The 1980s had some iconic products that have since disappeared. Here are a few you might remember:
Food & Drinks
- Jell-O Pudding Pops – Creamy frozen treats once endorsed by Bill Cosby.
- Crystal Pepsi (original) – A clear, caffeine-free Pepsi that briefly returned in the 2010s.
- Ecto Cooler (Hi-C) – A green citrus drink tied to Ghostbusters.
- PB Max – A chocolate-covered peanut butter and oat bar.
- Marathon Bar – A long, braided caramel and chocolate bar.
- Fruit Wrinkles – A more textured version of Fruit Roll-Ups.
- McDLT (McDonald’s) – A burger where the hot and cold ingredients were kept separate in packaging.
Toys & Games
- View-Master 3D reels – They still exist, but not like the ‘80s versions with popular movie and cartoon tie-ins.
- Pound Puppies – Plush dogs that came in little cardboard doghouses.
- Fashion Plates – A mix-and-match design kit for drawing stylish outfits.
- Teddy Ruxpin – The animatronic storytelling bear.
- Speak & Spell – A Texas Instruments educational toy that helped kids learn spelling.
- Bigfoot The Monster Truck toy – Based on the famous monster truck.
Tech & Gadgets
- Walkman Cassette Players (Sony Walkman) – Replaced by CD players, MP3 players, and smartphones.
- Betamax Tapes & Players – Lost the format war to VHS.
- Commodore 64 – A best-selling personal computer of the era.
- Atari 2600 – One of the first major home gaming consoles.
- Kodak Disc Cameras – A quirky flat film format that didn’t last long.
- Boom Boxes – Large, portable stereos, often carried on shoulders.
Fashion & Beauty
- Hypercolor Shirts – Changed colors based on temperature.
- Jellies (Jelly Shoes) – Plastic sandals popular with kids.
- Banana Clips – Large hair clips for the ‘80s big-hair look.
- Electric Youth Perfume (by Debbie Gibson) – A bright pink fragrance from the pop star.
- Leg Warmers – Once essential for aerobics, now a retro fashion choice.
Miscellaneous
- Trapper Keepers – Stylishly designed school binders with Velcro closures.
- Scratch-n-Sniff Stickers – Scented reward stickers, especially in classrooms.
- Waterbeds – Once a bedroom status symbol, now rare due to maintenance issues.
- Cabbage Patch Kid Birth Certificates – Cabbage Patch dolls still exist, but their ‘80s craze and certificates aren’t the same.
Anything in particular you’re feeling nostalgic for?
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