Wallowing in the emptiness of longing for a discontinued snack you once worshipped will never satisfy your craving. What might trick your tastebuds, however, is trying out some similar options that you can find at the grocery store, like these nine alternatives.
Related: Foods We Miss From the ’70s and ’80s
1. Keebler Fudge Magic Middles
What to buy instead: Chips Ahoy Chewy Hershey’s Fudge Filled Soft Cookies
Keebler’s Magic Middles were shortbread cookies filled with a decadent fudgy center. While you might not be able to get a shortbread version these days, Chips Ahoy offers the chewy version of its iconic chocolate chip cookies, stuffed with fudge. And let’s be honest — the fudge was the best part of Magic Middles, so these cookies will scratch the itch just fine.
Related: 10 Discontinued Foods We Miss From the ’60s
2. Kudos Bars
What to buy instead: MadeGood Chocolate Drizzled Birthday Cake Granola Bars
MadeGood’s chocolate-drizzled birthday cake granola bars aren’t an exact replica of the Kudos bars we fiercely miss, but they’re a decent stand-in. Instead of mini M&Ms, these bars have little sprinkles and are infused with birthday cake flavors. If they don’t satisfy your craving, you could always try making them at home — they’re surprisingly easy to recreate.
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3. Jell-O Pudding Pops
What to buy instead: Fudgsicle Fudge Pops
Jell-O Pudding Pops were such a beloved dessert that it was baffling when they were discontinued. There are several fudge pop options out there these days and in our opinion, Fudgesicle is the closest match to the Jell-O version, although if vanilla was your flavor of choice, we have yet to find a viable substitute for that flavor.
4. Hi-C Ecto Coolers
What to buy instead: Tampico Citrus Punch mixed with Minute Maid Lemonade
$2.78 for Tampico and $1.88 for Minute Maid at Walmart
Hi-C’s Ghostbusters-themed Ecto Coolers are about as nostalgic as childhood drinks get and even though it’s been discontinued for decades now, we’re still craving it. Mixing Tampico’s Citrus Punch with Minute Maid Lemonade replicates the citrusy flavor of the Ecto Cooler — it just doesn’t achieve the toxic waste-colored hue unless you add neon green food coloring.
5. Guacamole Doritos
What to buy instead: El Sabroso Guacachips
These days you’ll find Tangy Pickle and Spicy Mango Doritos in the chip aisle, but the massively missed Guacamole flavor is nowhere to be found. Instead, El Sabroso’s Guacachips taste almost identical and even share the same green color as the discontinued Doritos.
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6. Hershey’s Swoops
What to buy instead: Sam’s Choice Dark Chocolate Thins with Crispy Rice Puffs
Hershey’s Swoops were chocolate-coated potato chips, which were similar in shape and texture to Pringles. There were a couple of different candy-inspired flavors including Reese’s and Almond Joy. Walmart offers a Sam’s Choice dark chocolate dupe that provides similar salty-sweet satisfaction.
7. Keebler Pizzarias
What to buy instead: Legendary Foods Popped Pizza Chips
You’re not going to get as potent of a pizza flavor out of Legendary Foods pizza chips as you did Keebler’s Pizzarias, but they’re similar in shape and texture and have the same tomato-garlic-cheesy notes. Plus, Legendary Foods’ chips are touted as high in protein and low in net carbs, so if that’s your M.O., there you go!
8. Philadelphia Strawberry Cheesecake Snack Bars
What to buy instead: Fiber One Strawberry Cheesecake Bars
This stand-in feels entirely intentional. Not only does Fiber One’s copycat taste similar to Philadelphia’s, but it also looks eerily familiar. They even graced us with the subtle drizzle of icing.
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9. Cheese Nips
What to buy instead: Better Cheddars
There was a time when it was Cheez-Its vs. Cheese Nips, but apparently one had staying power and the other did not. Cheese Nips were snappier and sharper tasting than Cheez-Its and the closest thing we’ve found to stack up texturally and in the flavor department are Better Cheddars.
