Stranger Things And Nature Valley Bring Back A Lost 80s Snack — And It's Upside Down Delicious

The last time anyone saw Peanut Butter Boppers, it was 1989 — and their disappearance remains a mystery. Just a few years prior, General Mills had launched the decadent snack bars to immediate fanfare. Each box contained six creamy, dreamy peanut butter logs all rolled up in a crispy, crunchy coating. 

In an era when majorly popular granola bars were bland, hard-baked, flat, and rectangular, cylindrical Boppers were way out there with their Fudge Graham, Honey Crisp, and Cookie Crunch toppings. And let's not forget the futuristic foil wrappers. You could put a Peanut Butter Bopper in your lunchbox or back pocket, and it always stayed blissfully fresh.

Many Gen-X hearts broke the day Boppers were discontinued without explanation. But thanks to burgeoning '80s food nostalgia and the Netflix show "Stranger Things," Peanut Butter Boppers have been magically pulled from the Void. Get ready for the final season with nostalgic Nature Valley Fudge Chip Boppers (circa Hawkins 1985). They're still extraordinary.

You won't find Nature Valley Peanut Butter Boppers at your neighborhood supermarket — even if it's a Bradley's Big Buy. This retro revival is exclusively available online at sreppob.com (that's Boppers spelled backwards, wink wink), while supplies last. Priced at $19.87, your box of Fudge Chip Boppers arrives in a limited-edition Upside Down Survival Kit, along with a special T-shirt and recipe card. 

While there's a limit of one per customer, fans are sure to snag this beloved snack at supernatural speed. If you miss the drop, don't despair. From December 5 to 8, Nature Valley is giving away 250 free boxes. Enter your info on the Boppers website for a chance to win, or launch your own Boppers lab experiment at home (it would make for a fun watch party). 

The Nature Valley website offers a DIY recipe concocted with peanut butter, butter, powdered sugar, chocolate, and your favorite crunchy toppings. We heard through the grapevine that more nostalgic snacks and surprises may be hiding in the shadows on Nature Valley's TikTok and the "Stranger Things" Instagram.

It's hard to remember exactly what Peanut Butter Boppers tasted like 40 years ago (gulp), but one bite of Fudge Chip brought me back to the glory days of PB Max and Kudos bars, and after-school snacks in front of the TV. Bordering on candy-bar territory, these peanut butter logs definitely evoke a time when "wholesome" was defined a little differently than today. 

Boppers are not high in protein or low in sugar, but they are nostalgically delicious. The peanut butter center is light and soft, but dense enough to satisfy. The outer coating adds textural contrast with fun pops of crispy rice cereal and fudgy chocolate chips. The magic is all due to the remarkable balance of sweet, salty, creamy, and crunchy elements. It's every indulgent craving you've ever had, all rolled up into one bite.

According to a General Mills press release, the "Stranger Things" Boppers revival has returned to delight with its original '80s recipe. Comparing the 1985 box to the 2025 box, peanut butter remains the first ingredient. The remainder of the list is similar, but more concise and recognizable. That's probably a good thing.

Should you throw down for this throwback? For nearly $20, I was slightly miffed that the new box came with only four peanut butter snacks instead of six. But upon further research, I discovered the comeback bars clock in at 1.98 ounces and 290 calories each. The original bars weighed in at 1 ounce and 160 calories each. Maybe this is the Upside Down version of snack shrinkflation.

Of course, packaging and overall enjoyment count a lot, too. For the show's fan base of "Strangers" and "Nerds," the special, limited-edition Upside Down Survival Kit could be a rad collectible. The Boppers box gets dusted off and glitzed up with snazzy "Stranger Things"-inspired chromatics. And, the retro black-and-white ringer tee (note, it arrives in size L) is a cool nod to retro '80s style. 

Overall, the limited-edition "Stranger Things" survival kit is a fun, backward bop in time. Without the TV tie-in, Nature Valley Fudge Chip Peanut Butter Boppers are still genuinely tasty treats for snack nostalgists and curious newbies alike. Just hold on to that DIY Boppers recipe in case of emergency. This limited-edition treat is sure to be a sell-out.