15 Discontinued Breakfast Foods from the ’80s You Can’t Find Now

Breakfast in the 1980s looked very different from what fills store shelves today, full of color, sugar, and creativity aimed at kids and busy families. Many of the cereals, toaster items, and novelty foods from that era have completely vanished. Changing nutritional standards, shifting tastes, and corporate mergers all contributed to their disappearance. These discontinued breakfast foods left behind nostalgia and fond memories that still stir cravings decades later.

1. Smurf Berry Crunch Cereal

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Based on the popular cartoon, this cereal featured berry-flavored, colorful puffs meant to represent the Smurfs’ whimsical world. Kids were drawn to the bright box and sweet taste. It quickly became a hit in the early ’80s. Despite its popularity, it was discontinued after a few years when the cartoon’s popularity faded. Collectors still trade unopened boxes online as memorabilia.

2. Eggo French Toast Waffles

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These were a twist on traditional Eggo waffles, shaped and flavored to taste like classic French toast. They had a cinnamon sweetness and slightly crisp texture after toasting. Meant to offer more variety in the freezer aisle, they quickly gained a fan base. Over time, sales dipped as newer Eggo varieties emerged. Kellogg’s phased them out in favor of simpler options.

3. Pac-Man Cereal

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Capitalizing on the arcade game’s massive popularity, Pac-Man Cereal had marshmallow shapes modeled after the characters. The base cereal pieces were corn puffs with a slight honey flavor. It was a sugary and fun breakfast that connected food with pop culture. As Pac-Man mania waned, so did the cereal’s appeal. General Mills discontinued it by the late 1980s.

4. Morning Funnies Cereal

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This cereal box doubled as entertainment, with Sunday comic strips printed directly on the front. The cereal itself was fruit-flavored and shaped like smiling faces. It was fun, colorful, and clearly aimed at young kids. Unfortunately, the taste and texture didn’t match the strong branding. It disappeared quietly within a few short years.

5. Oatmeal Swirlers

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This was instant oatmeal packaged with flavored syrup you could squeeze and swirl on top. Flavors like strawberry, apple-cinnamon, and maple gave kids a way to play with their breakfast. It encouraged creativity and self-serving fun at the table. The idea was clever, but it lost out to simpler, less messy oatmeal options. It hasn’t returned to store shelves since the early ’90s.

6. Dunkin’ Donuts Cereal

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Made to mimic the taste of Dunkin’ coffee and donuts, this cereal came in flavors such as glazed and chocolate. It targeted both kids and adults looking for a sweet morning treat. The novelty wore off quickly, and it failed to compete with more established brands. Its sugary profile also clashed with rising health concerns. It was gone by the end of the decade.

7. Pop-Tarts Dutch Apple Flavor

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This Pop-Tart variety offered a rich apple filling with a hint of cinnamon and a frosted top. It was warmly spiced and had a pie-like taste when toasted. Fans loved its cozy flavor, especially during fall. Over time, demand fell as newer, bolder flavors took over. Kellogg’s retired it quietly with little fanfare.

8. Ice Cream Cones Cereal

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Created by General Mills, this cereal resembled mini ice cream cones with sweet puffs acting as the scoops. It came in flavors like vanilla and chocolate chip. Designed to feel like dessert for breakfast, it was overly sweet even by ’80s standards. Many parents objected to its sugar content. It was pulled from stores not long after its release.

9. Apple Raisin Crisp Cereal

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This cereal offered a blend of whole grains, raisins, and apple bits, giving it a more adult-leaning flavor. It aimed to be both nutritious and satisfying. Despite a loyal following, it never reached widespread popularity. Competing cereals with stronger branding edged it out. It slowly disappeared in the early ’90s.

10. Pudding Roll-Ups

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Though not a traditional breakfast item, these sweet, pudding-filled fruit roll-ups often found their way into kids’ morning routines. They were easy to grab and packed in lunchboxes or eaten on the way to school. The texture was creamy with a chewy outer layer. Ultimately, the product confused consumers and never built a strong market. It was discontinued shortly after launch.

11. Fruit Brute Cereal

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Part of General Mills’ Monster Cereal line, Fruit Brute featured fruity flavors and a werewolf mascot. It included marshmallows and crunchy pieces, much like its sibling cereals Count Chocula and Franken Berry. Despite being part of a beloved family of cereals, it never sold as well. It was discontinued in the mid-1980s but was briefly brought back years later for Halloween promotions. Still, it has never reclaimed a permanent place on shelves.

12. Toaster Eggs by Pillsbury

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This frozen breakfast item contained scrambled eggs and cheese inside a pastry shell. Meant to be microwaved or toasted, it offered a quick savory option. It competed with items like breakfast burritos and toaster strudels. The texture often turned rubbery, and reviews were mixed. Pillsbury pulled the product after limited success.

13. Banana Frosted Flakes

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A spin on the classic Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes, this version was coated with a hint of banana flavoring. It offered a tropical twist on an already sweet cereal. Fans either loved or disliked the artificial banana taste. It failed to gain enough traction and quietly disappeared. The original version remained the fan favorite.

14. Quaker Quisp Cereal (discontinued at points)

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Quisp was a quirky, alien-themed cereal with a light, crunchy texture and mild sweetness. It was popular in the ’70s and ’80s but faced several discontinuities over time. Though technically revived in limited form later, its mass availability is long gone. Quaker focused its efforts on more modern products. You won’t find it on most grocery store shelves today.

15. Carnation Breakfast Bars

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Marketed as a full breakfast in bar form, these chewy, vitamin-packed bars were ideal for busy mornings. Flavors included peanut butter, chocolate chip, and granola. They were meant to be nutritious and convenient. As breakfast bar competition exploded in the ’90s, Carnation’s original version lost relevance. They were eventually discontinued despite strong branding.

• Tags:
• breakfast
• cereal
• retro foods
• Discontinued
• 1980s