17 Things Families Bought Every Week in the 1970s That Disappeared

Throughout the 1970s, grocery runs became a significant part of family life. Carts were filled with items that helped facilitate lives centered around analog technology, print media, and family life that was otherwise mundane. From glass bottles of milk to TV guides in ink, instant cameras, newspapers, powdered drinks, and basic kitchen items, they defined family life. Some items remained relevant simply because technology had yet to catch up with them, and others remained relevant due to social habits that kept them embedded in family life. Over time, however, new innovations, changes in health consciousness, and emerging digital technologies slowly changed family life.

1. Glass Bottled Milk Delivered or Bought Weekly

In the 1970s, families received fresh milk in heavy glass bottles. The bottles came from local dairies that brought fresh supplies to the front door of every house every week. At dawn, a milk truck moved stealthily through the neighborhood as everyone slept. By breakfast, the fresh milk was on the front porch or chilled in the fridge. The fresh milk had a thick layer of cream that floated to the surface. Children recalled being asked to shake the milk before pouring it. The bottles had simple designs and caps made of foil or cardboard. The trip to the store was not complete without returning empty bottles to the dairy to be washed and refilled. The routine was complete.

2. TV Guide Magazine

In the 1970s, many families received a brand-new TV Guide every week. This tiny magazine was placed snugly alongside the check-out counters in local grocery stores, drugstores, and newspaper stands. Its minuscule pages presented the entire week’s TV schedule in tidy columns. Families used it to plan their TV viewing for the week. Mothers flipped through it while they planned their dinner or relaxed after work. Children looked for their favorite cartoons, Saturday morning shows, and special holiday broadcasts. On the front, they featured popular actors or beloved TV personalities, which gave each issue a certain degree of urgency and excitement. This TV Guide was usually placed next to the TV in the living room or on the coffee table.

3. Polaroid Instant Film Packs

In the 1970s, families always had instant film on hand for their Polaroid cameras, buying it every week, especially when birthdays, vacations, and holidays accumulated. People loved using Polaroid cameras because they produced images that appeared within minutes. Imagine a parent on a picnic, taking a picture, pulling out the film packet from the camera, and then gently waving it around with her hands. Kids would be around her, buzzing with excitement as the image developed. It was like magic. You would see film packs at the photo counter of most grocery stores, camera stores, and department stores, as families needed them quickly.

4. Daily Printed Newspapers

Families in the 1970s were avid newspaper readers, eagerly awaiting the printed copy every week, every day, or at least every morning. It was the primary source of keeping up with the day’s events, sports, local news, and major events happening around the country. At dawn, the day would start with a folded sheet of paper being dropped on the driveway with a soft, telltale thud, which many families would expect to hear as part of their morning routine. Parents would pick up the newspaper before breakfast, unfolding it on the kitchen table. The headlines would cover politics, world events, and local news, with sports keeping the teens and dads interested with scores from baseball, football, and basketball games.

5. Aluminum Ice Cube Trays

Long before the advent of auto-ice makers in refrigerators, people in the 1970s bought aluminum ice cube trays at the grocery store. These trays were not fancy at all. They were just plain metal rectangles with a long handle strapped across the top. You filled the little compartment in each tray with water, placed the tray straight into the freezer, and then waited. When the water in the compartment was frozen, a parent would grab the handle and yank it upwards, pulling the cubes of ice out of the metal grid in a snap that many people still remember. These cubes could ice anything: tea, soda, lemonade, whatever. Most homes had several trays in the freezer at all times because, in the heat, the ice cubes disappeared in short order.

6. Tang Powdered Drink Mix

Tang powdered drink mix was a popular item in many homes during the 1970s. Its bright orange powder came in chunky jars that promised a quick, zippy, citrusy drink when mixed with water. Tang powdered drink mix was popular because it was easy to make and inexpensive. With just one spoonful of Tang, a pitcher of water could be instantly transformed into a sweet, tasty drink that kids enjoy at breakfast or after school. Advertising campaigns promised that Tang powdered drink mix delivered the excitement of space-age adventures, recalling that astronauts had used Tang in their early missions into space. That association gave Tang powdered drink mix a modern and futuristic appeal to many families during the 1970s.

7. Carbon Paper for Making Copies

In the 1970s, it was not uncommon for families to include carbon paper in their weekly trips to the stationery shop or department stores. Prior to the advent of home photocopiers, carbon paper was the answer for those who wanted extra copies of important documents. It was made of thin material, almost like dark, waxy paper, and, if inserted between two sheets of paper, the writing on the first page would be duplicated on the second. It was used by many parents for duplicating receipts, letters, and other important documents, as well as small businesses and home offices, and many grocery stores carried it near the school supplies since many families used it for their own paperwork at home.

8. Instant Coffee Crystals

Instant coffee crystals entered the grocery scene in the 1970s and soon found their way into numerous kitchen cupboards. There was no need to wait for a pot of coffee to brew when one spoonful of the crystals, mixed with hot water, instantly produced a cup of coffee. Large companies, such as Nescafé and Maxwell House, offered their products in jars that soon found a home in numerous pantries and kitchen counters. Parents took advantage of the convenience during the chaotic mornings before heading to work. For many, the product became a staple on the grocery shopping list. The process remained simple and straightforward. Heat some water, grab the jar, and voilà! Instant coffee was ready in no time.

9. Disposable Flashbulbs for Cameras

Before electronic flashes were standard, families in the 1970s were accustomed to buying disposable flashbulbs for their cameras. The flashbulb was a small device that would flare brightly when a picture was taken, especially indoors or at night. The flashbulb was only good for one picture, and therefore, it was a regular item for people to buy. They were lined up in camera stores, drugstores, and department stores, just as rolls of film were. Parents bought flashbulbs for birthday parties, meals, and school events. Without the flashbulb, many indoor and nighttime photographs would have been too dim to take. The flashbulb was a simple device, but it was theatrical in its action.

10. Typewriter Correction Fluid

In the 1970s, families would drop by the office supply section of department stores or stationery stores and buy a bottle of typewriter correction fluid almost every week. Typewriters used to dominate the writing world. People used them to write letters, school reports, and business documents. There was a high probability that people made mistakes while typing. However, correction fluid solved all problems. It was a bottle that contained a thick white liquid. It was used to cover up spelling or typing mistakes that people made while typing. A small brush was attached to the cap of the bottle. It was used to apply the correction fluid to the typing or spelling error.

11. Weekly TV Dinner Trays

Frozen TV dinners have been a staple in many homes, especially in the 1970s, and have become a part of our weekly food routines. They came in aluminum containers that had separate sections for different kinds of food. There would be a section for the main course, one for the vegetables, and another for a sweet treat. Brands like Swanson and Banquet have become household names, especially during the 1970s, because they made our dinners easy and convenient. All parents had to do was put the TV dinner in the oven, and in no time, the meal would be ready. TV dinners have become iconic, especially in the history of television, because most people had their TV dinners while in front of the TV.

12. Encyclopedia Yearbook Updates

Going back to the 1970s, large families used to purchase and store complete encyclopedia sets that took up entire shelves in living rooms or home offices. These were one of the primary sources of knowledge in the pre-Internet era. Every year, special yearbook editions were published that brought updates to the information in the encyclopedia with new information. These were usually purchased by families during regular shopping trips or through mail-order subscriptions. The yearbook editions distilled the headlines from the previous year.

13. Phone Message Notepads

In the 1970s, it was common for people to receive small notepads for phone messages as they made their weekly trips to the grocery store. The notepads were used in addition to the landline phone, which was placed beside them, most often on a table in the hallway or on the kitchen counter. The notepads were used to pass along a message if someone else was expected to answer the phone, since answering machines were not as popular at the time. The notepads had slots for the name, phone number, and message, which were printed at the top. If someone called, answering the phone, the person would quickly grab the notepad and fill out the information. The notepads were an integral part of home life, a small thread of daily communication.

14. Film Developing Envelopes and Processing Orders

In the 1970s, many people developed their own films. They would drop the film at the photo counter to have it developed. Once the film had been used, the roll would slide into a paper envelope that came with the service. There were various places where one could have their films developed, including drugstores, supermarkets, and camera shops. Once the film had been used, a form inside the envelope required filling in basic information, including their name and address, to have the photos delivered to the relevant people. After submitting the film, one would wait a few days to receive their photos. Once the envelope arrived with the photos, there would be some excitement.

15. Cigarette Cartons for Household Stock

In the 1970s, cigarette cartons were a common feature in many people’s shopping baskets. The prevalence of smoking was higher in households in those days, and cigarette cartons were kept in stores behind the counter. Adults used to purchase cigarette cartons in bulk during their weekly shopping trips to ensure the household did not run out. Marlboro, Camel, and Winston were very popular cigarette brands, and their names were easily recognizable. The cigarette cartons contained multiple packets of cigarettes, and it was easy for regular smokers to maintain their stock levels. In many households, cigarette packets were kept on coffee tables and counters with ashtrays beside them.

16. Blank Audio Cassette Tapes

In the late 1970s, it was common for families to obtain blank audio cassette tapes as they went to electronics stores, drugstores, or department stores once a week. Audio cassette tapes allowed people to record songs directly from the radio or from records. Teenagers loved making their own music compilations, waiting for their favorite songs to come on the radio. The device used for this process was a tape recorder, and people tried to avoid catching the announcer talking as he began to record the song. The audio cassette tapes at home were used for many purposes, such as music, voice recordings, and even home interviews. Parents left messages for their kids while they were out.

17. Weekly Print Movie Rental Flyers

In the 1970s, families would often collect printed catalogs or promotional flyers from local video rental stores. These stores sold reels and projectors for home movie viewing. These reels and projectors gave people a chance to watch movies at home even before video cassette stores became popular. These promotional flyers would contain information on what movies were available for viewing. They could also contain order forms for renting movies. Families would collect these from their weekly runs to check which new movies they could rent. Parents and their children would look through these together and decide on their weekend entertainment. These could contain cartoons, comedy films, or even educational movies.

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