Remember These Cheap Snacks That Were the Highlight of Every ’90s Kid’s Day?
If you grew up in the 90s, you know what it felt like to walk into a corner store with a few coins and still come out a winner. Snacks were simple, affordable, and felt like the best part of the day. Though they weren’t nutritious or well-marketed, they were loved by kids. Here’s a look back at the treats that defined recess, lunch, and late-afternoon hunger alike.
Fruit Roll-Ups
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Peeling back the plastic was part of the fun. You’d fight with the wrap, then press the candy to your tongue for a quick “tattoo.” It was super sweet and chewy, and good for sharing one piece—if that. A homemade version uses blended fruit baked into thin sheets for a similar feel.
Gushers
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Each bite hit with a quick burst of syrupy filling that felt new and a little wild back then. Some kids couldn’t get enough of the gooey center, others weren’t so sure, but the packs always disappeared fast.
Dunkaroos
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These packs were the ultimate lunchroom flex, and everyone knew it. Cookies were fine on their own, but the frosting made the whole table pay attention. No one dipped the same way, which gave this snack its own unspoken tradition.
Fruit by the Foot
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The long, stretchy strip turned lunch into a contest. The competition was about who could unroll it fastest or make it last the longest. Launched in 1991 by General Mills, it stood out for more than just sugar. Bright packaging often came with games or stickers, and it passed as a “better” candy, which helped it stay in lunchboxes.
Handi-Snacks
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Each tray came with processed cheese, dry crackers, and a red plastic stick that felt more important than it was. You either ran out of cheese too soon or ended up with an extra cracker. Still, spreading each bite felt oddly satisfying.
Kudos Bars
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Parents treated these as a wholesome snack, but they were candy bars pretending to be good for you. The chocolate coating and candy pieces gave them away. Sweet, chewy, and neatly wrapped, they sat in lunchboxes like a reward disguised as something responsible.
Planters Cheez Balls
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One handful turned into ten, and the orange dust was part of the deal. The airy, crunchy texture made them easy to eat by the fistful. Packed in big blue tins, they were affordable, loud, and oddly addictive. Fans missed them enough to demand a comeback, which they got.
3D Doritos
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These puffed, hollow chips hit stores in 1998 and turned the familiar Doritos crunch into something lighter and louder. They didn’t stay around long, but their shape stuck in people’s memories. When they finally came back, fans rushed to grab a taste of the past.
Butterfinger BB’s
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These bite-sized Butterfingers were easy to eat by the handful, even if they melted all over your fingers. That mess might’ve played a role in their 2006 disappearance. They were replaced by Butterfinger Bites, but fans never saw them as the same, and they still haven’t stopped asking for a comeback.
Ring Pops
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Their oversized, jewel-like shape turned lollipops into something you could wear, admire, and slowly eat. Kids loved flaunting them on the playground, and adults now use them for party favors and themed events. They’re still around today, just as messy, sugary, and strangely satisfying as ever.
Cosmic Brownies
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The soft texture and candy-topped surface made them a dependable lunchbox classic. They tasted the same every time, which is exactly why kids loved them. Comfort came in a shiny wrapper, and that was enough.
PB Crisps
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These peanut-shaped cookies had a creamy middle that made them feel richer than most snacks on the shelf. They were easy to eat by the handful and disappeared quickly. Fans haven’t stopped asking for their return.
Jell-O Pudding Pops
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Kids loved the rich chocolate and vanilla swirl, and parents liked that they felt just a little more controlled than a cone. These frozen treats combined the taste of pudding with the feel of a popsicle. Smooth, creamy, and less messy than ice cream, they held up well in the heat.
Nerds
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The box had two sides, usually with totally different flavors, and both worked. You could mix them or eat one at a time, but either way, you poured them straight into your mouth. They were crunchy, sour, and came in colors that didn’t exist in nature. But that was the fun.
Hubba Bubba
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Hubba Bubba came in thick squares or long rolls, both packed with sweet flavor and serious stretch. It was soft, easy to chew, and perfect for blowing the biggest bubbles on the playground. Flavors like Sour Blue Raspberry stood out, but half the fun was seeing how big you could go before it popped.
Bagel Bites
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These bite-sized snacks were easy to microwave and even easier to eat by the dozen. Cheese, sauce, and tiny pepperoni sat on a bagel base that somehow worked every time. It was perfect for after school, sleepovers, or game breaks, and rarely made it past the first commercial break.
Betty Crocker’s Shark Bites
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These snacks were shaped like sharks and packed in bright pouches. These gummies felt like more than a snack. Kids searched every bag for the rare Great White or tooth-shaped piece, which turned snack time into a mission. Betty Crocker still sells them, but longtime fans say today’s version doesn’t come close to the ’90s original.
Squeezit
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You didn’t drink Squeezit because you were thirsty. You drank it because it came in bright colors and weird bottles you could crush. These brightly colored bottles resembled little cartoon characters and opened with a snap. Sold in multi-packs and were cheap for parents.
String Thing
Credit: Instagram
Each pack came with a coiled maze of sticky fruit strings stuck to wax paper. You’d peel them off slowly or all at once and decide if today’s snack was a sculpture, spaghetti, or just a sugar hit. The flavors were bright, the texture borderline gluey, and the mess? Completely expected.