The 1970s were a time when supermarkets were full of exciting products. Many of these items were designed to be convenient, even if they didn’t always taste great. This was a decade when space-themed snacks and meals in cans were popular. Today, these products are mostly forgotten, but they give us an idea of what people used to buy.
A list of 18 supermarket products from the 1970s that you can’t find anymore
Libby’s Fruit Float
Libby’s Fruit Float was a simple treat that included mixing milk with flavorful fruit.
It would turn into a creamy treat without much effort. People liked it at first because it was easy to make. However, as time went on, people started to prefer healthier and fresher desserts.
TV Dinners in Foil Trays
In the 1970s, TV dinners were very popular because they made mealtime easy. These meals came in foil trays with separate sections for different foods, such as roast beef or fried chicken. Families loved them because they just had to heat the tray in the oven, and dinner was ready in no time. However, when microwaves became common in homes, the foil trays couldn’t be used anymore. The packaging was changed to materials that could be safely used in microwaves.
Celery Flavored Jell-O
Jell-O tried to introduce a new celery-flavored gelatin, hoping people would use it in salads and dishes. This flavor was part of a series of vegetable-based options aimed more at adults than kids. However, people didn’t like the celery flavor, so Jell-O stopped making it and went back to focusing on their sweet, fruit-flavored products.
Fondue
In the 1970s, fondue was very popular at social gatherings. People loved sharing a pot of melted cheese or chocolate. Friends and family would gather around the pot and enjoy dipping pieces of food into it. Although fondue was hugely popular for a while, its popularity faded by the end of the decade. Many people saw it as just a passing trend rather than something permanent in food culture.
Fizzies Drink Tablets
Fizzies were tablets that turned plain water into a fizzy, fruity drink. However, concerns about artificial ingredients led to their decline in popularity. Today, they’re remembered more for their novelty than their taste.
Tab Cola
Tab was the first diet soda made by Coca-Cola. In the 1970s, a lot of people liked it because it had no calories and was good for health-conscious people. Tab had a unique taste and look that many people liked. It became very famous during that time.
Diet Coke, another diet drink, was introduced by Coca-Cola in the 1980s. This new soda became popular, and fewer people wanted Tab. Due to this, Tab lost its popularity. It showed how people’s tastes in diet drinks changed over the years.
Canned Hamburgers
Canned hamburgers were a peculiar convenience food, fully cooked burgers in a can. They were marketed for campers and emergencies but didn’t become popular due to poor taste and quality. The idea of putting meat in a can didn’t become popular.
Shake ‘n Bake
Shake ‘n Bake was a new way to make breaded meat without frying it. The product came with a special bag and seasoning mix. You simply shake the meat with the provided seasoning in a bag, then bake it. Back in the 1970s, Shake ‘n Bake gained popularity during the ’70s as a symbol of modern home cooking. However, nowadays there are many other options in the grocery store that are also seasoned and ready to cook.
Toastettes
Toastettes were similar to Nabisco’s version of Pop-Tarts. They were breakfast pastries that came in different flavors and had a slightly different texture than Pop-Tarts. However, even though they were popular at first, they couldn’t compete with Pop-Tarts in popularity. Due to this, Nabisco stopped making Toastettes.
Chiffon Margarine
Chiffon Margarine was marketed as a healthier alternative to butter with a slogan emphasizing its natural taste and texture. As people shifted towards natural and organic products, margarine’s popularity declined. This led to Chiffon’s disappearance from the market.
Body on Tap Shampoo
Body on Tap used real beer as a key ingredient. It claimed that the proteins and enzymes in beer could make hair healthier. Many people initially were interested in this unique idea. However, its appeal faded over time due to consumer preference for more conventional and scientific hair care ingredients.
Hubba Bubba
Hubba Bubba, known for its bubble gum, made a bubble gum-flavored soda. The soda tried to taste like their gum, but it didn’t stay popular for long. People lost interest, and the soda was eventually taken off the market.
Quisp
Quisp, known for its quirky alien mascot and sweet, saucer-shaped corn cereal, was once a favorite among children. Although Quisp has been brought back for adults, it’s not as popular as it used to be. It was replaced by cereals that emphasize both nutrition and flavor.
Koogle Peanut Butter Spread
Koogle was a flavored peanut butter with flavors like chocolate, banana, and cinnamon. Despite its initial popularity, it wasn’t able to compete with the usual peanut butter brands. Koogle later stopped being sold because other peanut butter brands were more popular and well-known.
Buc Wheats Cereal
Buc Wheats cereal had a special flavor with buckwheat and maple syrup, meant to be a healthier choice for breakfast. Even though it had a unique taste, not enough people kept buying it. People preferred the usual sugary cereals more.
Funny Face Drink Mix
Funny Face was a drink mix similar to Kool-Aid. It was known for funny flavors like “Goofy Grape” and “Lefty Lemon.” It faced criticism for using artificial colors and ingredients. This controversy caused its popularity to decline over time.
Danish Rings
Danish Rings were a popular, pre-baked breakfast similar to Danish pastries but in a ring shape. They were quick and easy to warm up, making them a convenient sweet breakfast. Over time, healthier and faster breakfast options led to their decline.
Breakfast Squares
Breakfast Squares were popular in the 1970s as a convenient and nutritious meal in a bar form. They were designed for people who needed a quick breakfast. These bars had all the essential nutrients for a morning meal. However their taste and texture might not be as appealing today. They came in different flavors and were meant to replace traditional breakfast. People started preferring fresher and less processed foods, so Breakfast Squares eventually disappeared from stores.
Jell-O 1-2-3
Jell-O 1-2-3 was a dessert that would form three separate layers: a creamy layer on top, a mousse-like middle, and a clear gelatin bottom. People loved it because it was easy to make. However later on people started to prefer simpler and more natural desserts, so Jell-O 1-2-3 was discontinued.