Many of us lead busy lives, and we may not have a lot of time to make breakfast in the morning. Enter the Pop-Tarts. These packaged pastries have been around since 1963, offering a sweet, on-the-go breakfast that can be eaten both toasted and straight out of the package. Over all of those decades on the market, the chain has seen a wide variety of flavors come and go. These days, there are plenty of flavors to choose from, but we still can't help but miss some of the discontinued flavors that no longer grace grocery store shelves.
We've gone back into Pop-Tarts history to highlight some of the brand's most iconic flavors that are, sadly, no longer available. Perhaps you've tried these flavors in the past, or maybe you can only dream of getting to taste them in the future. Either way, this walk down Pop-Tarts memory lane might just make you crave one of those silver-pouched pastries.
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Never tried apple currant Pop-Tarts? You're not alone. This flavor was actually one of the original flavors released, making it one of the OGs of the toaster pastry industry. This was an unfrosted Pop-Tarts, without that layer of sweetness that really makes the pastry pop. Perhaps that's why it was discontinued shortly afterward. Apparently, apple currant didn't really resonate with audiences, so Pop-Tarts decided to switch it up by making an apple berry flavor instead. However, that flavor apparently didn't last long either, since it was also discontinued.
Although we never got a chance to try unfrosted apple currant Pop-Tarts, we can only imagine that they would probably be pretty tasty, especially compared to the ultra-sugary Pop-Tarts that are now in the company's lineup. After all, currant is known for its intense tartness, and without the extra layer of icing on top, it sounds like this was a pretty balanced pastry for those who don't like a ton of sweetness.
Sure, you can find plenty of rich, chocolate-based Pop-Tarts, but the brand is perhaps better known for its fruity flavors, like the beloved frosted blueberry. You may have gotten the chance to try the cherry, wild berry, or the iconic raspberry. However, grape doesn't exactly seem like it fits in here. After all, when was the last time you saw a grape danish or other type of grape pastry at your favorite local bakery? Just because it may sound strange, though, doesn't mean that frosted grape Pop-Tarts weren't absolutely beloved when they were still on the market.
Frosted grape was actually one of the first frosted flavors that the brand ever released back in 1967. It was an occasional staple of the Pop-Tarts' lineup for decades. But in 2017, it was discontinued, and many longtime fans were disappointed. By 2022, Pop-Tarts had apparently realized just how much people were missing the flavor, since the frosted grape Pop-Tarts made a comeback. In 2024, though, the flavor was once again discontinued. But who knows? Maybe it'll make a reappearance someday.
Ever have a hard time deciding what kind of Pop-Tarts flavor you want to indulge in? The age-old question of whether to choose a chocolatey or fruity flavor is one that has plagued many a Pop-Tarts lover. But at one point in the company's history, it aimed to make this decision a bit easier with its Splitz line. These included two different types of frosting and filling, split down the middle so you could enjoy both of those flavors at the same time.
The chocolate-strawberry version of this snack may have been the best. On one side, the Pop-Tarts was made with a chocolate filling and featured a chocolate drizzle on top instead of a full layer of frosting. On the other side of the pastry, you'd find that gooey strawberry filling with the neon sprinkle-covered frosting for which the brand is known. This flavor was on store shelves from 2007 to 2012 but has since been discontinued.
You have to go pretty far back in Pop-Tarts history to come across the brand's Wild! watermelon flavor. This curious Pop-Tarts variety first made its way to grocery store shelves in 1997. At that point in the brand's history, it was experimenting with new and creative flavors, and we definitely feel like watermelon fits the bill. After all, you don't see many watermelon pastries for a reason -- the fruit's moisture and light flavor makes it difficult to distill into pastry form. But, alas, Pop-Tarts gave it a try.
Ultimately, it was not a try that yielded success. Just two years later, the flavor was discontinued. However, that's not to say that the company didn't try to rebrand a watermelon-flavored pastry. In 2015, the brand released a frosted watermelon Pop-Tarts as a limited edition summer treat. Not everyone liked the flavor, but we think it sounds interesting enough that we wish we would've gotten a chance to try it ourselves.
Let's be honest: Pop-Tarts are technically pastries, but they're nothing like fresh baked goods. But channeling the idea of freshly baked goods sounds like a solid strategy if Pop-Tarts are trying to tap into the real thing. Maybe that's why Pop-Tarts rolled out its peach cobbler flavor. Unfortunately, though, it wasn't around for long.
It came onto the packaged pastry scene in 2021, when it debuted alongside banana creme pie and lemon creme pie flavors. Admittedly, the orange frosting-topped pastry looked a bit off-putting, especially if you're used to eating actual fresh peach cobbler. But it still became a fan favorite anyway.
Peach cobbler Pop-Tarts did not last long, though. They were discontinued the next year, in February of 2022. For some reason, fans didn't seem to notice that they were no longer on store shelves until about a year later. Some lamented that they never even got to try it in the first place. Sounds like it's time for Pop-Tarts to bring the underrepresented product back so more of us can see what the hype is all about. And until then? You can make your own classic peach cobbler at home.
Banana seems like it would be a tricky flavor to work with. If you've ever baked with bananas before, then you know how easily they can overpower any other ingredients you're working with. So, imagine trying to wield banana flavoring in a product that doesn't actually contain actual chunks of banana. However, Pop-Tarts wanted to give it a try, debuting its banana creme pie flavor in 2021, alongside the aforementioned peach cobbler. However, just like the peach cobbler, it was discontinued shortly after hitting shelves, so it's probably one of the least recognizable flavors on this list.
According to some reviews, this banana creme pie flavor wasn't exactly amazing, with some claiming that it tastes incredibly artificial. We can't lie -- that's what we would expect from banana flavoring-spiked Pop-Tarts. All the same, it would be a nice discontinued Pop-Tarts to make a comeback with, so a larger portion of the Pop-Tarts-eating population could give them a try.
Although frosted Pop-Tarts have that sweetness and slight crunch we love in this kind of pastry, there are some frosting-less varieties that have gotten our attention over the years. One of the absolute best was French toast Pop-Tarts. This is a flavor that actually makes a lot of sense -- after all, the brand is just transforming a food that's already designed for breakfast into a more portable pastry version of the same thing. The top of the pastries featured a dusting of cinnamon sugar that was a bit messy but ultimately made them taste like actual French toast.
This Pop-Tarts flavor first made an appearance in 2004, and it was discontinued five years later, in 2009. However, it's not quite clear why they were removed from store shelves. However, many fans still remember the flavor and hope it will someday come back once again. Until that moment arrives, though, we'll have to settle for real French toast (which, luckily, you can easily make at home).
Red velvet is one of the easiest flavors to love. It has a lovely chocolatey flavor to it, along with an acidic touch that sets it apart from other flavors out there. So, it shouldn't come as too big of a surprise that Pop-Tarts decided to make a frosted red velvet flavor at one point in the company's history.
This flavor was first released in 2012, and after it spent five years on the Pop-Tarts lineup, it was eventually dropped in 2017. However, the flavor was apparently popular enough for the company to try to bring it back another time, in 2020. This time, they were renamed red velvet cupcake Pop-Tarts. By 2021, though, they were once again pulled.
These Pop-Tarts came with a red velvet pastry base and were filled with a white colored creme. White frosting and red sprinkles really topped the look off. Hopefully, someday, we'll get to see them in the wild once again.
Mint chocolate chip can be a very polarizing flavor. Some love the coolness of the mint paired with the sweetness and bitterness of chocolate. Others believe that the combo basically just tastes like brushing your teeth after eating a particularly rich dessert. Despite the flavor controversy, though, Pop-Tarts still decided to make a mint chocolate chip-flavored version of the toaster pastry. This was actually a pretty recognizable flavor in the 2000s before the company finally discontinued them.
Redditors have taken to the internet to express their disappointment over the discontinuation of the product. "When I found out they were being discontinued not so long after they were released, my kitchen cupboards were soon filled to the maximum with boxes of them," one lamented.
There's even a petition to bring the flavor back, although as of the time of writing, it had not yet broken 200 signatures. That being said, you can now snag yourself some Girl Scouts frosted thin mints Pop-Tarts instead.