11 Classic Candies From The 90s We Wish We Could Have Back

If you were a child or sweet-toothed adult in the 1990s, there's a good chance that your daily sugar quota consisted largely of neon-packaged confections promoted by pretty wild cartoon mascots that somehow made you want whatever they were hawking (looking at you, Bart Simpson). But Bart wasn't the only one bringing sugary goodness to the table. In a decade marked by dial-up internet (yes, really), slap bracelets (we can still remember that sound, and sting on the skin), Beanie Babies, and Blockbuster, times were indeed pretty sweet.

Candy companies back in the day really went for it with out-of-the-box ideas. This was apparent in everything from the in-your-face marketing to attention-grabbing ingredients (they actually sold candy that "painted" your tongue a rainbow of hues). Basically, the brighter, zingier, or fizzier the taste and feel of candies back then, the more the 1990s companies went for it — and customers ate it right up (literally).

These sugary favorites became synonymous with the quintessential 1990s experience. And then one day? Some of our favorites were gone. Discontinued. It was a dark day, and we still mourn. Here are the 11 classic candies from the 1990s we seriously wish would make a comeback.

If you were a kid in the 1990s, you have at some point possibly wondered what happened to the discontinued Butterfinger BBs. This is because Butterfinger BBs was basically the candy that made every 1990s kid feel like they'd won the lottery if they were lucky enough to snag one from the snack aisle. These bite-sized treats were first introduced to the market in the early 1990s and consisted of tiny peanut buttery chocolate balls that made standard Butterfingers even more delicious (or at least more fun) to eat.

These mini PB-choco-balls had all of the winning characteristics: crunchy, sweet, rich, chocolatey. They were also easy to pop in your mouth and enjoy munching on during everything from movie nights to sleepovers, and even sneaking a snack when no food was allowed (looking at you, library stacks and gym class).

Add to that convenience factor the unforgettable Simpsons promos (including commercials starring the iconic 1990s know-it-all Bart Simpson, who also loved these poppable PB candies, of course), and these little morsels became the picture of peak mall era energy. Avid BBs appreciators still wax nostalgic about the candy to this day, declaring that the mini-take on Butterfingers tasted even better than the original candy bar (likely because the crunchy texture is more balanced when enjoyed in bite-sized bits).

You could say that Lollipop Paint Shop was a master "stroke" of genius, as this sugary treat really did feature edible strokes — paint strokes, that is, consisting of a paintbrush-shaped lollipop with powdered candy "paint." This paint came in super bright colors (think near-psychedelic rainbow hues of blue, green, purple, and red). Kids (and let's be honest, adults too) would dip the hard candy brush into the oh-so-sugary powder, and basically turn their mouths into their own sticky Monet.

While our neon masterpieces-in-the-mouth may not have been priceless on a monetary scale, they certainly were tasty. Parents may not have been the biggest fans, but nineties kids thought it was totally rad. We'd strut around with stained tongues, grape-purple lips, and sugar-dusted fingertips, just knowing we were the coolest cats around. You could say we painted quite the picture of ourselves as not only kids with excellent taste, but also as lowkey artists.

When Lollipop Paint Shop disappeared from shelves, it was devastating, as for many '90s kids, grabbing a "pail" from the local convenience store was a near-daily after-school experience. Today, you can still find '90s kids thinking about it randomly and oh-so-wistfully.

You could say '90s peeps had a ball noshing on these next sweet, chocolatey treats. We're talking about the Wonder Ball, which was actually called the Magic Ball when Nestlé first launched it into our snacking stratosphere during the middle of the decade. Wonder Balls were hollow, thin chocolate orbs that unlocked a serious sense of glee when you cracked open the outer shell. Inside, you could find tiny toys, often inspired by a Disney character.

This hidden gem reveal somehow made the entire experience not only chocolatey delicious, but also a magic trick of sorts, resulting in a fun reward to boot. Think of it like a mouthwatering treasure hunt that kids looked forward to smashing (double-entendre definitely intended). Maybe it was the winning combination of both the interaction and unpredictability that made it such a big hit.

Unfortunately, concerns about choking hazards connected to the small toys inside each treat led to the product disappearing in 1997. While Nestlé later revived Wonder Ball with candy pieces replacing the toys, it ended up selling the brand in 2004. The Wonder Ball eventually vanished for good — a disappearance that still stings for plenty of nostalgic snack lovers.

Remember Sodalicious, the old-school candy Betty Crocker rolled out in the early 1990s? These soda-inspired fruit bites were even shaped like mini cola bottles and mugs, really selling the whole schtick. Flavors were on-brand, too, with tastes like cherry cola, orange soda, and root beer transforming soda sips into chewy gummies. As if this weren't a fun enough charade in itself, one more genius gimmick was hiding in this candy's recipe. There was an actual fizzing coating on the candy, so as you munched on your soda-inspired sweet, you actually got a similar tingly sensation to downing a carbonated cola.

Mimicking that exact experience of taking a real soda swig sent fans into a tizzy. For neon windbreaker-bedecked, TGIF sitcom-watching '90s kids, that infusion of fizz felt pretty mind-blowing. It was just so indicative of a decade known for not holding back. Unlike your standard, run-of-the-mill gummies (looking at you, Amazin' Fruit), Sodalicious set itself apart from boring bites by leaning fully into the bit.

Fans still remember the old-school snacks fondly, which comes as no surprise considering they were such a unique combination of fruity flavors and a fizzy, sugary coating. Unfortunately, the soda magic fizzled, with the '90s candy disappearing in 1998 after sales started to decline in 1995. Although you can find the likes of cola-flavored gummies today, nothing quite captures that same Sodalicious sparkle.

Another candy that is among the '90s junk food we miss most is Fruit String Thing. This was a truly iconic candy that somehow managed to turn your standard snack time into a fun, interactive activity, which is probably why so many 1990s kids still remember it with so much affection. Betty Crocker (under General Mills) first brought this treat out in 1994, showcasing a stretchy, fruity snack in fun, moldable shapes such as sunglasses or racetracks.

Thanks to this inventive design, rather than just noshing on it, consumers could peel away the sugary strings piece by piece, then have a field day playing with their food. Kids would have a blast braiding, shaping, and eating the candy threads. The sky was the limit when it came to the sticky, messy, imaginative scenarios one could create with this super fun stringed candy. Unsurprisingly, the sweet became a lunchbox staple, holding its own as a formidable rival among similar iconic selections as Fruit Roll-Ups, Fruit Gushers, and Fruit by the Foot.

Commercials focused on highlighting the creativity factor, encouraging kids to twist and shape the strings however they wanted before getting their grub on. Sadly, Fruit String Thing eventually disappeared, leaving fans pining for a comeback.

Bubble Beepers were little gum containers that resembled actual pagers (known as beepers, for you Gen Z, Gen Alpha, and future readers out there). This design already sparked something in kids that made them feel instantly cool — even if, realistically, the only actual calls they'd ever get back then involved invitations to ride bikes around the cul-de-sac and maybe grab some ice cream before sunset.

But back to those beepers. Clipped onto a belt loop or backpack, Bubble Beepers did indeed seem to separate the popular crowd from the rest of the minions (at least on the middle school playground). It was automatically way cooler than carrying gumsticks around willy-nilly. And that's just the outer packet. Inside the plastic pager-shaped case were sticks of gum wrapped with tiny pager-style messages, like "See You Later!"

The whole thing was marketing magic, capitalizing on the communication craze of the '90s, when pagers were giving peak trending energy, right before flip phones hit the scene and took center stage. Fans of the gum still remember the satisfying snap they'd hear when the container popped open, as well as the super-specific powdered bubble gum smell that nearly everyone can close their eyes and summon in reverie instantly. Even after the gum was gone, kids kept the containers around, reusing them for Band Aids or tiny treasures, just not willing to let it all go.

We've shared the old-school snacks you won't find in vending machines anymore, and among them is PB Max. This is 100% an old-school candy bar that more than deserves a comeback. Rolled out by the Mars company at the dawn of the decade, but gone a couple of years later, this candy bar combined creamy peanut butter, crunchy cookie, oats, and milk chocolate into one palm-sized snack that really pandered to the mall court crews of the era. 

Imagine being a kid, having just finished your afternoon sesh of playing Super Nintendo with friends. You slap on your LA Gears, zip up your windbreaker, maybe even crimp your hair, then head to your buddy's and settle in to watch some "Saved by the Bell," PB Max in hand. It didn't get much better than that, man. The chocolate-PB hybrid candy really did have it all, and it wooed fans with its rich, crunchy, and sweet characteristics.

It reportedly sold quite well, which makes its discontinuation especially perplexing. The reason most often repeated over the years sounds almost too bizarre to be true, attributing PB Max's grand exit to the Mars family supposedly disliking peanut butter. It's definitely difficult to wrap one's head around anyone not adoring the nutty spread, but that explanation has fueled decades of frustration among fans who still aren't over it, and continue to hunger for a PB Max comeback.

Another (frustrated) query often voiced by sweet-toothed snackers of the 1990s tackles the baffling decision to discontinue Life Savers Holes. After all, these candies seemed perfect for the era, which lovingly embraced all things zany and out-of-the-box. Life Savers Holes checked both those boxes, where one can almost imagine marketers looking at the famous ring-shaped candy before questioning, "Dude, what if we just sold the middle part?" 

And hole-y moly! It worked. Flung into the decade's sea of snacks, Life Savers Holes turned the tiny centers of classic Life Savers into bite-sized candies kids could pour directly into their mouths. They were fun, portable, and yummy, and somehow felt cooler than regular Life Savers (maybe because anything newfangled is almost instantly guaranteed to excite, especially in the 1990s).

The candy's history became even more interesting because of the urban legends tied to the original Life Savers shape. Some people claimed inventor Clarence Crane added the famous hole after a tragic choking accident involving his daughter, but that story is total hoo-hah. In reality, Crane came up with the ring shape in 1912 while aiming to create a product that wouldn't melt during the summer. The clever design has been iconic for generations, but unfortunately, Life Savers Holes disappeared almost as quickly as they arrived, vanished for good in 1991. While the candy sold about 40 million packages in less than a year, its downfall was a string of incidents in which teenagers gagged on the packaging. Fans still remember those sweeter times spent popping tiny candies during TGIF snackfests to this day.

Looking back, it was probably lucky that Thumb Suckers were launched in the 1990s, a time known for its off-the-wall treats. After all, these silly lollipop sweets looked exactly like gargantuan cartoon thumbs, complete with a removable rubber thumb cover that slipped over the sucker itself. Naturally, the first thing every '90s kid did was immediately shove the rubber cap onto their own thumb and get to work.

The actual lollipop came in bright, can't-miss colors and fruity flavors, while the outer covering had a strange, waxy, rubbery texture people still recall distinctly, decades later. Much of the appeal assuredly came from the sheer novelty of it all, that sensory experience of slowly peeling away the powder-dusted rubber shell. It felt soooooo satisfying for some reason, even if plenty of people have admitted the candy itself tasted odd (borderline horrid).

Still, that never stopped '90s kids from begging the parentals for one at grocery store checkouts, or showing them off to pals on the playground. Diehard fans still share recollections online, recalling things like the bizarre smell and texture, and even the habit of chewing on the rubber thumb after finishing the sucker. Not everyone understood Thumb Suckers, but maybe that was part of the charm.

While TasteTations may not have reached the legendary status level of some other 1990s candies, the folks who did love them really loved them. Hailing from the beloved Hershey's company, these creamy hard candies debuted in the mid-1990s, bringing a wee bit of fancy to the candy scene. You see, rather than sticking to the standard, run-of-the-mill fruit flavors holding court in the snack aisle, TasteTations gleaned their flavor inspiration from the likes of chocolate mint, caramel, peppermint, butterscotch, and classic chocolate.

For kiddos living in days filled with Fruitopia and fanny packs, these slightly elevated candies felt lowkey sophisticated, while still managing to bring the fun. Plus, they had sugar — like, need we say more? Then there was their unique combination of texture and flavor. They were hard candies, yet accomplished an uncanny feat of bringing creamy, smooth, almost velvety rich flavor to the palate, where they melted in your mouth like the sweetest butter imaginable (Jolly Ranchers could never!)

We adult fans still remember them fondly. Unfortunately, TasteTations disappeared, despite having a loyal following. Even now, candy lovers go online, still hunting for similar sweet treat replacements, hoping something captures the same creamy flavor combination. (Spoiler alert: It never does.)

You could say that Twizzlers walked so Starburst Fruit Twists could run, but sadly, the OGs outlasted the new kids on the block. Starburst rolled out its version of the chewy, twisted ropes with a few bold fruity flavors (the ones the company was already famous for featuring in its popular candy squares, but this time in gummier, far stretchier strands of sugary fun) in the mid-1990s.

And while the twists appeared similar in many ways to their Twizzlers predecessor, these treats had plenty of their own fans. Some still rave online about the intense flavor of the Starburst Fruit Twists, especially compared to other candies.

Even now, people insist they still scan candy aisles hoping for a surprise comeback, which says everything about the now decades-long obsession surrounding these things. Even the bizarre claymation commercials from the 1990s left a lasting impression. Nobody seems entirely sure why Starburst Fruit Twists disappeared, but some fans never really got over losing them.