30 Snacks From the ’90s That We’re Still Craving Today
Snacks from the '90s were a far cry from the kale chips and sea-salted almonds we're used to today.
This decade's pre-packaged bites were chock-full of refined sugar, iodized salt and artificial everything. While they were colorful, eye-catching, sweet and savory, the nutritional value of these snacks were at an all-time low (TBH, we aren't quite sure how we made it out of this decade alive).
(via Shutterstock)
That said, these nibbles are fun to relive. After all, they sure bring back memories. And we didn't know any better back then, so we're giving ourselves a break for devouring 50 grams of sugar right before bed.
Keep reading for 30 snacks from that '90s that we're still craving now.
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1. Scooby-Doo Flavored Snacks
Raise your hand if you went straight for the neon blue! These gummy snacks were a must for any lunchbox. And the Scooby-Doo theme was an added bonus, as this was one of our favorite cartoons to watch as kids.
2. DunkAroos
This mini-cookies with cream (and sprinkles!) combo was hands-down the snack of the '90s. We can't think of one "cool" classmate who didn't have a little pack of these stuffed in their lunchbox. And all the years later, we don't think we've consumed a tastier frosting. Hey, '90s snack gods, if you're listening, please bring these back!
3. Planters Cheez Balls
We love a good Cheeto bite, so it's a no-brainer we'd be into Cheeto-inspired balls. The texture and taste were basically a ripoff of the original, so maybe that's why they didn't last as long as their predecessor?
4. Rowntree's Jelly Tots
While these jellies certainly didn't define the decade like the aforementioned snacks, they were still an approved pick. Though inside they were just another gummy candy, the outer coating set these apart from some of the rest.
5. Push Pop
Ah, Push Pops, another '90s classic. These purely sugar hard candies had the added charm of pushing up as you licked. And they were packaged in cute little toys like the one pictured above. In fact, this image is actually art, but the artist replicated the snack perfectly.
6. Life Savers Holes
Life Savers have been around forever and still remain a prominent last-grab at grocery store checkout stands. That said, their Holes spinoff didn't quite have the same staying power. We loved the greater flavor variety that the holes provided, but we guess if you were looking for something bigger to suck on, you'd likely opt for the full-sized candies.
7. Hershey's Swoops
Hershey's Swoops were the ultimate recipe for a perfect snack. Not only did they have the texture and crunch of a traditional chip, but they were dipped in chocolate and even came themed in some of our favorite candy bars: Almond Joy, Reese's, York and original Hershey's chocolate. We'd be totally down to dive into these right now.
8. Yogos
There really need to be more yogurt snacks on the market. While traditional yogurt is fine and all, yogurt candy just has a different appeal. Sadly, Yogos were short-lived to the world, but they'll always hold a place in our hearts for not tasting like every traditional gummy candy during that era.
9. Fruit Roll-Ups Peel 'N Build
Fruit Roll-Ups absolutely dominated the '90s, but their Peel 'N Build spinoff added some extra character to the standard snack. These colorful, multi-flavored sweet treats allowed you to mix and match to essentially create pizza-looking candy. What a time.
10. Totino's Pizza Rolls
You can still find contemporary variations of this snack in the freezer aisles of grocery stores today, but there's nothing like the classic, amirite? Ah, processed cheese, artificial tomato sauce and that crispy dough… does it get any better than this?
11. WOW! Chips
And now we enter the controversial part of our list… WOW! Chips are pretty legendary. They were advertised as being the "healthier," "low-fat" alternative to traditional chips, but what people didn't know at the time is that they were made with an ingredient that caused constipation and all other sorts of issues. While tasty enough, they didn't last long on shelves (and for good reason!).
12. Doritos 3D's
While nothing compares to a traditional Dorito, the 3D version was obviously way more fun to munch on. We do think the original packs more flavor, but we give the brand an A for adding a little character to its two-dimensional predecessor.
13. Soda-Licious
Even if you weren't big on soda or sweets, there was something about Soda-Licious candies that made mouths water anyway. We were suckers for the sweet and sour gummies that tasted like Coca-Cola in a bite-sized snack.
14. IceScreamers Push Up
Is it just us, or can you literally taste the exact cream from these treats as you read this? While we love Fred Flinstone as much as the next person, it was the refreshingly delicious taste of these sherbet-y push-pops that made us flock to these snacks.
15. Pizzarias Pizza Chips
This may be an unpopular opinion, but pizza chips take the cake over Doritos. Not sure why these never reached their full potential, but the combo of cheese flavor, spices and crunch was seriously too good to be true.
16. Shark Bites
Name a children's sporting event that didn't end with Shark Bites as the team snack. Of all the gummies during the '90s, these bad boys reigned supreme. Not sure that they tasted any different than other gelled snacks, but, one word: sharks—we totally get it.
17. SqueezeIt
These are technically a "drink," but when you consider all the sugar and whatever else is packed into these bad boys, they definitely equal out to be more of a snack. These were another '90s classic. And while we're just as guilty as the rest for chugging them down like water, we still can't believe these were designed to quench our thirst.
18. Super Donut
We're sorry, but you haven't actually lived if you've never purchased a packaged baked good, a la these "Super Donuts." It's tough to admit, but yes, these were every bit delicious and we indulged in them fresh from our 7-11 one too many times before school.
19. Fruit Gushers
Gushers had the right idea! Just when you thought you were indulging in your traditional gummy candy, you got a gush of gooey jelly when you bit in. These came in a variety of flavors and we were here for all of them.
20. Minute Maid Juice Bars
In an attempt at a "healthier" approach to refreshing sweets, Minute Made released juice bars in grape, cherry and orange—and obviously everyone wanted the orange. While still packed with sugar, these were a nice reprieve from the gummies and hard candies that dominated the decade.
21. Fruit String Thing
While we can't call these are favorite snacks of the decade, they definitely kept us the busiest. By the time were done twirling them all over our fingers and any other place we could find space, were they even sanitary? Probably not, but we loved 'em anyway.
22. Chester's Fries Flamin' Hot
We still don't know where these went wrong. They had the Flamin' Hot vibe down. And they were freaking fries for crying out loud. A true recipe for success. But unlike its extremely successful Cheeto predecessor, these just didn't have the same staying power. But we were sure into them!
23. Baby Bottle Pop Candy
We never really understood the whole baby bottle aspect of this snack, but we were absolute suckers for the watermelon flavor (pictured above). While this pure sugar candy was no fun for our teachers, we were all for it.
24. Philadelphia Snack Bars
If you loved Philadelphia cream cheese (because duh), then you would have been all over these cheesecake bites because dang, they were good. We still try recreating these at home but nothing compares to the short-lived snack.
25. Slush Puppie
Slushies are still our everything to this day, so you better believe we slurped these bad boys down back in the day. And who can say no to the adorable pup mascot on the packaging?
26. Butterfinger BBs
We've always been loyal Butterfinger lovers, so naturally, we loved the miniature versions, too. We're not sure why mini spinoffs don't take off like their predecessors but once again, we get why you'd just want to indulge in the full size.
27. P.B. Crisps
And now we bring you the most underrated snack on the list. Justice for P.B. Crisps! Not only were they legit tasty, but unlike all of the purely sweet or purely savory options on this list, these had a little bit of both. We bet if these were brought back today, they'd have a successful resurgence.
28. Trix Fruit Snacks
Trix is one of the most popular cereals of all time, so when they were launched into a gummy snack form, you better believe they were all the rage. We're not sure why they didn't become more popular, but as you can see above, the gummy candy market in the '90s was quite oversaturated.
29. Doritos Flamin' Hot Nachos
As evidenced in this list as a whole, you can see that Flamin' Hot anything only works for Cheetos. We're disappointed these snacks didn't soar, but we're still here for them nonetheless.
30. Teddy Grahams
Ah, Teddy Grahams, another surefire '90s classic. Almost too cute to eat, these mini cookies were delicious and totally dip-able. A must for any pantry!
My, how far we've come. Click HERE for the most nutritious yet delicious items we've been snacking on this summer.