2000s dessert wraps a crispy pastry coating around a warm and creamy apple filling with caramel notes.
1990s kids will remember Cini Minis from Burger King well. Touted 'the best part of the cinnamon roll (the center) in every bite,' they were launched in the US in 1998, with a pack of four costing 99 cents. When they were discontinued in the 2000s, fans created an online petition demanding their return – and it worked. They came back to menus for a brief time in 2018. In 2024, two locations in Florida reintroduced the sticky treats, with fans hoping it was a test run and that they would soon be available elsewhere.
After launching back in 1967 as one of Pop-Tarts' original 'Frosted' flavors, Frosted Grape has appeared on shelves on and off over the decades, and was completely pulled in 2017. Now, much to fans' delight, it's back permanently. Stuffed with grape jelly–flavored filling, and covered in white icing and crunchy purple sprinkles, the nostalgic favorite was made available nationwide in the US in May 2022.
Cocoa Puffs, Golden Grahams, Cookie Crisp, and Trix are all classic cereals from General Mills, which never went away. But, despite never having been discontinued, they all still managed to make a comeback in 2020, when the company announced that it would be relaunching the cereals with their original 1980s flavors. This wasn’t a temporary move, either. The new-and-improved (or rather old-and-improved) recipes are here to stay. General Mills had previously brought back the classic fruity shapes of Trix, too.
Kraft Heinz–owned brand Lunchables has been a childhood favorite across the US since the 1980s. In Canada, however, the snacks were unavailable for 15 years – until they made a return in 2024. Marketed as a lunch kit that both parents and kids can enjoy, the return brought back fan favorite Turkey and Ham Cracker Stackers, plus three new flavors: Cheese Pizza, Pepperoni Pizza, and Nachos.
Enduring a mouthful of this fizzing, crackling candy was a rite of passage for children growing up in America and Canada in the 1970s. However, when a rumor circulated that a boy’s stomach exploded from eating the sweet mixed with Coca-Cola in the early 1980s, it fell out of favor and was discontinued. When it was first brought back in 1985, it was rebranded as Action Candy, but it's now got its original name back.
In the early 2000s, Kellogg’s launched Eggo Cereal in the US. It was a mash-up of its bestselling products: golden Eggo Waffles and sugary cereal. The tiny treats were a hit in the beginning, but they were eventually pulled in 2012. Then, on National Waffle Day 2019, the brand announced on Twitter: "If this gets 10,000 RTs, we'll bring back Eggo Cereal.". Needless to say, the tweet generated an overwhelming response. In 2020, Eggo Cereal was introduced to Canada for the first time, starting with maple flavor and followed by chocolate in 2021.
A type of hybrid burrito-enchilada, Taco Bell's Enchirito was a beef, bean, and onion burrito topped with red sauce, Cheddar, and three black olive slices. It had a huge fan base when it was rolled out in the States in the early 1970s. Nonetheless, it was discontinued in 1993 to make way for new items. In subsequent years it returned a number of times, but something had changed – and it disappeared completely in 2013. The Enchirito made a comeback once again in 2023, but only for a brief period.
Another recent revival, 1990s snack Dunkaroos returned to US shelves in 2020, along with new Dunkaroos cereal. The kangaroo-shaped cookies were launched by General Mills in 1992, but they were taken off the US market in 2012 (while remaining on sale in Canada) as the company wanted to focus on healthier products. The brand received record requests to put Dunkaroos back on sale.
These rectangular cakes have been around for so long, they've become entrenched in American culture. Launched in 1930, they frequently featured in comics and TV shows after World War II. However, Hostess filed for bankruptcy in 2012, and production of the iconic treats was discontinued. Thankfully, a private equity firm stepped in, and they returned six months later. In Canada, the cakes are produced by Vachon Inc., which continued to make them when they were briefly absent from US shelves.
General Mills has sold many cereals over the years, but this one is regularly described as one of the best. French Toast Crunch, which features toast-shaped, maple-flavored bites, was launched in the States in late 1995, but shelved the following decade – although it remained available in Canada. In its honor, devastated fans created a Facebook group and campaigned for its return. It was brought back to the US in 2015, and it's still a mainstay of many breakfast tables across the country.
Now discover the tastiest foods launched the year you were born, from 1946 to 2000
Last updated by Laura Ellis.