10 Forgotten Store-Bought Snack Brands Every Boomer Remembers

The 1960s and '70s were a golden age for snack lovers. Convenience foods filled grocery store shelves, and colorfully-packaged sweet and salty treats were a staple of everyday life. Many boomers will fondly remember the joy of opening up their lunchbox to discover their favorite snack inside, or raiding the pantry for candy bars, chips, or sugary cereals after school. These were the foods that helped define a generation's childhood, and while many of these iconic products are still going strong, some have sadly since been discontinued.

Today we're dialling up the nostalgia and paying homage to some of the most memorable food brands from decades past. Countless snacks that once proudly lined supermarket aisles are now nothing more than a distant memory. From forgotten chocolatey treats to creamy cakes, these picks offer heaps of retro appeal, so let's revisit some of the most popular snack food products of the boomer era that have now all but vanished from the shelves.

Potato chips have long been a staple of the snack section, and one of the most memorable products from the 1970s is Mrs. Bumby's. These chips were manufactured by General Mills and marketed as an elevated take on the classic salted snack. They were thin and irresistibly crunchy, with just the right amount of salt, and a crowd-pleasing taste that made them a hit amongst kids and adults alike.

The first selling point was the product's use of russet potatoes, which were touted for their great flavor. Then, there was the packaging. Mrs. Bumby's potato chips didn't come in the usual flimsy bag, but rather stacked in a foil sleeve, that was then packaged inside a tall cardboard tube. Adverts proudly claimed that the product tasted "better than chips in a bag," and this novel approach also encouraged customers to empty the chips out into a bowl, making the snack ideal for entertaining. Another version saw the chips sold in a rather impractical round, tubular container — likely another attempt to stand out in the shelves.

Sadly, Mrs. Bumby's Potato Chips were only around for a few years before later being discontinued. Thankfully, there are a wide array of potato chip products to choose from in stores today, available in just about every flavor, shape, and size you could imagine.

Neilson's Malted Milk was a moreish combination of nougat, caramel, and chocolate, sold in the form of a convenient snack bar. It was the ultimate grab-and-go treat, being chewy, creamy, and delightfully sweet, with a distinctly malty flavor. First launched in the 1940s, this snack was a hit throughout the mid-century and beyond. The Malted Milk bar was especially popular in Canada (the home of the Neilson's brand), where it featured in corner shops up and down the country. Fans may also remember other discontinued products from the Neilson's range, such as the smooth, chocolatey Jersey Milk bar, and the famous Four Flavours, which packed four distinct creamy fillings into one bar.

When Neilson's was bought by Cadbury in the 1990s, a new version of the Malted Milk hit the shelves. However, this wasn't around for long. The revamped bar failed to win over longtime fans, and shortly after, it was discontinued for good. While nothing will ever quite compare to the original Malted Milk, many claim that the closest match amongst modern day snacks is the 3 Musketeers Bar, which features a similarly chewy center and milk chocolate coating.

Crispy, chewy, and smothered in milk chocolate, the Caravelle bar was arguably one of Peter Paul's biggest triumphs. This snack saw crisped rice mixed with soft, gooey caramel, and finished with a layer of chocolate, resulting in a treat that was both light and indulgent. 

After its launch in 1965, Caravelle fast became a fan-favorite. However, the snack failed to survive beyond the 1970s, with production coming to an end after Peter Paul merged with Cadbury in 1978. The exact reason for its disappearance was unclear, but rumors have suggested issues with the candy's shelf life, which potentially made it tricky to keep on store shelves. Other sources claim that the rising cost of one of the key ingredients (ground Brazil nuts) made the bar less profitable to produce.

Caravelle's once-loyal following is still evident today, and many nostalgic candy lovers speak highly of the discontinued bar online. In a discussion on the retro forum In the 70s, one former fans describes Caravelle as "beyond the best tasting candy bar in the world," while countless others chimed in to call it an all-time favorite. If you're after something similar, give Nestlé's 100 Grand Bar a try, which many agree comes closest to recreating Caravelle's signature mix of crunchy, sweetness, and chewiness.

A former icon of the British confectionary scene, Caramac was a snack-sized bar with a creamy, caramel-like taste. It was made with milk-based ingredients, rather than cocoa butter, so couldn't technically be classed as chocolate, but its caramelized flavor was similar to that of blonde chocolate.

If you were born in the '90s, you might be more familiar with Nestlé's version of the Caramac bar. However, this sweet, golden treat was originally made by Mackintosh's (which then became Rowntrees Mackintosh, who were later acquired by Nestle). Caramac was first released in 1959, and this bar had a pretty impressive run. It sat proudly on U.K. supermarket shelves for over 60 years and survived multiple rebrands, but Nestlé's version was the last to grace the shelves. The bar was finally axed in 2023, much to the dismay of loyal devotees.

According to Nestlé, Caramac sales had been declining in the lead up to the axing, but the bar's discontinuation still came as a huge shock to fans. An online petition to save the bar was even created, which racked up a whopping 30,000 signatures. While Caramac is no longer available, Blonde chocolate products still remain popular in the U.K. Alternatives to the original Caramac include Cadbury's Caramilk, and supermarket versions such as the M&S Golden Blond Chocolate bar.

The fantastically retro Space Food Sticks were developed by Pillsbury in the 1960s, in honor of the Apollo space missions. Marketed as a nutritionally balanced, high-energy snack, the sticks had a dense, chewy texture and came in various flavors, including caramel, chocolate, and peanut butter. Originally produced in the U.S., Space Food Sticks also made it to Australia in the '70s, where they remained popular for decades to come. Eventually, the "Space" was dropped, and the snacks were sold simply as Food Sticks for many years, before vanishing from shelves in 2014.

Space Food Sticks certainly divided opinion. While many boomers remember that distinctive chew with fondness, others describe the sticks as tasting artificial, bland, or sickly. The nutritional claims were also somewhat questionable, since the snacks consisted mostly of vegetable shortening and sugar — two ingredients not exactly associated with healthy eating. A modified version of this product did, however, actually make it into space. During the 1973 Skylab 3 mission, Space Food Sticks served as a convenient, shelf-stable, and lightweight energy source for the three astronauts on board.

Years after their discontinuation, these snacks are still sparking nostalgia. In fact, some fans have even shared copycat recipes online, which aim to replicate that unique taste and texture with ingredients like peanut butter, honey, powdered milk, and gelatin.

Kraft's Jell-O still reigns supreme on the gelatin dessert scene today, but one of the brand's now-discontinued products is especially memorable for boomers. Jell-O 1-2-3 was a self-layering dessert with a super simple prep method. Once the fruit-flavored powdered mix had been blended with water, poured into glasses, and chilled, it separated into three distinct layers: one fluffy, one creamy, and one with that classic jiggly Jell-O consistency. It was a treat that felt decidedly fancy, despite taking minutes to mix up.

This product first entered the market in 1969. It came in multiple flavors, including strawberry, orange, and lime, and was loved for its sweet, fruity taste and colorful appearance. It remained a favorite well into the 1980s, when sales allegedly began to decline. After a slow phase out, Jell-O 1-2-3 was officially discontinued in 1996, leaving many longtime fans disheartened. 

Those who grew up with this dessert distinctly remember the novelty of watching the mixture magically separate into layers. In a nostalgic Reddit discussion, one user wrote, "Who else checked the refrigerator every three minutes to watch the layers form?" while another added, "That stuff was food of the gods!" Many feel that Jell-O 1-2-3 still deserves a place on grocery store shelves today, and a third commenter summed up this sentiment perfectly, simply stating, "I'll never forgive them for discontinuing that." 

The famous Carnation brand, now owned by Nestlé, is the manufacturer of countless pantry staples. Evaporated milk, hot chocolate mix, and sweet dessert sauces all feature in its current product lineup, but back in the day, one of Carnation's best-known offerings was its breakfast bars. Launched in 1975, the bars consisted of crunchy granola, which was enrobed in a layer of smooth chocolate. There were various flavors to choose from, such as peanut butter, chocolate chip, and raisin, and all served as convenient, grab-and-go snacks that would leave you feeling fuelled while also satisfying sweet cravings.

After nearly three decades of production, Carnation breakfast bars were discontinued in early '90s. There were multiple attempts to revive the snack, including a 2014 relaunch under the name "Carnation Breakfast Essentials Nutrition Bar." However, many customers felt the updated snack's flavor and texture missed the mark. By 2020, the bars were gone for good.

Fans still miss the sweet crunch of the original bar, with comments from nostalgic Redditors confirming the hype. One user recalled, "I used to sneak these as snacks after school because I loved them so much. I wish they'd bring them back!" There's even a Facebook group dedicated to Carnation breakfast bars, where devoted snackers reminisce over the discontinued product, and share potential modern-day dupes for the original version.

The cereal aisle has always been packed with bold branding and kid-approved mascots, and Quaker's Quisp certainly delivered on both of these fronts. In 1965, Quisp was released alongside Quake, a similarly sweet, crunchy, corn-based cereal. The former was represented by rather endearing pink Alien with a propeller on his head, while Quake's character was more of a traditional superhero, complete with a cape, square jaw, and muscular build. Adverts for the two products saw the characters competing for breakfast supremacy. The idea was to get kids to pick a side for themselves, and this marketing ploy clearly worked.

Quisp flew off the shelves for over a decade, and it was a staple for many kids of the era. "I'm pretty sure Quisp nourished much of my childhood years," one Facebook user fondly reminisced. Others speak of Quisp's similarity to Quaker's ever-popular Cap'n Crunch cereal, though many insist the alien-themed favorite had a lighter, more pleasant texture.

Some time in the '80s, Quaker changed its approach. Quisp sales moved online, and in-store availability became less reliable. The cereal popped up here and there for decades to come, but in 2024, Quisp was fully discontinued. The original cereal boxes, along with all kinds of Quisp-themed merchandise, have since become something of a collector's item, with vintage memorabilia frequently appearing for sale on eBay.

Crispy, salty snacks inspired by the the rich, savory flavors of classic pizza toppings. It sounds like a winning formula, right? General Mills' Pizza Spins understandably earned themselves a loyal following during their short stint on the snack market. Available from 1968 to 1975, the pinwheel-shaped bites offered notes of Parmesan cheese, tomatoes, pizza spices, and pepper. And, according to boomers, they really did taste just like pizza.

It's unclear exactly why the product met its end so soon. Those lucky enough to catch this snack in its brief sales window still remember that moreish crunch, as demonstrated by countless posts on Facebook and Reddit. "These were really good, they'd make you lick your fingers.", said one fan, while another simply wrote, "Man I miss those things". There's also a "We miss Pizza Spins!" Facebook Group, filled with nostalgic chat around the long-gone product, and reviews of similar products on the market today.

Banana Flips, made by Nickles, were a true standout of the mid-century snack scene. These taco-shaped cakes were tender, fluffy, and loaded with a creamy, banana-flavored filling. They felt more like a decadent dessert than a simple snack, but this only heightened their appeal. Banana Flips were a favorite for many, often enjoyed as an indulgent treat after school or dinner.

The Banana Flip's impressive lifespan is a testament to its crowd-pleasing taste. Sold from 1949 to 2010, it's one of the longest-running snacks in this lineup. At some point, demand must have dwindled, but Boomers, Gen Xers, and Millennials alike still have plenty of love for this sweet treat. Forums are filled with posts from people asking where they can still find Banana Flips, but sadly, a relaunch doesn't seem to be on the cards.

If you still crave that sweet banana taste, you could always have a go at baking your own Nickle's-style cakes. Just prep some banana-flavored boxed cake mix, then blend mashed banana into a batch of cream cheese frosting, before sandwiching together the sponge and filling. Hostess' banana-flavored Twinkies may also offer a similar eating experience, combining soft sponge cake with a rich banana filling.