20 Grocery Store Items From the 1960s You Can’t Find Today

The 1960s-era food store was like a living, breathing example of innovation, scientific hubris, and change. Products included frozen pies, canned pasta, fizzy drink tablets, diet drinks, canned meats, and box meals that promised to deliver speed and modern living. These products were a reflection of a society that was living and breathing a culture of progress, space exploration, and ease of living. Yet, as health standards, taste, packaging, and competition changed, these products gradually disappeared from the scene. These products were a reflection of a moment in time when supermarkets were a symbol of progress and innovation, yet time moved silently by, bringing new trends and new favorites.

1. Bird’s Eye Frozen Chicken and Veal Pies

The 1960s were a time when the frozen food section was filled with brightly colored boxes of frozen chicken and veal pies from Bird’s Eye, neatly arranged on the shelves alongside fish sticks and peas. Families depended on these pies for quick meals after a hard day’s work, with the pastry browning nicely to a warm golden color and the creamy sauce simmering with small pieces of meat and vegetables. The veal pies were once a staple, but they gradually disappeared from the frozen food shelves as consumer demand changed and the cost of producing them increased. The brightly colored packaging was a symbol of a hopeful 1960s lifestyle, a time when frozen food was the latest innovation. Today, the particular variety of pie is no longer available, only remembered by those who placed the pies in the oven.

2. Libby’s Pineapple Cheese Spread

Remember the glass containers of Libby’s Pineapple Cheese Spread that used to fill the grocery shelves? The colorful containers promised a sweet and savory surprise inside, and the cheese spread itself, a creamy mixture of processed cheese and crushed pineapple, was a staple in many a party platter, spread over crackers or white bread, and served with a touch of the exotic and daring. People would buy it to serve to their house guests, seeking to give their dishes a little something different. But as food flavors and tastes have come to shift towards more pungent cheeses and fresher tastes, the sweet cheese mixture seems to have disappeared from the shelves, a relic of a bygone era of experimentation in food products.

3. Kellogg’s Concentrate Cereal

Kellogg’s Concentrate Cereal was a real nutritional powerhouse, packaged in a bold red box that was sure to catch the consumer’s eye on the cereal shelf. It claimed to provide the body with much-needed vitamins and minerals in a single bowl. It was a hearty cereal, designed to feed a hungry family. The nutritional benefits were a welcome addition for parents who were a product of a decade focused on progress. But the cereal’s strong taste and texture were not enough to keep it on the shelves. It faded into obscurity. Today, it is a nostalgic relic of the 1960s.

4. Borden’s Instant Dutch Chocolate Drink Mix

Borden’s Instant Dutch Chocolate Drink Mix was a drink mix that claimed to have the rich taste of chocolate without the waiting period. Consumers of the product simply had to dip the drink mix into cold milk, stir, and watch as the chocolate drink formed. The product was accompanied by vibrant graphics, a feature of the period that was characterized by optimism. Children demanded the product after returning from school, and adults appreciated the product for the convenience it provided. Although the product was not alone in the market, it eventually phased out of the market due to changes in the brand and market competition.

5. Nabisco Ideal Chocolate Sandwich Cookies

Nabisco Ideal Chocolate Sandwich Cookies were another product that was present among other well-known products. It was not too different from the other products; rather, it was a variation. The cookies were crunchy on the outside and had a sweeter taste inside than other competing products. Families would include these cookies in the lunchbox and serve them with a tall glass of milk. Over the course of time, strong brands were emerging with stronger brand identities, and the cookies gradually disappeared from the market with other bestselling brands.

6. Hunt’s Snack Pack in Metal Cans

Prior to the popularization of plastic cups for pudding desserts, Hunt’s Snack Pack came in small cans with pull tabs. These were commonly picked up in grocery carts to satisfy dessert cravings or to be used as convenient lunches. Chocolate and vanilla were the two flavors that were consumed the most. When one wanted to eat from these containers, one had to be careful not to cut themselves on the edges of the metal. Over time, advances in packaging led to the use of plastic containers instead of metal ones. While this product is no longer on the shelves, it is a nostalgic memory of a simpler time that was also more dangerous.

7. Fizzies Drink Tablets

Fizzies Drink Tablets were once part of the lineup of powdered drink mixes and soda mixes, promising instant fun in a single tablet form. Consumers would add the colorful drink tablets to a glass of water, watching them fizz and create colorful, sugary drinks. Kids loved the fizzing, turning plain old water into a magical drink. Fizzies came in a variety of flavors, such as grape and cherry, all wrapped up in shiny foil wrappers. Over the years, questions about certain sweeteners and food additives have surrounded the product, leading Fizzies to fade away from the grocery store shelves. Fizzies have become a sparkling memory of a decade that promised fun in every drink.

8. Clapp’s Strained Meats for Babies

Clapp’s Strained Meats for Babies filled supermarket baby food shelves with small glass jars containing pureed beef, lamb, and liver. Parents relied on the protein-rich mixture to ensure their babies developed strong and healthy. Over time, the smooth texture made feeding their infants easy. Parents trusted Clapp’s to provide nutrition and reliability. The 1960s offered parents great advances in baby care. Parents no longer had to worry about feeding their infants. Over the years, recommendations on baby food changed. Parents no longer needed Clapp’s Strained Meats for their infants. Competitors focused on fruit, vegetables, and mixed dinners. Clapp’s Strained Meats for Babies disappeared from the shelves.

9. Gaines-Burgers Canned Dog Food Patties

Gaines-Burgers Canned Dog Food Patties resembled small hamburgers inside a metallic container, which is a common sight for shoppers at a local grocery store. The product exudes a human-like quality with its design intent on replicating a backyard barbecue. However, with the rise of dry and semi-moist dog food products, the need for canned patties was no longer relevant. The company adapted its products into other forms, and the original product faded into obscurity. Today, the product is a nostalgic example of the ingenuity of the 1960s marketing industry in the midst of a typical grocery store.

10. Franco-American Macaroni with Beef Gravy

Franco-American Macaroni and Beef Gravy was once a common sight on supermarket shelves. Its tall, recognizable cans were a common feature of many grocery stores. People relied on it for a quick and cheap meal that only required cooking. The macaroni was smothered in thick brown gravy and small pieces of beef. This was a comforting meal. This particular product was no longer found on shelves due to changing consumer preferences and the proliferation of other box meals. This type of product had simply disappeared into the past. It was a common feature of many grocery stores in the 1960s.

11. Morton Frozen Honey Buns

Morton Frozen Honey Buns were nestled in the freezers near the pot pies and fruit desserts. People took these home to bake and enjoyed the aroma that these created in their homes. These buns fluffed up slightly in the oven to give a nice texture that was fresh, even though they were initially frozen. People enjoyed these in the mornings or in the evenings with their cups of coffee. Over time, as the bakeries in the grocery stores expanded, the sales of frozen pastries declined, and this product slowly faded away from the shelves. Today, it serves as a symbol of the beginning of frozen convenience foods.

12. Pillsbury Space Food Sticks

During the height of the space race, Pillsbury Space Food Sticks entered the consumer imagination as a futuristic snack. Designed to evoke the sense of energy and discovery associated with space travel, these sticks represented the zest of an astronaut’s adventure. Individually wrapped and convenient to store in a lunchbox, the sticks offered a sweet and slightly dense taste, similar to cookie dough. As families purchased these sticks, they achieved a sense of association with the progress of science. As the novelty of the product wore off and snack food evolved, the original formula of the product was removed from store shelves. Today, they exist in the consumer imagination as a nostalgic reminder of the space race.

13. Sego Liquid Diet Drink

Sego Liquid Diet Drink was once proudly positioned in health and beverage sections in stores in tall cans that promised controlled calories and advanced nutrition. Consumers welcomed it in a decade that increasingly looked favorably on the idea of dieting and figure management. The product came in flavors such as chocolate and vanilla and promised a sweet but controlled alternative to traditional meals. Advertisements for the product positioned it as cutting-edge and advanced, perfectly in keeping with the 1960s’ optimistic attitude toward science and innovation. However, over time, new diets and competitors emerged, and Sego slowly disappeared from store shelves as the era moved on.

14. Chef Boyardee Pizza Mix in a Box

With the Chef Boyardee Pizza Mix in a Box, families were encouraged to “make your own homemade pizza” well before the advent of the refrigerated dough. It was a box filled with a dry mix for the crust, a sauce, and sometimes a bag of grated cheese. It was a treat for families who wanted the experience of making a pizzeria-quality meal at home. The kids would gather around the counter, assisting with the task of putting sauce on the thin crust. It was a product that represented the emerging trend of Italian-style meals at home. As fresh products and frozen pizzas became more available, the Pizza Mix faded into obscurity, only seen in retro advertisements.

15. Royal Crown Draft Cola in Returnable Bottles

Royal Crown Draft Cola was once packaged in thick returnable glass bottles. These bottles clicked together securely inside thick cardboard carriers. At the grocery stores, the carriers were displayed prominently near the front of the store. This encouraged customers to return the empty bottles and claim their deposits. Draft Cola provided a smoother taste and was packaged to resemble freshly poured colas. Families kept their cases of Draft Cola chilled in metal ice trays before weekend barbecues. Returning the bottles was an accepted part of the grocery experience. With the rise of disposable containers such as cans and plastic containers, Draft Cola has disappeared. It remains a memory of a slower-paced grocery experience from the 1960s.

16. Carnation Slender Drink Mix

Carnation Slender Drink Mix was a small but steady presence in the grocery stores of the 1960s. Advertisements touted this product as a reasonable solution to weight management. The powder was mixed with milk to produce a sweet and creamy beverage that offered fewer calories than a traditional meal. This product was considered cutting-edge and convenient, especially during this time when diets were entering the mainstream. The product design boasted simple design elements and claims to balanced nutrition. Diet trends changed over time, and new products emerged to replace Slender Drink Mix. This product now serves as a nostalgic memory in the early days of meal replacement aspirations.

17. Swift’s Prem Canned Luncheon Meat

Swift’s Prem Canned Luncheon Meat sat among other canned meats, stored in a rectangular can with a small metal key to open it. It was used by families to place on sandwiches, lightly fried to accompany breakfast dishes, or layered between two slices of white bread and mustard. The savory taste and firmness of the meat made it a trusted staple, especially with its long shelf life in a time when ease of use was a priority. As competition grew and brand loyalties changed, Prem slowly gave way to other meats in many grocery stores. The once-familiar can of meat became harder to find and eventually disappeared from the shelves, living on in the nostalgia of mid-century America’s kitchens.

18. Libby’s Corned Beef Hash with Gravy

Libby’s Corned Beef Hash with Gravy was contained in robust cans and offered a promise of a hearty meal in a skillet in no time. It was the go-to product on busy weeknights as people would simply pour the contents into a skillet and wait for the edges to brown. The presence of gravy set it apart from other forms of the meal, providing a softer texture. It was an ideal product for a period that demanded quick preparation without compromising on taste. It was an ideal accompaniment on breakfast-for-dinner nights. With the changing consumer demand for fresh products and fewer canned meals, this particular product is no longer available. It remains a tasty relic of the 1960s.

19. Ralston Purina Chex Toasties

Ralston Purina Chex Toasties was a cereal that once brightly illuminated the cereal aisle, its squares of crisp, slightly sweet taste making them stand out from the other, more traditional Chex varieties. Their brightly colored boxes, adorned with bold, mid-century designs, were sure to catch the eye of the passing consumer wandering through the lengthy rows of breakfast options. Children enjoyed the cereal, served up in a brightly colored bowl, its light crunch paired with cold milk, a quick breakfast before the day’s work and school. It was a product of a bygone era, one that valued efficiency in every meal. As product lines were streamlined and stronger brand names dominated the shelves, Toasties was forgotten, the cereal fading away, a memory of the past, a product of the breakfast table.

20. Dr. Pepper Dietetic Drink in Glass Bottles

The Dr. Pepper Dietetic Drink was previously sold in a glass bottle that was returnable, which was clearly marked for consumers who were seeking a lower-calorie beverage without sacrificing the soda taste. These were stored in a crate, standing upright, usually located at the front of a store, awaiting a customer to take them home and later return them. This beverage was designed to taste like the original but with fewer sugars, reminiscent of the early days of diet sodas. Consumers appreciated the novelty of this new choice, which was still relatively new to the market. As the formulation of these products changed and the name became more like the sodas we know today, this version is no longer around.

• Tags:
• throwback
• 1960s
• Nostalgia
• grocery items
• grocery stores