18 Groceries Everybody Loved in the ’70s That You Can’t Buy Today As a time of great change in the food industry, grocery aisles in the 1970s were filled with truly unique products. Many such items that once lined store shelves and became household names are now long gone, living only in the memories of those who ate them.
From snack foods to convenience meals, here’s a peek into what eating was like during these other decades via popular products. Some were well before their time, while others were, well, better left in the past.
- Trix Yogurt
- Shake-A-Pudding
- Fiddle Faddle
- Jell-O 1-2-3
- McDLT
- Peanut Butter and Jelly Bites
- Tab Cola
- Campbell’s Green Bean Casserole in a Can
- Heinz Green Ketchup
- Banquet Frozen Dinners
- Life Savers Holes
- Mallow Cups
- Fruit Loops Cereal Straws
- Pepsi AM
- Betty Crocker’s Potato Buddies
- Swanson TV Dinners
- Coca-Cola’s New Coke
- Bugles
Trix Yogurt
Colorful and sugary, Trix Yogurt was the go-to for many kids during their childhood. From its brightly colored, artificially flavored options, the yogurt would be the household name for that decade. It was a cool snack with strong fruit flavors such as strawberry, raspberry, and banana, and was designed to steer kids away from their bowls of sugary cereals.
Consumer tastes changed, however, and the brand eventually discontinued the yogurts in favor of much healthier and more natural ingredients. Today, Trix lives on as an iconic cereal, while the Trix Yogurt is relegated to memory for most.
Shake-A-Pudding
Before instant pudding cups were invented, Shake-A-Pudding allowed families to mix their dessert with just a shake. It came with a packet of dry pudding mix to which all you had to do was add milk, close the container, and then shake for the perfect pudding consistency. Its quirky approach to the creation of pudding was quite a hit for some time, especially among busy families.
However, it got old and was eventually taken out of circulation. Shake-A-Pudding’s success and demise are examples of 1970s’ love of convenience, but then their ultimate return to simple and more traditional ways of dessert making.
Fiddle Faddle
Fiddle Faddle was a popcorn snack smothered in a buttery, sugary glaze mixed with peanuts. It was a sweet and salty treat that became a favorite as a popular alternative to popcorn and peanuts. It succeeded as a snack because it was an addictive flavor, the favorite at movie nights and gatherings.
Over time, it lost the top spot to other brands in the snack market with the same flavor but more options. Fiddle Faddle may be gone from the store, but its legend lives on through other caramel popcorn brands.
Jell-O 1-2-3
Jell-O 1-2-3 was a three-layered gelatin dessert that promised a little more from the average Jell-O treat. Each layer of the dessert was different in texture to create a visually stunning, satisfying snacking. It was supposed to be pretty effortless to prepare and didn’t need refrigeration, so it was the popular family’s choice when searching for an utterly effortless treat.
Unfortunately, the product didn’t stand the test of time, and Jell-O eventually discontinued 1-2-3 due to a lack of consumer demand. Despite its short-lived fame, Jell-O 1-2-3 remains a quirky part of 1970s food history.
McDLT
The McDLT was McDonald’s attempt to create a fresh, customizable burger. It featured a two-compartment packaging system that kept the hot beef patty separate from the cool toppings until the customer was ready to eat. The idea was to give customers control over the freshness of their meal, but the packaging was too wasteful, and environmental concerns led to its demise.
McDonald’s quickly killed the McDLT, but the quirky concept lives on in the minds of those who loved it. The failure of this product represents the difficulties in combining convenience with environmental sensitivity in food packaging.
Peanut Butter and Jelly Bites
These were bite-sized treats featuring a combination of peanut butter and jelly wrapped in a doughy shell, offering a twist on the classic sandwich. They were marketed as fun and portable snacks for kids, packed with the same flavor combination that many loved in sandwich form.
The product gained a brief period of popularity but was ultimately discontinued due to limited appeal. Despite the convenience factor, it didn’t quite live up to its potential in terms of mass appeal. Today, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches remain a go-to snack, while the bites are mostly forgotten.
Tab Cola
Tab Cola was Coca-Cola’s first diet soda, released in 1963 but reaching peak popularity in the ’70s. Served in its inimitable pink can and with its unique, almost artificial taste, Tab was designed to be a diet alternative to soda. Long before the proliferation of sugar-free soft drinks, it became the drink of choice for those on diets looking to avoid sugar.
As consumer tastes began to move in other directions, Tab faded, and eventually Coca-Cola phased out the brand altogether. To most, Tab is now a part of pop culture trivia, remembered for its edgy marketing and early mover advantage in the diet drink universe.
Campbell’s Green Bean Casserole in a Can
Campbell’s took the popular green bean casserole and canned it for the busy family. The concept of a casserole in a can was very popular during the 1970s, a time when convenience foods reigned. It was an easy solution for busy cooks, especially during holidays when making meals from scratch became daunting.
As fresh ingredients and home cooking became the trend, however, Campbell’s eventually pulled it from shelves. The canned casserole was an instant icon of a generation that dominated by convenience in the kitchen.
Heinz Green Ketchup
Heinz’s idea of getting creative with ketchup gave birth to green ketchup in the late ’70s. The novelty ketchup was being marketed with the slogan, “Eat your greens!”, and instantly clicked with kids. It was the same tomato ketchup but with food coloring added, changing its iconic red hue to a bizarre shade of green.
But it wasn’t that long before the novelty wore off, and Heinz yanked the product off the shelves. Green ketchup stays in the minds of a lot of people as being one of the ’70s memorable food trends, but it sure was a fad that didn’t stick.
Banquet Frozen Dinners
For the majority of the ’70s, Banquet Frozen Dinners made up the dinners in many houses, being fast and fairly inexpensive to get dinner onto the table. These pre-packaged meals often had a meat, a vegetable, and mashed potatoes, all in one convenient, microwaveable meal. For the era in which home-cooked meals were much more work, these frozen dinners were an absolute godsend.
But through the years, the quality of frozen meals suffered, and the rise of healthier and fresher meal options took the toll on the brand. Despite their fall from grace, Banquet dinners hold a special place in the hearts of those who relied on them for an easy dinner.
Life Savers Holes
Life Savers Holes were the centerless part of the popular Life Savers candies, sold as a smaller, more convenient snack. Marketed as a fun new way to enjoy the classic candy, Life Savers Holes gained a moment of popularity in the 1970s.
However, the novelty of a candy without a center didn’t resonate with everyone, and the product was discontinued after a short run. Today, Life Savers continues to sell the original round candy, but Life Savers Holes are remembered as a quirky snack from the past.
Mallow Cups
Mallow Cups were marshmallow-filled chocolate candies that gained popularity in the 1970s. They mixed the smooth layer of chocolate with the fluffiness of a marshmallow center, offering a texture contrast that was unequalled. The candy was a favorite for those who loved the combination of chocolate and marshmallow, but it eventually faded away as newer, more popular candy options emerged.
Although they are no longer found on the store shelves, Mallow Cups are an iconic product to anyone who remembers them. Their demise serves as a reminder that the ever-changing candy trends can sweep away even the most beloved of treats in the blink of an eye.
Fruit Loops Cereal Straws
Fruit Loops Cereal Straws were colorful, edible straws made out of the same cereal that could be found inside the box of Fruit Loops. These straws were to be submerged in milk, enabling kids to sip their milk and then munch on the crunchy, sweet straw afterward.
The name and idea of such products seemed to make them instant hits for some time, but soon, their novelty wore off, and the products went into discontinuation. They failed to sustain their popularity over a longer period of time. Fruit Loops Cereal Straws are one of the strange snacks people ever had and loved.
Pepsi AM
Pepsi AM was an experimental product launched during the early ’70s as a breakfast soda. With a higher caffeine content, and a different flavor to suit breakfast foods, it was pitched as a potential alternative to coffee.
Throwing soda into the mix of morning routines was an intriguing idea, but Pepsi AM didn’t grab the longer-term attention of consumers. Soon it was pulled from the market as people’s breakfast habits didn’t align with the sugary, carbonated drink. While Pepsi AM didn’t last, it’s still one of the boldest product innovations of the ’70s.
Betty Crocker’s Potato Buddies
Potato Buddies were a fun microwavable snack intended for kids to munch on quickly and easily. These small, potato pockets came in flavors ranging from cheesy to buttery and were quick and easy to prepare. However, the rise of healthier options and consumer trends dictated that Potato Buddies go away.
Despite the fact that they did not last very long on the market, they were popular among busy parents to feed to kids for a fun, alternative option. Similar snack foods today have taken their place, but Potato Buddies will remain in nostalgia for those who grew up with them.
Swanson TV Dinners
Swanson TV Dinners were one of the original frozen dinner products, revolutionizing the way people thought about meals. These compartmentalized meals made it easy to enjoy a full dinner with no cooking required. They quickly became a hit, especially among working families who didn’t have time to cook elaborate meals.
As the years went on, tastes changed, and people began seeking fresher and healthier frozen options. Eventually, Swanson TV Dinners faded into the background with the emergence of newer brands and more sophisticated frozen meal presentations.
Coca-Cola’s New Coke
New Coke was an audacious move by Coca-Cola in the mid-’70s to reformulate its classic soda into a sweeter version. The company felt that this would appeal to the young generation seeking a different taste. However, the new formula was met with backlash, as loyal fans of the original Coke pushed back against the change.
Coca-Cola quickly brought back the original recipe under the name “Coca-Cola Classic,” leaving New Coke to fade into history. Though the attempt failed, it’s a reminder of how consumer preferences can drastically change in the world of beverages.
Bugles
Bugles, the conical corn snack, were one of the favorite snacks in the ’70s due to its crispy texture and savory taste. They were marketed as a fun snack for parties, picnics, and casual get-togethers, with their unique shape making them stand out among chips and other snacks.
But as time went by and the snack world changed toward healthier options, Bugles lost their overall grip on the market. Today, they can be found here and there, but basically, their heyday, which was the ’70s, is very long since over. Bugles used to be the favorite of many for snacking, but their time has come and gone.
