17 Discontinued Cereals That Kids Still Miss
Remember Saturday mornings when you’d wake up early just to catch cartoons with a bowl of sugary cereal? Those days brought some truly magical breakfast creations that turned ordinary milk into colorful, flavor-packed experiences. Unfortunately, the cereal aisle has said goodbye to many beloved brands over the years, leaving generations of kids (now adults) yearning for just one more taste of their childhood favorites.
These discontinued cereals didn’t just disappear quietly—they left lasting impressions on everyone who experienced their unique flavors, fun shapes, and memorable mascots. Here is a list of 17 discontinued cereals that kids still miss to this day.
French Toast Crunch
French Toast Crunch debuted in 1996 and was discontinued in 2006, featuring maple-flavored miniature pieces of French toast sprinkled with cinnamon. The cereal became a household favorite among kids but faced poor sales in the mid-2000s. Consumer demand was so strong that General Mills brought it back to U.S. shelves in late 2014 after eight years of passionate requests from fans.
Pop-Tarts Crunch
Introduced in September 1994, Pop-Tarts Crunch came in two varieties: Frosted Brown Sugar Cinnamon and Frosted Strawberry, with the tagline ‘They’re Pop-Tarts for your spoon’. The cereal consisted of itty-bitty Pop-Tarts that looked like real-life foods that had been shrunk down. Despite celebrity endorsements from ’90s icons like Marla Sokoloff, Kellogg’s discontinued it after just one year in 1995.
Hidden Treasures
Every piece of cereal in Hidden Treasures was a mystery—some crispy corn squares contained fruit-flavored fillings (cherry, grape, or orange) while others were plain. General Mills released this treasure hunt cereal in the early 1990s and discontinued it by 1995. Kids loved the surprise element of not knowing which pieces would burst with fruity flavor in their mouths.
Crazy Cow
Crazy Cow came in chocolate and strawberry flavors, with each piece coated in flavored powder that dissolved into the milk—the chocolate variety ‘made its own chocolate milk’ while strawberry created pink fruity milk. Despite this clever gimmick, Crazy Cow didn’t make it out of the ’70s. The concept was brilliant because it understood that the best part of cereal was often the flavored milk left behind.
S’mores Crunch
Introduced in 1982, S’mores Crunch involved chocolate-coated graham cracker pieces mixed with marshmallows, bringing the campfire experience to breakfast tables. General Mills only sold this super-sweet cereal until 1988. While Kellogg’s later created Smorz cereal, fans insist it never lived up to the original’s delicious and nostalgic taste.
Mr. T Cereal
Created by Quaker Oats in 1984, Mr. T Cereal was a sweetened corn and oats breakfast cereal shaped like the letter ‘T’ and marketed around the famous 1980s actor. Children loved it, and it remained on shelves for more than a decade before being discontinued in 1993. Essentially a rebranded Cap’n Crunch, it was immortalized in Pee-wee’s Big Adventure and became one of the first cereals based on a real person.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Cereal
Invented in 1989 by Ralston, this cereal capitalized on the popular TV series with Chex-like ‘Ninja Nets’ and themed marshmallows including turtle weapons and pizza shapes. The cereal itself was supposed to look like little nets, but it was essentially just Chex—though kids didn’t care because they loved it, along with the plastic bowls it was packaged with. It remained successful until 1992 when it was discontinued due to market saturation of TMNT merchandise.
Nerds Cereal
Launched in 1985 by the Willy Wonka Candy Company, Nerds Cereal was basically candy disguised as breakfast, featuring a dual-chambered box that allowed kids to mix and match flavors. Each box was a colorful feast for the eyes and palate, becoming an ’80s hallmark that kids couldn’t resist. It had some initial success but was discontinued around 1988 due to health concerns over its high sugar content and artificial coloring.
Ice Cream Cones Cereal
General Mills brought Ice Cream Cones to grocery stores in 1987, featuring cone-shaped pieces in vanilla and chocolate chip flavors with a character named Ice Cream Jones. While some people can stomach cookies for breakfast, ice cream cereal was apparently a step too far—it was off shelves by 1987. It did make a brief comeback in 2003 when General Mills brought it back to honor the ice cream cone’s 100th anniversary.
Smurf-Berry Crunch
This fruity, bright red and purple cereal was inspired by The Smurfs, one of the most beloved Saturday morning cartoons of the ’80s, launching in 1982. The colorful, fruit-flavored cereal appealed to kids but had some unintended side effects—it was notorious for turning poop Smurf-blue. Smurf-Berry Crunch had a brief revival as Smurf Magic Berries, but neither version lasted long.
Waffelos
Waffelos was a waffle-shaped breakfast cereal introduced by Ralston Purina in 1979, coming in maple and blueberry flavors with an unforgettable cowboy mascot named Waffelo Bill. The bite-sized waffle cereal came in a 10-gallon hat-wearing cartoon cowboy package—the perfect combination to catch kids’ attention. It was discontinued by 1982 due to the waning novelty of its waffle shape, though it remains a cult favorite among cereal enthusiasts.
Nintendo Cereal System
Ralston introduced The Nintendo Cereal System in 1988, capitalizing on Nintendo’s gaming franchises like Super Mario Bros. and The Legend of Zelda. The cereal offered two separate flavored cereals in one box, making it a unique breakfast experience. Initially a big hit, the product was discontinued in 1989 due to over-reliance on niche gaming trends.
Strawberry Shortcake Cereal
While aimed at girls, Strawberry Shortcake cereal somehow appealed to boys too when it debuted in 1981 following the character’s success. One cereal enthusiast described it as ‘Kellogg’s Corn Pops swimming in a pool of Strawberry Quik,’ adding that the cereal was so good most people didn’t even miss having marshmallows. As competition increased, this ‘Cake’ cereal was cut ‘Short’ and discontinued in 1985.
Pac-Man Cereal
This cereal brought the arcade craze to the breakfast table, featuring Pac-Man-shaped puffs and colorful marshmallow ‘ghosts’ you could ‘chomp’ just like in the video game. The concept perfectly captured the gaming excitement of the early ’80s when Pac-Man fever was at its peak. Kids loved the interactive breakfast experience of eating the ghosts before Pac-Man, mimicking their favorite arcade game.
E.T. Cereal
General Mills’ E.T. Cereal debuted two years after the film, featuring puffed, crispy cereal shaped to look like ‘Es’ and ‘Ts’ with a flavor that nodded to E.T.’s favorite snack—peanut butter and chocolate like Reese’s Pieces. Some lucky kids even got the Grammy Award-winning storybook album recorded by Michael Jackson with their cereal boxes. Unlike the notoriously awful E.T. video game tie-in, the cereal actually did okay during its limited run.
C-3PO’s Cereal
Introduced after Return of the Jedi, C-3PO’s came to breakfast tables with the tagline ‘A new force at breakfast,’ featuring honey-sweetened oat pieces shaped like figure eights. The cereal pieces weren’t shaped like droids, spaceships, or even vaguely humanoid outlines—just loops, which seemed like a missed opportunity for Star Wars fans. Despite the iconic character tie-in, it only lasted about six months on shelves.
Kream Krunch
Kellogg’s first attempt at incorporating freeze-dried elements into cereal was Kream Krunch, which came in vanilla, strawberry, and orange flavors when it was test marketed in 1965. They debuted alongside Apple Jacks, which have stood the test of time, but Kream Krunch didn’t catch on, perhaps because the cereal would get soggy by the time the milk had softened the ice cream. Kellogg’s itself named this as one of six classics they miss, and vintage boxes have become collector’s items, with one fetching $1,200 in 2005.
Sweet Memories in Every Bowl
These discontinued cereals didn’t just provide breakfast—they transformed ordinary mornings into adventures filled with surprise flavors, fun shapes, and imaginative storylines. Many of these cereals represented the peak of creative breakfast innovation, when companies weren’t afraid to experiment with wild flavors and tie-ins to popular culture. The passionate fan campaigns and social media movements to bring back favorites like French Toast Crunch prove that these cereals created lasting emotional connections that transcend simple breakfast preferences. While we can’t turn back time to those Saturday morning cartoon sessions, the memories of these magical cereals continue to bring smiles to adults who remember when breakfast was the most exciting meal of the day.
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