As a kid, I remember eating tons of sweets. My favorite was always Three Musketeers, and fortunately, it's still around. I enjoyed other sweets as well, but some have put on a mysterious vanishing act, and have yet to return.
Here are a few discontinued sweets that make the 2000s nostalgia factor real, and will make you long for the good ol' days
1. Oreo Cakesters
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America's Favorite Cookie was once available in soft, bite-size cakes. It was easy to mistake these for whoopie pies. There were plenty of varieties to choose from. You had your standard Oreo, as well as Double Stuffed, Chocolate, Golden Oreos, and even Peanut Butter. These take the cake as number one because they were one of my favorite sweets growing up. I remember bringing them to lunch almost every day in middle school. I am at a loss for words as to why they were discontinued, and am still awaiting the day that they make a comeback. But don't fret! You can easily make these at home. Similar, I know, but not quite the same.
2. Wonder Ball
Ah yes, the Wonder Ball. I always looked forward to getting this little, hollow ball of chocolate with candies from goodie bags at birthday parties. This treat is similar to Cracker Jacks in that you got a prize inside. Originally it was a figurine, but then they switched to stickers. The Wonder Ball has had many themes over the years - Disney, Cartoon Network and Pokemon, to name a few. My favorite part was always the little Spongebob candies inside. The Wonder Ball was brought back in February 2016 after a 12 year absence, but it appears on this list because it has been discontinued twice. I have still yet to see them in stores.
3. Starburst Hard Candies
From the standard fruit chews to liquid-filled GummiBursts and even jelly beans, Starburst has come in a lot of forms over the years. Starburst is known for being chewy and juicy. So, it comes as no surprise that their line of hard candy wasn't extremely popular. These seemed to completely burst into oblivion, and I'm okay with that. Nowadays, it seems that the closest thing you can get to these are Starburst candy canes.
4. Altoids Sours
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The original Altoids don't measure up to the Sour Altoids of antiquity. I used to eat these as often as I could as a kid, and preferred them to their dry, mint counterparts. Available in raspberry, lime, tangerine, apple and mango, Sour Altoids had a solid run, lasting for six years. But unfortunately, they were discontinued due to low sales, and many people were sour when they were taken away. You can still get them, but since they are out of production, even empty tins can go for ridiculous amounts of money. If you really want these, but can't afford to break the bank, you can find them at certain specialty stores.
5. Hershey's Kissables
Who doesn't love Hersehy's products? Hershey's Kissables were a smaller version of their iconic Kisses, covered in a thick candy shell. They really do pop, as they came in red, orange, yellow, green and blue. Special versions were also available in dark chocolate, and Christmas, Easter and Valentine's Day varieties. I didn't like these that much, probably because of the candy shell - it just didn't go well with an otherwise perfectly fine Hershey's Kiss. But the real Achilles heel for this candy came when Hershey's decided to use cheaper fats instead of cocoa butter to cut costs. After four years on the market, Hershey's decided to finally kiss these goodbye in 2009.
6. Wonka Donutz
Donuts and candy? Who thought of that? Wonka Donutz were a donut-shaped chocolate coated with sprinkles, and filled with creamy chocolate. I've always thought this was a strange combination for a candy. There was also a limited-edition "blood berry" version, which was perfect for Halloween. But even the release of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was not enough to spark interest for this candy, which was soon discontinued due to low sales.
7. 3 Musketeers Truffle Crisp
Mars decided to go the Twix route with 3 Musketeers Truffle Crisp, which featured whipped-up fluffy chocolate and a crisp layer of truffle. We have yet another candy that just wasn't popular enough to be kept on the shelves. I never did get to try this, which is too bad, considering 3 Musketeers is my favorite candy.
8. Extreme Creme Taste Oreo O's
Oreos were once available in a cereal called Oreo O's. Then there was Extreme Creme Taste Oreo O's, which featured Oreo O's with marshmallow bits. The commercials for this were pretty cool, with a human-shaped marshmallow dancing all around. Sadly, after 10 years on the market, these were discontinued in 2007 (although you can still get the standard Oreo O's in South Korea, oddly enough). The petition game to bring these back is pretty strong. Maybe one day we can all enjoy Oreo cereal again.
9. Uh-Oh! Oreos
Essentially the opposite of the traditional Oreo that we've come to know and love, Uh-Oh! Oreos had two golden cookies with a layer of chocolate in the middle. Did Oreos drop the ball with these? Well... maybe they knew they wouldn't last, based on the "Should we make more? Tell us!" text seen on the packaging above. These were cleverly re-branded into what we now know as the Golden Chocolate Oreo. Check out this article for more interesting facts about "Milk's Favorite Cookie."
10. Hershey's Swoops
Who ever thought there could be a candy shaped like a potato chip? Well, Hershey's did, and they introduced Swoops in 2003. With flavors like York Peppermint Pattie, Almond Joy, Reese's and White Chocolate Reese's, this candy offered something for everyone. Hats off for the innovation factor, Hershey's. Swoops certainly looked cool. Based on the shape, you would think there would be a potato chip underneath, right? Wrong. What a letdown. But, Swoops was actually a letdown on a number of levels, and it was discontinued in late 2006. Swoops? More like oops. I guess non-traditional candies just don't sell that well.
These are just some of the wacky, non-traditional sweets out there. By no means is this list exhaustive. In fact, this is only the beginning, as more bizarre treats are bound to hit the market in the future. If you see a unique-looking sweet during your next trip to the grocery store, try it. Because one day, it may very well end up on a list like this, and you will be kicking yourself for not trying it. You know the old saying: you never miss something until it's gone.