If you were a kid in the ’80s, you probably remember Saturday mornings fueled by neon-colored cereal and cartoons blaring from the TV. While some cereals survived into the present (looking at you, Cap’n Crunch), plenty of them sadly couldn’t make the cut.
Yet decades later, they still spark cravings and memories. If you were lucky enough to pour any of these into your breakfast bowl, you remember: they were part of being a kid. To that effect, here are 10 once-beloved cereals that disappeared but are still remembered—often with a bit of a sugar-crash pang.
1. Pac-Man Cereal
With bright yellow Pac-Man shapes, corn-based cereal pieces and colorful marshmallow ghosts (Blinky, Pinky, Inky, Clyde), this cereal made breakfast feel like an arcade game. Introduced to cash in on the massive Pac-Man craze, it worked well for a while—until the game’s popularity faded and the cereal slipped off shelves by the late ’80s.
2. Mr. T Cereal
Launched by Quaker Oats in 1984, Mr. T Cereal capitalized on the star’s fame from The A-Team (1983–1987) and Rocky III (1982). The cereal featured crunchy “T”-shaped pieces and a flavor often described as similar to Cap’n Crunch. Its popularity wasn’t solely based on taste; the bold box art and the memorable “I pity the fool who don’t eat my cereal” slogan were key factors in making it a household name. However, by the early ’90s, it disappeared from shelves.
3. Nerds Cereal
Remember those split Nerds candy boxes? Nerds Cereal managed to mimic that design perfectly, offering two distinct flavors (like orange/cherry and strawberry/grape) in a dual-chambered box. Introduced in 1985, it was tangy, colorful, and intensely sweet… perhaps too sweet since it disappeared by 1988. The cereal’s short shelf life is likely due to shifting consumer preferences toward healthier options and concerns about sugar content.
4. Smurf-Berry Crunch
As Post’s official cereal tie-in with The Smurfs, Smurf-Berry Crunch, introduced in 1983, featured red and purple fruity pieces. It’s best remembered not just for the flavor but also for the shocking side effect: some kids noticed their… well, bathroom results turning blue. Post attempted to reformulate and rebrand it as Smurf Magic Berries in 1987, but the cereal had to be discontinued by the late ’80s. Still, it’s a legendary story among fans.
5. Ice Cream Cones Cereal
Ice Cream Jones and his jingle made sure kids knew about this cereal with cone-shaped bits and “scoops” of chocolate and vanilla. Commercials featured Ice Cream Jones, an animated mascot who delivered cereal via bicycle while singing: “My name’s Ice Cream Jones, and I’m deliverin’ my ice cream cones…”
It made a splash when General Mills introduced it in 1987, but it lasted only about a year. A short revival happened in 2003, replacing the 3D cone pieces with flat triangular ones, but without the beloved mascot, it didn’t stick.
Donkey Kong Cereal
Released in 1982 by Ralston Purina, Nintendo’s massive arcade hit jumped into the cereal aisle with sweet barrel-shaped puffs. Kids loved the game tie-in, but despite the novelty, it didn’t have staying power.
As one of the first video game-themed cereals, it even preceded General Mills’ Pac-Man Cereal (1983). While short-lived, its cultural impact included TV ads and a memorable appearance on Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood. The cereal was pulled in 1984.
OJ’s Cereal
An orange juice–flavored cereal? That was the gamble in 1985. Marketed with a cowboy mascot named OJ Joe, the breakfast cereal packed a citrus punch and even boasted 100% of your daily vitamin C. The cereal contained 10% real orange juice and natural orange flavors, which gave it a distinct citrus taste.
Still, the concept of orange-flavored milk was polarizing to many families, and OJ’s vanished within a year. Despite its failure, OJ’s retains a cult following among retro cereal enthusiasts.
C-3PO’s Cereal
With honey-sweetened figure-eight-shaped corn, wheat, and oat pieces, Kellogg’s Star Wars cereal (1984–1986) targeted fans eager for anything related to the galaxy far, far away. It capitalized on the Star Wars fandom after Return of the Jedi (1983), when no new films were anticipated.
Boxes often came with collectible cutout masks of characters like Chewbacca, trading cards, and a plastic “Rebel Rocket” toy. Despite its popularity, the cereal was discontinued in 1986 after just two years.
Cröonchy Stars
A Muppet tie-in featuring the Swedish Chef, Cröonchy Stars, introduced in 1988 was cinnamon-flavored and packed with silly box designs and fake instructions including absurd jokes (“no trombones”), unsolvable puzzles, and a card game, designed to mirror the Swedish Chef’s chaotic humor.
Kids loved the humor as much as the taste, but by 1989, the quirky cereal was discontinued (though it made a brief reappearance in 1992)
S’mores Crunch
Who wouldn’t want Graham, chocolate, and marshmallow in one bowl? General Mills’ S’mores Crunch, introduced in 1982, captured the campfire treat’s flavors surprisingly well. It was discontinued in the late ’80s, though Kellogg’s later tried to revive the idea with Smorz, a version many fans say just isn’t the same.