1. Kool-Aid Bursts
Kool Aid Bursts were the kind of drink you begged your parents for, mostly because the plastic bottles looked fun to squeeze. The colors were brighter than anything found in nature, which probably should have been our first clue. Still, there was nothing like cracking one open on a hot summer afternoon and pretending it counted as hydration. The flavors were loud too, the kind that lingered long after you tossed the empty bottle into the grass. We never questioned what was actually inside, we just liked the way it tasted like instant joy. Kids traded them in lunchrooms like currency. And even if they dyed your tongue neon blue, they were worth it.
Parents, on the other hand, probably knew exactly what was in there but chose peace over nutrition. They just wanted us quiet and entertained, and a Kool Aid Burst could do that in seconds. It bought them ten precious minutes of calm. We chugged them without a second thought and ran back outside, sugar practically humming through our veins. Looking back, it is astonishing we ever slept. But at the time, it felt perfectly normal to drink something electric colored.
2. Hi C Ecto Cooler
Hi C’s Ecto Cooler was the kind of drink that made you feel cool just holding it, especially if you were a Ghostbusters kid. The neon green color looked radioactive, but that only made it more appealing. Every sip tasted like citrus juice that had been dialed up way past reasonable limits. Lunchrooms practically revolved around who brought Ecto Cooler that day. And the little juice boxes felt strangely premium, like you were drinking something straight out of a movie.
Parents probably didn’t love the sugar content, but it was hard to resist anything tied to Slimer. We’d slurp it down and immediately want another, because moderation didn’t exist in the ’80s. It left our tongues green, our hands sticky, and our hearts full. To this day, people still talk about it like it was a cultural event rather than a beverage. That is the power of nostalgia plus food dye.
3. Sunny Delight
Sunny Delight was the drink that fooled us into thinking we were doing something healthy. The commercials practically shouted that it was packed with sunshine, even though it tasted nothing like real orange juice. But no one cared, because that icy cold orange glacier taste hit just right after school. It came in those heavy plastic jugs that always seemed to disappear faster than expected.
Adults tried to convince themselves it was a nutritious choice, which is adorable in retrospect. The ingredient list read more like a science experiment than a fruit grove. But we gulped it anyway, orange mustaches and all. It was perfect for chugging straight from the bottle when no one was looking. Sunny D had a personality, and it was “orange flavored chaos.”
4. Capri Sun
Capri Sun came in those impossible silver pouches that required both skill and luck to open without creating a sticky disaster. When you did manage to get the straw in on the first try, it felt like winning a small lottery. The drinks themselves had a vaguely tropical taste that hinted at fruit but mostly delivered sugar. But we thought the packaging was futuristic, like astronaut juice.
Parents kept buying them even though they knew we’d spill them in the car almost instantly. There was something about that pouch that made us feel older and cooler than we were. We’d sip them at recess and pretend we were camping or surfing or doing whatever the ads showed. The whole experience was half drink, half adventure. And no one questioned what was actually in it.
5. Tang
Tang was famous for being the drink astronauts supposedly used, which made it feel important even though it was basically orange sugar dust. You’d scoop a little into your glass, stir, and watch the water turn a suspicious shade of tangerine. It didn’t taste like any fruit found on Earth, but that didn’t stop us from loving it. Tang was messy too, leaving little neon orange fingerprints on everything.
It was the drink of busy mornings, hot summers, and any moment you felt like playing pretend astronaut. Parents liked it because it was cheap and lasted forever. We liked it because it felt like magic to mix. Sure, the flavor was extremely artificial, but that was part of the charm. Tang didn’t taste natural, it tasted fun.
6. Yoo Hoo
Yoo Hoo wasn’t quite chocolate milk and wasn’t quite soda, it lived in its own strange category. The flavor was like someone whispered the idea of chocolate over a vat of sugar water. Still, we adored it. The little glass bottles made us feel fancy, like miniature adults grabbing a cold drink after school.
Parents didn’t totally get the appeal, but they kept a few in the fridge because they knew it made us happy. We’d shake the bottle even though no one knew if you were supposed to. Then we’d take a sip and feel instantly revived. Yoo Hoo tasted like summer vacations, baseball games, and bike rides. It was nostalgic even while we were drinking it.
7. Jolt Cola
Jolt Cola was basically soda on overdrive. It had more caffeine and sugar than anything a child should ever consume, which of course made it wildly popular. Kids felt like rebels just holding a can. The taste itself was familiar, but the energy rush afterward was something else entirely.
Parents pretended not to notice, but they definitely knew when we’d had one. We’d be bouncing off the walls, inventing new games, talking too fast, the whole nine yards. Jolt felt dangerous in the safest way possible. It was a rite of passage for any ’80s kid trying to feel older. And honestly, it delivered exactly what it promised.
8. Hawaiian Punch
Hawaiian Punch always tasted like someone mixed together every fruit flavor they could think of and cranked up the sweetness to cartoon levels. The red color was so intense it could stain a countertop for life. But we loved that first icy sip. It made summer feel more summery somehow.
Parents bought the giant jugs and watched them disappear almost immediately. We’d pour ourselves huge glasses without a second thought. It was the drink of birthday parties and playground afternoons. And no matter how many times it spilled, we kept coming back. That red dye had an iron grip on our childhoods.
9. Crystal Light
Crystal Light felt like the “grown up” version of Tang. It mixed into water like a magic trick, turning it into something sweet and refreshing instantly. The lemonade flavor was the most popular, even though it was more “lemon-esque” than truly lemon. But it became a staple in kitchens everywhere. Adults swore it was healthier, which was debatable at best.
We’d steal a sip because it felt special, like something moms drank when they were being glamorous. It tasted light, sugary, and a little mysterious. And those little packets made it feel like a secret potion. Crystal Light was marketed as sophisticated, and as kids, we absolutely bought into that. It made us feel like we were tasting adulthood.
10. Snapple Fruit Punch
Snapple in the ’80s felt like a treat from a cooler older cousin. The glass bottles were heavy and satisfying to hold. Fruit Punch Snapple tasted like a blend of everything good and sugary in the world. It felt like a slight upgrade from our usual lunchbox drinks. And we loved reading the little facts under the caps.
Parents liked that it seemed more “natural,” though the sugar content still packed a punch. We’d savor every sip because Snapple felt fancy. It was the kind of drink you brought to the pool and guarded carefully. Even though we didn’t know what half the ingredients were, we knew Snapple made us feel cool.
11. Shasta Soda
Shasta was the affordable soda that came in every flavor imaginable, from Tiki Punch to Black Cherry. The cans always felt like they were on the verge of exploding, which added to the excitement. Kids loved it because the flavors were loud and sweet. It was practically required at birthday parties.
Parents bought it in giant packs because it was cheap and cheerful. We’d line up the cans and pick our favorite color before even thinking about flavor. Shasta tasted like pure ’80s fun. Each sip was sugary chaos in the best way. And no summer barbecue felt complete without it.
12. Squeezit
Squeezit bottles were shaped like little characters, which turned drinking into a full interactive experience. You’d twist off the cap and squeeze the bottle until the neon colored liquid shot out. It tasted like sugar first, flavor second. But those bottles were irresistible.
Parents sighed every time they saw them because they knew it meant spills and sticky fingers. We didn’t care one bit. Squeezit felt like playtime disguised as a drink. The bright colors were half the appeal. It was basically sugar water in costume, and kids loved every drop.
13. Orange Julius
Orange Julius wasn’t exactly a grocery store drink, but any mall kid from the ’80s knows it deserves a spot here. It tasted like a frothy, creamy, citrusy dream, even though no one could ever explain what was actually in it. The texture was silky in a way no natural orange drink ever is. And holding that cold cup made you feel like the coolest kid in the food court.
Parents enjoyed it too, which made it feel like a rare treat we shared. We’d sip it slowly, trying to make it last through a full mall lap. It somehow tasted fresh and artificial at the same time. And every time we passed the stand, we begged for another. Orange Julius was the unofficial drink of mall culture.
14. Faygo Redpop
Faygo Redpop was legendary in the Midwest, and its bright red color could be spotted from across a picnic table. The flavor was somewhere between strawberry and pure sugar. Kids chugged it like it was the greatest invention known to humankind. And every can felt like a little burst of celebration.
Parents bought it because it was inexpensive and crowd pleasing, even if it was essentially a carbonation and dye experiment. We’d finish one and immediately crack open another. The red fizz made every moment feel festive. And anyone who grew up with it will tell you, Redpop wasn’t just a drink, it was a memory.