The 34 snacks we miss and want back

Traditional British food is globally known for being pretty poor quality, but the one thing we do better than any other country is snacks. Until they got discontinued that is, and we’ve been left with sub-par snacks to contend with.

The snacks of our childhood were elite. Dream bars, CoCo Pops Straws, Fabulous Bakin’ Boys cupcakes and Walkers BBQ Rib crisps were the snacks of the gods. Perfect in your lunchbox, after school, at a birthday party or after swimming. They were full of sugary salty goodness and no snacks will ever compare.

And now they’re making a comeback on TikTok. Well not literally, don’t get too excited about Flake Snow returning to stores. But people are reminiscing over the lost UK snacks in video compilations.

So it’s time to look back at the best snacks of our childhoods that are never to been seen again:

1. Dream Bar

Let’s start off with the most classic crime in British food history – taking away the Dream bar. They started to disappear 10 years ago, but apparently you can get them in B&M stores. If you see any please help a girl out and send some my way.

2. Oddities

These cheesy baked little fish and other shaped snacks were discontinued before they had even been out for six years. After school snacks will never be the same.

3. Tooty Frooties

Ok so the yellow ones were vile, they should have gone, but the rest – a major shame for people everywhere. They were sold for nearly 60 years before Nestlé decided to crush our dreams.

4. Calippo Shots

Those tiny flavoured ice balls that rushed into your mouth at first before you were left with a melting clump at the bottom is the definition of a quality British Ice cream. And yet Walls decided we didn’t deserve that joy.

5. Cadbury Ritz

Look how thick that chocolate was. We’ve been robbed.

6. CocoPop straws

The kids today will never know the joy of sucking up your left over cereal milk up with one of these guys.

When they first came out there was loads of backlash over false advertising, so naturally they didn’t stick around for long.

But there was a petition at one point to bring them back.

7. Mars Planets

A trip to the cinema wouldn’t be complete without a bag of these. Unlike most multi choice confectionary bags, this bag literally doesn’t have a bad option. Chewy, crispy or soft – they’re all delicious and you had the added element of fun of wondering which type you were going to get. Why did they have to take away our fun?

8. Crispello

I never had these, but feel like I majorly missed out. They look like Ferrero Rochers without the nut in the middle. Probably not great for the environment with that much packaging in them tho.

9. Fabulous bakin’ boys cupcakes

Quite simply legends. It was a dark, dark day when these cakes with an insane amount of chocolate topping left the shelves. I’m gonna need a minute.

10. Snaps

No they weren’t actually chocolate covered Pringles, despite their appearance. Instead they were a chocolate covered wafer biscuit and it’s a travesty they’re gone.

11. White Maltesers

Honestly, It’s hard out here being a white chocolate fan.

12. Echo bars

A boujee school biscuit, perfect for your lunchbox, what do the kids of today have? Probably celery sticks thanks to Jamie Oliver.

13. Mars Delight

This was supposed to be a “lighter” version of the Mars Bar, with its wafer in the centre. But I can understand why it got discontinued, don’t mess with the classics, just leave the Mars Bar alone.

14. Walkers BBQ Rib crisps

I can just imagine the beefy rich smell wafting from the crisp packet as soon as you opened them. Would definitely have been the most popular person in the playground with these crisps.

15. Prawn Cocktail Wotsists

Yet another classic crisp packet taken before its time. Nearly 3,500 people signed a petition to try and bring it back but clearly Walkers had other ideas.

16. Punky Penguin Ice Creams

These ice creams were the go to on holiday in that Spanish town over run with Brits abroad. They probably didn’t taste of much, but as soon as you seem them you think of holidays.

You can still bulk buy them if you’re inclined to recreate the summer of 2004.

17. Smarties Pop Up

Not only was it an ice cream but you got the added extra surprise of all those Smarties at the bottom.

18. Smarties Mini Chocolate Cakes

You could never just have one. Nestlé clearly wasn’t feeling the Smarties products one day, when they decided to get rid of these and the Pop Ups.

19. Time Out

Time Out bars were elite. Despite the wafers they had a deep chocolatey flavour and were perfect post swimming lessons. However after poor sales they were discontinued in 2016.

They’re still being sold in Australia, if you’re there, count yourself lucky.

20. Trident Splash gum

A little oozy centre, gum today just can’t match up.

21. Panda Pops

You know from the colour of that drink, it’s going to taste good. They were perfect at summer fêtes, days at the park and walking around town with your mates when you had about £2.50 to your name.

22. Tasters

Literally just solid balls of chocolate. Delicious. Health officials would probably have a field day with these today. But they were actually discontinued when the American company, Kraft, bought Cadbury. Classic Americans ruining everything.

23. Wonka bars

I DIDN’T KNOW WONKA BARS WERE ACTUALLY A REAL THING IM SO HAPPY I THINK IM GUNNA CRY pic.twitter.com/hMYeMHwnj1

— davs (@shutyourcasbutt) November 14, 2013

They were meant to just be a bit of promo for the 2005 film but ended up lasting in stores for a number of years. They eventually were discontinued due to a decline in popularity, turns out the cool flavours like creme brûlée and millionaire shortbread couldn’t save them.

24. Animal Bites Cadbury

Millenials, please help me identify what these types of lil biscuits were called back in the day cause I’m losing my mind. pic.twitter.com/BUU5mcYQjv

— Sarah 🌹 Join a union (@sarahmoorexo) June 27, 2018

These little Animal Bites were delicious and filled with chocolate. And the artwork on each individual biscuit is beyond impressive. Yes it’s probably just a factory stamp, but I’m gonna admire the artistry.

25. Polo Fruits

Polo Fruits are easily the supreme Polos. However they did have the unfortunate habit of sticking together. You ended up having to bite them to separate them. So a number of broken teeth probably contributed to their cancellation.

26. Magical Elves

A Christmas special edition of discontinued British snacks. Remember that stage a few years ago when manufactures threw popping candy in every product? Well that’s what these little Magical Elves had in them before being savagely discontinued.

27. Galaxy Truffles from the Celebrations box

Still not over it. Don’t talk to me.

28. Mingles

Mint chocolate variety box is clearly designed for a small target audience of mint chocolate lovers. But having one once in a while was decent and there’s always the joy of stealing a chocolate out of the box meant for your parents.

29. Guzzle Puzzle

Not that upset this one is gone, but if you’re going to eat healthy sweets you might as well get to play with them first.

30. KitKat senses

Girls Aloud were in the TV advert for these. And that alone is why they are such an iconic snack.

31. Campino sweets

Your grandma always gave you these from her handbag, and no sweet has ever tasted so good.

32. Coke with lemon

Coke with lemon just works so well, it’s almost criminal that they took it away from us. I could always go and buy a lemon, slice it up and put my coke in a glass, but seriously, who has the time?

33. Flake Snow

Why the hate towards white chocolate?

34. Baked Beans Pizza with cheese

Nah you know what, this one can stay in 2008.

ByZaika Livingston