10 Classic Foods Boomers Loved That Are Way Less Popular Now

When you think of trends and fashion, you probably immediately think of clothing or home interiors. But food can be trendy, too. In 2025, for example, matcha-everything has been all the rage. It's also been hard to avoid pickle-flavored snacks and Dubai chocolate.

Many years ago, the baby boomers had their own food trends, too. When they were growing up in the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s, many members of this generation loved Jell-O salads, for example, or adding powdered milk to their coffee. Others couldn't get enough of liverwurst sandwiches, canned Vienna sausages, or deviled ham, while some are still hoping that Campbell's tripe soup or spiced apple rings will make a return.

Of course, things have changed since then — when did you last eat Lime Jell-O with shredded carrot? But here, we're giving space to some of the classic foods boomers couldn't get enough of that are significantly less popular today.

Lime Jell-O hit the market in the 1930s, just as the parents and grandparents of many boomers were heading into the Great Depression. This particular flavor was a favorite for salad dishes, as it was a little sweet, and the consistency would help many families stretch ingredients further at a time when food was scarce. But Jell-O sales didn't decline with the end of the Great Depression and then the subsequent Second World War. If anything, Lime Jell-O was more popular than ever by the time the 1950s rolled around.

Many boomers remember eating Lime Jell-O (or other flavors of it) with ingredients like shredded carrots, shredded cabbage, pineapple, and even cottage cheese when they were growing up. While the idea might sound odd to us now, as Jell-O salads have firmly fallen out of favor, lots of people who were children during this time remember Lime Jell-O and the many salad recipes it accompanied with fondness. Plenty of people don't, of course, and are scarred by the memories, but some even crave it now. "That stuff rules," said one Redditor. "I'd eat like jello with cottage cheese inside right now. I say bring it back."

How do you like your milk? From a cow? From oats? Maybe a macadamia nut? How about in dried, powdered form? We'll take a guess; it's probably a no to that last one. Milk powder sales have worsened in 2025, but this product hasn't been popular for a long time. As you would expect, the modern market is miniature in comparison to the wider dairy industry.

However, some boomers remember being given powdered milk quite a lot as children. Of course, this product had its critics. One Reddit user referred to it as "godawful crap," for example. Others, however, had a higher opinion of the stuff, which, as you may have already deduced, is dried milk in a fine powder form. Another Redditor called it "perfectly acceptable" when it was combined with water in the right ratio. Some even still use powdered milk, as it's easier to store and eliminates the need for a refrigerator.

Tootsie Rolls, a simple, individually-wrapped chewy chocolate-flavored candy, were first sold at the very beginning of the 20th century. People liked them because they were affordable and wouldn't turn sticky, even during the hotter months. Their popularity held strong throughout the first half of the 20th century, eventually becoming a favorite treat for many boomer children.

Tootsie Rolls are still around (in the original chocolate flavor, as well as vanilla, fruity, and sour versions), but they're not quite as popular as they once were. At the end of 2024, Tootsie Roll Industries reported declining sales. Things were a little more positive at the end of 2025, as U.S. sales started to increase slightly, but international sales kept falling. According to 2025 data from YouGov, if American consumers are craving candy today, the top five brands they're likely to reach for are Peanut M&M's, gummy bears, Godiva chocolate, Jolly Ranchers, and Mentos.

In 2024, Boar's Head announced it would no longer be producing liverwurst, which is, basically, a soft sausage made with liver. The move was spurred on by a deadly listeria outbreak, but also the fact that the demand just isn't really there anymore. Liver, in general, hasn't been popular in the U.S. for decades. 

But many boomers will likely miss Boar's Head's liverwurst. Plenty still openly admit to enjoying the processed sandwich meat, and some say they still eat it now for nostalgic reasons. Interestingly, many of the same people who say they used to enjoy liverwurst also claim to hate liver. That's likely a texture thing, as liverwurst has been processed into a sausage. It's also probably got something to do with ingredients, as liverwurst contains a combination of spices and flavorings, too.

Despite Boar's Head's decision to end production, it is still possible to buy liverwurst. Some boomers choose to purchase it from local delicatessens when the craving hits.

During the holidays, many boomers would feast on many of the same things that lots of people do today. Roast turkey, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes — these were all still classic dishes of the holiday table. But not everything was the same.

Some boomers remember eating spiced apple rings, for example, which would be bright red, seasoned with cinnamon, and packaged in a can or a jar. Some families would buy them from the store, but others would rely on family members making a homemade version and bringing it as their potluck dish. They weren't too healthy, as they were often loaded with sugar and red food coloring or Red Hot candy, but they were still beloved nonetheless. "Horrible for you, but tasty," declared one Redditor.

It's not that easy to find bright red spiced apple rings in the stores today, but if the craving takes you, you can make them at home. You just need apples (of course), as well as sugar, and Red Hot candy.

Campbell's has many soup options on the shelves today. From cream of mushroom to chicken to broccoli cheese to butternut squash and sweet potato, there is so much variety, you'd think there is something for everyone. But some are still mourning the loss of Campbell's Pepper Pot Soup, a canned soup that was introduced in 1899 and discontinued in 2010 due to a decline in demand. Many boomers miss it so much, they would buy a whole case of it tomorrow if it were available. Some have even jokingly threatened to go into Campbell's main office in a bid to convince them to bring it back again.

It's not clear why Campbell's Pepper Pot Soup was discontinued beyond low demand, but its key ingredient — beef tripe — might not have been too appetizing for more modern palates. Yep, this sorely missed soup was made with a mix of potatoes, onions, carrots, red pepper flakes, jalapeño peppers, and an animal's stomach.

Most people have heard of deviled eggs, which are basically just boiled eggs mixed with ingredients like mayonnaise, mustard, and spices. But what about deviled ham? This canned meat used to be popular in the 1960s when many boomers were children, and it's basically just minced ham that has been mixed with spices. It's a kind of ham salad, only it's mayonnaise-free.

Underwood was one popular deviled ham brand (it's still going today), and it used to run lots of print advertisements encouraging people to use its canned product in their sandwiches. Usually, the ads would feature a man in a devil costume, of course.

Plenty remember doing exactly what they were told, and slathering up some bread with canned Underwood deviled ham when they were in need of a snack. Some paired it with mayonnaise and sweet relish, others with mustard, and some even used it to prepare deviled eggs.

Cheese is one of those foods that most people agree is timeless. Some people love classic dairy, others are into their artisanal plant cheeses, and plenty will take it however it comes, as long as it's on a pizza. Head cheese, though? This arguably shouldn't have the word cheese in the name, because it's nothing like the others. In fact, head cheese isn't even cheese at all. It's scraps from a pig's head. Nope, there is no gooey mozzarella pull or melted creamy cheddar here. It's made of things like cheeks, ears, snout, and tongue.

Head cheese isn't really eaten widely in the U.S. anymore. In America, if you fancy pork, you're more likely to opt for something like chops, ribs, or tenderloin. But head cheese does have its fans. Many boomers who ate it as children when it was cooked for them by their parents or grandparents still reminisce about it today. And arguably, head cheese is actually more sustainable than many other meats, because it uses up the parts that would otherwise become food waste.

Vienna sausages have been canned and sold across the U.S. for decades. In fact, they were first produced in 1903, and they remained pretty popular for a long time after. Don't get it twisted, though. These are not traditional Viennese sausages from Austria; they're small, chubby, processed sausages made with a mix of different meats like pork, beef, and chicken.

Canned Vienna sausages are still around, but they're not as popular as they used to be and are still on the decline. According to data from Tastewise, conversations about the canned processed sausages have decreased by more than 14% year on year. Many boomers loved them as children, but then grew out of them as they got older. Others, however, still stand by their cans of little sausages. Some treat themselves to a can once a year, while others buy them all the time and eat them slathered in hot sauce or cut them up and eat them with crackers and mustard.

When it comes to the holiday season, most of us look forward to all the desserts we're going to stuff our faces with. Sweet treats like apple pie, pecan pie, and chocolate chip cookies are usually high up on the list. One treat that is not usually a priority over the holiday period, though, is fruitcake. In fact, this traditional holiday cake, made with candied fruit, is a bit of a joke to most people.

But some boomers remember fruitcake with fondness. Many say that the homemade versions are the best, especially when they're soaked in brandy for months and loaded up with fruit, nuts, and spices. These are closely followed by the kind you can buy from a bakery, with the store-bought versions being generally considered among the worst. Plenty have expressed hope that this classic holiday dessert will become popular again. "It kinda sucks how we as a society have started switching to sugar and sweet over spice and layered flavor," said one Redditor.