15 Canned Foods We May Never See Again
If you've ever gone to the store and noticed one of your go-to canned foods is out of stock and has been for a while, unfortunately, there's a chance it's been discontinued. Whether it's because of poor sales, evolving tastes, or something else, there is quite a collection of discontinued canned foods. It's okay to wax nostalgic, but sadly, you'll likely never see them again. Of course, some companies do bring products back due to popular demand or seasonally, but I wouldn't hold your breath regarding the 15 discontinued canned foods I discovered.
Tracking down a list of products that don't exist anymore took quite a bit of work. To round up 15 canned foods we may never see again I combed through countless articles online, food blogs, Reddit forums, Instagram and Facebook nostalgia pages, and more. Whether you want to take a stroll down memory lane or simply have a few unanswered questions about some of your favorite canned foods from the past, keep reading to find out what my search taught me.
1. Campbell's RavioliOs
When they were still in production, Campbell's RavioliOs consisted of round, meat-stuffed ravioli with scalloped edges and tomato sauce. Even if you've never heard of them, you've likely heard of the brand's more popular SpaghettiOs. They have similar flavors but apparently, the shape of the pasta makes a world of difference because we don't expect SpaghettiOs to disappear any time soon. If you are feeling nostalgic for Campbell's RavioliOs, the closest you are going to get is Chef Boyardee Beef Ravioli. It's not quite the same, but considering it's still around, it's fair to assume some people prefer it.
Unlike many of the other products on this list that come from eras past, the discontinuation of RavioliOs seems to have happened quite recently. In fact, several retailers still list them on their sites. They're just out of stock and as Amazon notes, they "don't know when or if this item will be back in stock." While Campbell's RavioliOs sound delicious at face value, sadly they didn't have the staying power to stick around. Maybe it's because Campbell's SpaghettiOs are just more popular, or maybe it's because they couldn't keep up with the competition. Either way, for now, there's no return in sight.
2. Franco-American Macaroni with Cheese Sauce
Franco-American Macaroni with Cheese Sauce was exactly what it sounds like. Well, kind of. Instead of traditional macaroni noodles, it had something more like spaghetti but it's definitely a rendition of mac and cheese. While some note that the sauce was more butter and milk than cheese, you get the idea. A lackluster cheese sauce isn't all that surprising though, considering it came from a can. Even so, this now discontinued product seemed to be quite popular for a while, as is evident by its longevity on the market. First introduced in 1939, it managed to stay in production in some form until at least 2004. There was a brief pause associated with World War Two, but still, that's a considerable lifespan for any product, canned or not.
Fast forward to current times, and people who remember Franco-American Macaroni with Cheese Sauce are somewhat divided on how good it truly was. For example, commenters on a Reddit thread seem to seriously dislike it. One person went so far as to say that they ate it once and proceeded to throw it up. On the other end of the spectrum, you'll find a group on Facebook with people raving about how much they loved it and sharing their attempts at recreating it. Regardless of which camp you fall in, Franco-American Macaroni with Cheese Sauce is unlikely to return.
3. Pringles Top Ramen Chicken chips
Pringles Top Ramen Chicken chips were never meant to be a permanent thing. They were always intended to be a limited release exclusively sold at Dollar General stores. However, if you were lucky enough to snag a tin of them when they were released in 2017, you may still be able to remember just how tasty they were.
When tried, most people were amazed at just how closely Pringles Top Ramen Chicken chips tasted like the chicken-flavored packets that typically accompany instant noodles. Something about how the thin chips blended with the dusting of brightly colored chicken seasoning created the perfect fusion of both products and flavors. However, if Top Ramen didn't appeal to you, these surely wouldn't have either.
This is one of the products that we think could actually make a triumphant return. Not only did people love it, but Pringles has been known to bring back discontinued flavors. For example, they revived the honey mustard flavor thanks to fan demand. Plus, the Top Ramen Chicken flavor was already brought back for a limited time just one year after its original debut.
4. Campbell's Pepper Pot Soup
Campbell's Pepper Pot Soup went through multiple stages of popularity since its debut on the market at the beginning of the 20th century. It was one of the first soups sold by Campbell's, and considering the brand's lasting popularity, it couldn't have been all bad. Actually, it managed to stay in production until the 2010s, which is quite the feat for a simple canned soup.
Campbell's Pepper Pot Soup was inspired by the classic Philadelphia recipe, which featured spicy peppers, vegetables, tripe, other less expensive types of meat, and seasonings. The resulting stew was hearty, flavorful, and quite popular in restaurants and home kitchens for more than a century. Still, it lost a lot of its traction in the canned form, leading to its eventual discontinuation.
Just like Campbell's Tomato Soup can's history, the Pepper Pot Soup is no stranger to a bit of fame. In fact, it was featured on one of Andy Warhol's famous Campbell's Soup Cans paintings in the iconic 1962 exhibition. As a result, it will live on forever.
5. Chef Boyardee Pac-Man pasta
Chef Boyardee is no stranger to creative marketing and pairing their canned pasta with the Pac-Man video game craze of the 80s was a fantastic idea, until it wasn't. The company even produced a catchy animated commercial to create hype, but like so many other canned pastas, it eventually faded from the market. Chef Boyardee Pac-Man pasta has been referred to as an underwhelming meal, and since it's discontinued we won't dispute the opinion.
Chef Boyardee Pac-Man pasta was available in three different flavors: golden chicken flavored sauce, spaghetti sauce with mini-meatballs, and spaghetti sauce with cheese flavor. Each of the flavors featured noodles shaped like Pac-Man, his ghost adversaries (Inky, Pinky, Blinky, and Clyde), and power pellets (the dots Pac-Man ate in the game). Unfortunately, critics of the pasta say the shapes were not very precise so the label's proud display of Pac-Man was the only solid correlation. Now that it is gone for good, we may never know exactly what golden chicken flavored sauce is, but something tells us we aren't missing out on much.
6. Pumpkin Spice Spam
Every year when Fall approaches a slew of pumpkin spice products hit the shelves, but one of the most unexpected fusions of this flavor was released by none other than Spam in 2019. Spam is an acquired taste for many, but it's quite popular worldwide (even if we don't really know what SPAM stands for).
If you are one of those people who loves Spam and pumpkin spice flavored foods, the limited edition product aimed to please. It infused classic Spam with subtle flavors of clove, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice, and people couldn't get enough. In fact, it surprisingly sold out in just seven hours. Whether this is for novelty reasons or true interest, we'll never know, but somehow Spam seriously hit the nail on the head with this playful product. Sadly though, there's no word as of yet of it making a return.
Currently, Spam is growing in popularity in the United States. Experts speculate it's because of inflation and rising costs, but its limited edition pumpkin spice flavor surely didn't hurt its reputation. Martha Stewart may think pumpkin spice is out, but if Pumpkin Spice Spam is any indicator, it seems like she's wrong on this matter (something that rarely happens — long live Martha!).
7. Bugles Whistles and Daisys
Bugles still exist today, but their counterparts are a thing of the past. Of course, so is the canned format, but either way, Bugles weren't always the only shape offered. Bugles, Whistles, and Daisys (that's not a typo — it's actually spelled that way), were simultaneously released in the 1960s and came in both boxes and cans. It Sounds pretty strange to have a crispy snack food chip like Bugles packaged in a can, but the company didn't see it that way, at least not at first. Obviously, Bugles now come in a chip bag, not a can.
As the names suggest, Daisys were shaped like flowers and Whistles looked like mini train conductor whistles. Essentially, they were the same thing as the Bugles. They all shared the same flavor and texture, they were just shaped differently. However, it seems General Mills overshot a bit on this one because Daisys and Whistles are no longer available. Since horn-shaped Bugles are still around today, getting a taste of the discontinued products isn't difficult, it just has a different form. However, if you close your eyes, it isn't hard to imagine what enjoying Daisys and Whistles was like.
8. Various Progresso soups
The year 2020 came with a world of changes for everyone, including canned soup production for General Mills. While the sales of Progresso soups increased early in the COVID-19 pandemic, the company still decided to streamline its offerings in July 2020. They cut their canned soup options down from 90 varieties to about 50. Axing 40 soups may seem like a lot but considering how many they were producing, it's hard to imagine how any store could possibly stock them all. Actually, the desire of retailers to stock only the best-selling varieties seems to be the driving force behind the company's massive changes.
Admittedly, some of Progresso's discontinued canned soups started to resurface again in 2021, but many remain off the shelves, most likely for good. It's hard to say what the complete list of eliminated soups is, but one you may be missing is Creamy Potato Soup. While not as popular, Progresso's Green Pea Soup was also discontinued.
9. Chef Boyardee Spider-Man pasta
In the 80s, Chef Boyardee experimented with a myriad of different canned pastas geared toward kids; unfortunately, many didn't succeed. Even so, they stayed the course and in 1994, released Spider-Man pasta after the animated series launched. The main appeal of Chef Boyardee's Spider-Man pasta was the superhero branding. It had a big picture of Spiderman on the label and the noodles were molded to reflect the series. They came in shapes that were meant to resemble Spiderman, Spiderman's mask, and his web, and they were accompanied by a tomato sauce.
Critics of Chef Boyardee Spider-Man pasta say the noodle shapes were not very apparent. Regardless, it too eventually became another one of the company's failed attempts. Maybe there were already too many similar options on the market or maybe it was the lackluster shapes, but it is now a thing of the past. It doesn't seem to be missed as much as many of the other discontinued canned pastas from the era either.
10. Dinty Moore Meatball Stew
Dinty Moore has been around since 1935, and many of the company's canned products are a huge success. However, their Meatball Stew fell out of favor and was discontinued around 2016. According to reviews on Amazon, Dinty Moore Meatball Stew was once quite popular. Made with beef meatballs, tomatoes, potatoes, carrots, and peas in a beef broth, it was hearty and full of flavor that people loved. Even so, consumers noticed a change in quality over the years. Commenters noted that while the stew once had large meatballs, they became flatter and smaller. Changing the meatballs was probably a way for Dinty Moore to save on production costs, but it didn't work out in the end.
If you are willing to cook homemade meatballs, you can always make your own hearty stew. Or, you can opt for Dinty Moore's Beef Stew, which is still widely available and has many of the same traits. Neither will be exactly the same, obviously, but they should satisfy a craving.
11. Two Campbell's Chunky soups
Campbell's Chunky soups are known for being the epitome of a hearty stew. They are full of large chunks of meat and vegetables and as Campbell's motto boasts, "is the only soup that eats like a meal." Originally, the Chunky soup line was introduced in the 1970s, but thanks to a top-notch ad campaign featuring NFL stars, sales skyrocketed around the turn of the century. Even so, the company has since discontinued two of its less popular flavors: Philly-Style Cheesesteak Soup and Meatball Bustin' Sausage and Rigatoni Soup.
Both discontinued Chunky soup flavors are a touch out of the ordinary, which could be the reason behind their disappearance. Even so, we are sure there are some disappointed fans out there. Don't worry, though. There are still quite a few inventive Chunky soups available, including Classic and Spicy Chicken Noodle, Texas-Style BBQ Burger, Spicy Nashville-Style Hot Chicken, and more.
12. Chef Boyardee Roller Coasters
Chef Boyardee Roller Coasters are another once-popular canned pasta creation that is no longer in production. It consisted of wavy pieces of pasta (reminiscent of the ups and downs of a roller coaster track) with mini meatballs and tomato sauce. Each can boasted 20 mini meatballs and in the 80s, it was quite popular. In fact, some commenters on a nostalgia page went so far as to say it was their all-time childhood favorite. Several people even wrote to Chef Boyardee asking for its return.
Even with past consumers begging for Roller Coasters to hit the shelves again, sadly, it's unlikely it will come to fruition. After all, there are a myriad of other options available today. Still, if you remember Roller Coasters from when you were young, a similar product is unlikely to bring back the beloved memories you have associated with it for so long.
13. Altoids Sours
Altoids' motto may be "curiously strong mints," but in 2004, they took a chance and expanded their candies to include sour, fruity flavors which also came in a tin. The range of new flavors included mango, tangerine, apple, citrus, and raspberry. Traditional Altoids have their own appeal, but for anyone wanting a sweet treat instead of a potent blast of minty freshness, they were an outstanding option. At first, it seemed as if these tasty candies were here to stay but by 2010, the initial love for the alternative flavors waned. As a result, they were sadly discontinued.
Since Altoids eliminated their Sour flavors, there have been social media campaigns and petitions for their return, but even that wasn't enough to bring them back. A Change.org petition is still collecting signatures today with the hopes of convincing Altoids to reinstate the much-loved Tangerine Sours flavor. If you're one of those who is still holding out hope, make sure to add your name to the list of more than 18,000 signatures.
14. Chef Boyardee Tic-Tac-Toe's
The final canned pasta on our list (we know there have been quite a few) that you are likely to never see again is Chef Boyardee Tic-Tac-Toe's. Inside the can you found X and O-shaped pasta in a tomato sauce with cheese flavoring. It also came with or without meatballs. Seemingly, the idea behind the classic shapes was to combine entertainment and a meal in one can in order to pique kids' interest. According to a slogan, if you got three of one shape in a row on your spoon, you won. While it seemed like a good idea in the late 80s, it really wasn't much of a game at all because you didn't win anything.
Like so many other renditions of Chef Boyardee pasta products, Tic-Tac-Toe's simply didn't have the staying power to stick around. It even had an enthusiastic, catchy commercial with a fun jingle but that wasn't enough to keep it in favor. Plus, Chef Boyardee didn't even take the time to correctly edit the label — what's up with that apostrophe in the name anyway?
15. Several Trader Joe's canned pet foods
You probably didn't expect to find pet food on this list of discontinued canned goods, but why not? It's canned and it's food, just not for you. Regardless, Trader Joe's is known for its innovative line of food products and relatively inexpensive prices overall, and that includes the brand's canned pet foods. While they are not entirely a thing of the past, they have downsized the selection as of early 2022.
Two canned dog foods left the shelves: Grain Free Chicken Recipe Dog Food and Grain Free Beef Recipe Dog Food. Cat food took a slightly bigger hit with the termination of five flavors including Salmon & Rice Dinner Premium Cat Food, Ocean Fish, Turkey & Giblets Dinner Premium Cat Food, Grain Free Turkey Recipe Cat Food, and Grain Free Salmon Recipe Cat Food.
According to a statement Trader Joe's released, the flavors in question were discontinued as a result of ongoing inconsistencies in the supply chain. Basically, instead of scrambling to find the ingredients needed to produce the flavors and them frequently being out of stock, they decided to just scrap the troublesome flavors. Still, there are other pet food options available, so you won't have to make a separate trip to pick some up from another store if you're already shopping at Trader Joe's. Unless, of course, you want to.