15 ’80s Lunchbox Snacks That Are No Longer Packed
Here's a throwback to the deliciously nostalgic snacks from the 1980s that you won’t find in lunchboxes today.
- Chris Graciano
- 3 min read
Snacks were at their peak in the 1980s. For children who carry their lunchboxes to school, this is particularly true. A generation was characterized by these pleasures. Their tastes and memories remain in our hearts even if many have disappeared.
1. PB Max
Polina Tankilevitch on Pexels
Packed with peanut butter, oats, and chocolate, PB Max was a short-lived powerhouse of flavor. Despite strong sales, it was pulled when Mars decided they didn’t like marketing peanut butter.
2. Keebler Pizzarias
Tima Miroshnichenko on Pexels
Crunchy chips that tasted like mini slices of pizza — what more could a kid want? Made from actual pizza dough, they had a zesty, addictive flavor.
3. Giggles Cookies
Pete on Wikimedia Commons
These sandwich cookies smiled back with gooey cream-filled grins. Their vanilla and chocolate combo, along with their fun faces, made snack time feel special.
4. Squeezit Drinks
Yan Krukau on Pexels
Plastic bottles filled with colorful, sugary liquid — just twist and squeeze! These fruity drinks were fun, messy, and totally ’80s.
5. Planters Cheez Balls
Liam Lyons on Pexels
These bright orange cheese puffs were impossible to eat without getting messy fingers. Their sharp, tangy flavor hit different compared to today’s snacks.
6. Shark Bites Fruit Snacks
ChildofMidnight on Wikimedia Commons
Shaped like tiny sharks, these chewy bites packed fruity flavor with a hint of danger. Everyone hunted for the elusive white shark gummy.
7. Hi-C Ecto Cooler
Only_Got_One on Flickr
Glowing green and branded with Slimer from Ghostbusters, this citrus drink was a cultural phenomenon. It was more than a juice box — it was a statement.
8. Hostess Choco-Bliss
Wikimedia Commons
Two layers of rich chocolate cake, creamy filling, and a fudge topping — it was indulgence in a wrapper. More decadent than most lunchbox sweets, it vanished in the ’90s.
9. Jell-O Pudding Pops
Chris Larkee on Flickr
Smooth, frozen pudding on a stick — what could go wrong? These chilly treats were beloved by millions and promoted by Bill Cosby at the time.
10. Nabisco Swiss Cheese Crackers
twitchery on Flickr
Shaped like Swiss cheese slices with holes, they had a sharp, salty bite. A more “grown-up” flavor for lunchboxes, but still addictively snackable.
11. Fruit Wrinkles
sweetfixNYC on Wikimedia Commons
Like a hybrid of raisins and fruit snacks, these chewy nuggets came in tiny boxes. Less sugary than other fruit treats, they felt oddly healthy.
12. Quackers Crackers
PxHere
Duck-shaped cheddar crackers with a satisfying crunch. They came in a bright yellow box and were a precursor to Goldfish’s popularity.
13. Oatmeal Swirlers
Liz Mochrie on Flickr
Pre-packaged oatmeal with a swirl of flavored goo you’d squeeze on top. Kids loved drawing shapes in their breakfast before mixing it up.
14. Teddy Grahams Dippers
AccurateZoomer on Wikimedia Commons
Tiny teddy bear cookies paired with a small tub of frosting for dipping. The perfect combination of sweet and crunchy, all packed in a single tray.
15. Dunkaroos (Original Recipe)
:kirsch: on Wikimedia Commons
Yes, they’re technically back — but it’s not the same. The original cookie-to-frosting ratio and that thick vanilla dip hit different. OG Dunkaroos ruled lunch tables across the country.