Welcome to the 1980s, where big hair and neon colors were all the rage. However, there were also some unforgettable food trends and snacks that we had explored. Yup, we’re talking about bizarre beverage flavors to snacks that will make doctors scratch their heads. We’ve collected 12 odd snacks and trends that defined the decade. You won’t believe what we used to eat!
12. OREO Big Stuf
Remember when you used to snack on OREO that was the size of your hand? In the ’80s, the OREO Big Stuf were those individually packaged palm-sized cookies that took the brand to a whole new level. It still featured the same chocolate cookies that sandwiched vanilla cream. Eventually, they were discontinued, but they live on in the hearts of OREO fans who get to taste them.
11. Beverage-Flavored Gums
Why drink your favorite soda when you can chew it? Back in the sugar rush ’80s, brands like Dr. Pepper, 7UP, and Cherry 7UP had their own chewing gum counterparts. They feature square-shaped gums that have a liquid center that tastes like the actual soda. Although it’s strange, it showed the experimental spirit of the era through that artificial taste.
10. Sloppy Joes in a Can
Sloppy Joes have been around for ages, but it wasn’t until the ’80s that they were commonly stored in cans. That’s right, the pre-made Sloppy Joe mix was offered as a heat-and-serve meal that also became a pantry staple and a cafeteria staple. The mix features a combination of ground beef drowned in sweet and tangy barbecue sauce. However, the mystery meat quality of its canned counterparts was popularly referred to as “mysterious meat.”
9. Hubba Bubba Soda
While sodas are turned into gums, the Hubba Bubba bubble gum was turned into a soda. Capitalizing on its brand recognition, the company released a bubble gum-flavored soda that featured the sweet pink gum itself. It was eventually pulled from the shelves due to low sales, as many consumers found the soda to taste artificial and overly sweet.
8. Hi-C Ecto Cooler
Every ’80s kid probably had the Hi-C Ecto Cooler in their lunchbox. It’s a Ghostbusters-themed juice box with a ghoulish green color but an orange flavor. The color is designed to replicate the slimy ghost character from the movie, named Slimer. The drink was so popular that it outlived the movie’s hype, lasting for a decade. Well, the drink only contains 10% fruit juice, which may make parents of today scratch their heads.
7. Pop Rocks
This iconic candy was the it candy of the ’70s and ’80s. It features a candy powder that pops and fizzles in your mouth. However, there was an urban legend that mixing the candy with soda would cause your stomach to explode. The story gained widespread attention, and the company responded by placing a full-page ad to debunk the rumors. However, despite their efforts, the negative publicity surrounding the candy took its toll, and Pop Rocks was eventually pulled from the shelves.
6. Carnation Breakfast Bars
Yes, Carnation once introduced Breakfast Bars in the ’80s, marking the opening of a new trend. It features chocolate-covered granola bars filled with protein and fortified with vitamins, designed as a healthy breakfast option. They started the rise of breakfast and protein bars that surround us today. It was actually relaunched in the ’90s and 2014, but they never captured the original.
5. Sizzlean
The Sizzlean was the ’80s breakfast staple marketed as a healthier alternative to traditional bacon. It features a jerky-like texture that’s made from a blend of turkey, pork, and beef with less fat. They even released an “all-beef” version that still contained turkey. However, it fell off the freezer when the low-fat trend died down, officially flying off the shelves in 2005.
4. McDonald’s McPizza
Yes, back in the ’80s, McDonald’s used to offer a pizza called McPizza. It was a time when pizza chains were booming that they started to offer family-sized pizzas and personal-sized ones. However, the pizzas took too long to cook, which went against their ultra-speedy service. It lasted through the ’90s before they were eventually phased out. Try your luck on some McPizza at the Epic McD location in Orlando, Florida. It serves as the company’s living museum, offering unusual menu items.
3. Orange Julius
If you’re one of the teenagers who used to hang out at the mall in the ’80s, then Orange Julius was probably one of your after-school getaways. It’s a food court icon that offers orange juice with a unique blend of milk, egg whites, and vanilla. They featured a less acidic orange juice with a creamer, as they were originally made for those with sensitive stomachs who still want to enjoy an orange juice.
2. Margarine as a Health Food
Would you believe that butter was the public enemy in the ’80s? Yup, health experts warned about the dangers of saturated fat, and consumers believed that the healthier alternative was margarine. With that, sales of margarine peaked in the decade that brands like Blue Bonnet and Land O’Lakes became household staples. But the tide turned in the ’90s when concerns about trans fat in partially hydrogenated oils became the center of attention. The FDA eventually banned these oils in 2015, and the margarine never recovered.
1. Jolt Cola
Long before modern energy drinks, there was Jolt Cola. It was launched in 1985 as a high-caffeine and high-sugar beverage to give you the kick that you need. Jolt was actually a response to the growing trend of diet sodas. Eventually, the company went bankrupt, and Jolt Cola was pulled off the shelves as a memory of the ’80s.
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