The 1980s were a wild time for food. We had neon-colored snacks, microwaveable everything, and a love affair with artificial flavors that knew no bounds. Companies were obsessed with convenience, which meant a lot of processed, prepackaged meals that, in hindsight, weren’t exactly gourmet. Sure, we loved these foods back then, but let’s be honest—some of them were actually pretty gross. Whether it was the strange textures, questionable ingredients, or just the fact that they tasted like pure chemicals, these were the foods we devoured as kids but probably wouldn’t touch today. Let’s take a trip back to the ’80s and revisit 14 foods that were secretly kind of gross.
1. Aspen Soda
Aspen Soda sounded fancy—it was marketed as a crisp, apple-flavored soft drink, something different from the usual cola options. But in reality, it was a weirdly sweet, slightly sour beverage that tasted like someone melted a Jolly Rancher into carbonated water. The artificial apple flavor had a strange aftertaste, like apple juice that had been sitting out too long. It was refreshing for about two sips, but after that, the overpowering syrupy taste became unbearable.
Despite its odd flavor, Aspen Soda was heavily marketed as a sophisticated alternative to traditional sodas, and for a while, people actually bought into it. But there was a reason it quietly disappeared from shelves—it just wasn’t that good. The artificial apple taste clashed with the carbonation, making it taste more like a weird science experiment than a refreshing drink. If you tried it back in the day, you probably remember thinking it was cool at first, only to realize halfway through the can that you didn’t really want to finish it.
2. Tater Skins Chips
These chips were supposed to be a game-changer—real potato skin flavor in a crunchy, chip-like form. The problem? They tasted like someone scraped the bottom of a burnt baking sheet and crumbled it into a bag. The texture was thicker than a normal chip, almost too crunchy, and the seasoning was oddly intense, almost bitter. Some flavors were better than others, but the “baked potato” one tasted like artificial sour cream mixed with something vaguely metallic.
People ate them because they were marketed as being made from real potatoes, but let’s be real—so were regular potato chips, and they didn’t taste like sadness. Tater Skins tried to be the rugged, hearty alternative to wimpy, thin chips, but they mostly just left you wondering why they had such a weird aftertaste. They eventually faded into snack oblivion, and no one really missed them.
3. Jell-O Pudding Pops
Jell-O Pudding Pops seemed like a genius idea—frozen pudding on a stick! And for a while, they were everywhere, thanks to Bill Cosby’s relentless advertising. But if you actually ate one, you probably remember the weird, chalky texture that left a film on your tongue. They were supposed to be creamy, but they had an odd iciness to them, making them feel less like frozen pudding and more like a vaguely flavored ice block.
At first bite, they were fine, but by the time you got halfway through, they started melting in a way that wasn’t quite right. The texture got gummy, and the flavor seemed to disappear, leaving behind a strange milky residue. They were beloved at the time, but looking back, they weren’t nearly as good as we thought. Maybe that’s why they disappeared from freezers for years before making a small, nostalgia-fueled comeback.
4. Sizzlean
Marketed as the “healthy” alternative to bacon, Sizzlean was supposed to give you the same crispy, meaty experience without all the fat. But in reality, it was a weird, rubbery slab of processed meat that had none of the joy of real bacon. It didn’t sizzle so much as it sort of flopped around in the pan, and instead of crisping up, it became chewy in the worst way possible.
People ate it because they thought it was better for them, but the taste was undeniably off. It lacked the smoky, salty punch of real bacon and instead had an odd, vaguely beef-like flavor that didn’t quite belong at breakfast. Once people realized it wasn’t actually that healthy (or good), Sizzlean slowly disappeared, leaving behind only confused memories of its strange existence.
5. Pizza Spins
Pizza Spins were supposed to taste like pizza, but they actually tasted like cardboard with a sprinkle of fake cheese dust. The texture was somewhere between a cracker and a chip, but not in a good way—it was dry, crunchy, and left your mouth feeling like you’d just eaten a spoonful of sawdust. The “pizza” flavor was more like artificial tomato and oregano, with a weirdly sweet aftertaste that didn’t belong anywhere near a real pizza.
People loved them because they were marketed as a fun, pizza-flavored snack, but in reality, they were just another example of the ’80s obsession with fake flavors. They disappeared quietly, and no one really asked for them to come back. If you ate them back in the day, you probably remember the disappointment of expecting pizza and getting…whatever that was.
6. Funny Feet Ice Cream
Funny Feet was an ice cream novelty shaped like a human foot, which was already kind of disturbing. But the real issue was the flavor—it was a bizarre artificial strawberry that tasted more like bubblegum than fruit. The texture was oddly dense, almost like frozen Play-Doh, and once it started melting, it had an unsettling, gooey consistency.
Kids loved them because they were shaped like feet (because for some reason, that was fun), but if you actually stopped to think about what you were eating, it was kind of disgusting. The taste lingered in your mouth long after you finished, and not in a good way. They eventually disappeared, probably because someone finally realized that foot-shaped ice cream was a strange concept to begin with.
7. Oatmeal Swirlers
Oatmeal Swirlers took something simple—oatmeal—and tried to make it “fun” by letting kids squeeze in their own sugary fruit-flavored syrup. The problem? The syrup was overly sweet, artificial, and didn’t blend well, so you’d get weird, hyper-sugary bites mixed with plain, flavorless oatmeal. It was basically an excuse to let kids eat straight-up sugar in the morning, disguised as a healthy breakfast.
The idea was fun in theory, but in practice, it just made a mess. The swirls didn’t mix in properly, and you’d end up with a clump of syrup at the bottom that tasted like melted candy. Parents eventually realized that this wasn’t actually a nutritious choice, and Oatmeal Swirlers faded into obscurity. If you ever tried it, you probably remember the sticky mess more than the taste.
8. Hubba Bubba Soda
Bubblegum-flavored soda—because apparently, someone in the ’80s thought that was a good idea. Hubba Bubba was already a powerhouse in the chewing gum world, but when they decided to turn that ultra-sweet, artificially fruity flavor into a carbonated drink, things got weird. The first sip was kind of fun—like liquid bubblegum—but then reality set in. The overwhelming sweetness coated your mouth, and the fizzy sensation only made it feel more unnatural. The aftertaste lingered far longer than it should have, like someone had melted pink gum directly into your soda.
Kids loved the novelty of it, but even they could only handle so much. It was the kind of thing you begged your parents for, took a few sips of, and then abandoned in favor of literally any other drink. Unsurprisingly, it didn’t last long on store shelves. It turns out there’s a reason people don’t drink bubblegum, and anyone who tried Hubba Bubba Soda probably still remembers the regret.
9. PB Max
At first glance, PB Max seemed like a winner—chocolate, peanut butter, and crunchy bits, all in one candy bar. But there was something oddly off-putting about it. The peanut butter filling was thick, dry, and almost overwhelming, like eating a spoonful of peanut butter straight from the jar without anything to wash it down. It coated your mouth in a way that made it hard to swallow, and the sweetness level was over the top, making it a chore to finish.
Despite being heavily marketed, PB Max never caught on in the long run. Maybe it was because peanut butter and chocolate were already perfected by Reese’s, or maybe it was because people realized that eating one felt like trying to swallow an entire jar of Skippy. Either way, PB Max disappeared, and while some people remember it fondly, others recall it as a sticky, dry mess.
10. Koogle Flavored Peanut Butter
Koogle was peanut butter, but with flavors—because regular peanut butter apparently wasn’t exciting enough. It came in chocolate, banana, vanilla, and cinnamon flavors, and while that might sound intriguing, the execution was questionable. The texture was unsettlingly smooth, almost unnatural, and the artificial flavors were overpowering. The banana variety, in particular, tasted like banana candy mixed with peanut butter, which was every bit as strange as it sounds.
Kids were fascinated by it, but parents weren’t as impressed, and Koogle didn’t last long. Maybe it was the odd aftertaste, or maybe people realized that peanut butter was already perfect on its own. Either way, it’s one of those foods that seems like it should have been amazing but was actually a little gross. If you tried it, you probably remember the confusion of expecting peanut butter and getting something…else.
11. Circus Peanut Cereal
Yes, at one point in the ’80s, someone thought it was a good idea to turn circus peanuts—the bizarre orange marshmallow candies—into a cereal. The result was exactly as terrible as you’d expect. The artificial banana-like flavor of circus peanuts is already divisive, but when you add milk to the equation, it becomes downright horrifying. The cereal pieces got soggy almost immediately, turning into a mushy, overly sweet mess that was impossible to enjoy.
Even kids who liked sugary cereals had a hard time with this one. The strange spongy texture, combined with an unsettling aftertaste, made it one of the least-loved cereals of its time. It was quietly discontinued, and no one really protested. Looking back, it’s hard to believe it even existed in the first place.
12. Pudding Roll-Ups
Fruit Roll-Ups were already a staple of ’80s lunchboxes, but for some reason, someone decided to make a pudding-flavored version. The result? A sticky, chewy sheet of artificially flavored pudding that tasted like someone left a Jell-O cup in the sun for too long. The texture was bizarre—thicker and gummier than regular fruit roll-ups, almost like taffy that hadn’t fully set.
People were willing to try them because pudding itself was great, but these didn’t capture any of the creamy goodness that made pudding enjoyable. Instead, they clung to your teeth in the worst way possible and left a weird, milky film in your mouth. They didn’t last long, and most people who tried them were probably fine with that.
13. Crystal Pepsi
Crystal Pepsi was one of the biggest marketing experiments of the ’80s, and it fooled us all. The idea was that by removing the caramel coloring from regular Pepsi, it would somehow be healthier, cleaner, or more refreshing. But the reality? It tasted almost exactly like Pepsi, but somehow…not right. The missing color played a weird trick on the brain, making it feel like you were drinking some off-brand imitation rather than the real thing.
People wanted to love it, but it never quite worked. The taste was just slightly off, and the lack of a traditional cola appearance made it feel unnatural. Despite a strong marketing push, it quietly disappeared, though it has made occasional comeback attempts. But for those who remember drinking it in the ’80s, it’s hard to forget the weird dissonance of expecting Pepsi and getting…whatever that was.
14. Chef Boyardee Pizza Kit
The idea of making your own pizza at home sounded fun, but the Chef Boyardee Pizza Kit turned it into an unappetizing experience. The dough mix was dry and tough, the sauce was oddly sweet, and the cheese never quite melted the way you wanted it to. Even when you followed the instructions perfectly, the end result was a pizza that tasted like something out of a school cafeteria.
Kids loved the novelty of it, but the actual taste was another story. The crust always had a strange, almost cardboard-like consistency, and the sauce had an artificial tang that overpowered everything else. It was one of those meals that you ate because it was there, not because it was actually good. If you ever made one of these pizzas, you probably remember being excited at first, only to be let down with the first bite.
The 1980s were a time of bold food experiments, but not all of them were winners. While these snacks and meals were fun, colorful, and heavily marketed, they weren’t always as tasty as we remember. Whether it was artificial flavors, strange textures, or just bad execution, some of the foods we loved back then wouldn’t stand a chance today. What ’80s foods do you remember eating, only to realize later that they weren’t as great as you thought? Let’s relive the weird and wonderful flavors of the past!
