1. Ecto Cooler
If you grew up in the late ’80s or early ’90s, chances are you remember the bright green juice box that seemed way cooler than anything else in your lunchbox. Ecto Cooler was a tie-in with Ghostbusters, and it had a citrusy, neon color that felt like liquid sugar fuel for recess. Parents weren’t thrilled about the dye, but kids begged for it anyway. The slime-green drink became a badge of playground pride, especially if you brought extras to trade.
When Ghostbusters faded from pop culture, so did Ecto Cooler, though it made a few short-lived comebacks. For fans, it wasn’t just a drink but a memory of watching Saturday morning cartoons and believing green slime was delicious. Today, collectors even sell old boxes online, which says a lot about its cultural pull. It’s one of those things you don’t realize you miss until someone mentions it, and suddenly you’re craving it all over again.
2. Orbitz
Orbitz wasn’t just a drink, it was an event. The late ’90s soda with floating gelatin balls inside felt like something from a sci-fi movie. Kids loved shaking the bottle just to watch the colorful blobs drift up and down like a lava lamp you could drink.
The taste, on the other hand, didn’t exactly win people over, with many saying it was too sweet or strange. Still, Orbitz had a short but unforgettable run, mainly because of its weirdness. Today, it feels like one of those “what were they thinking?” products that lived briefly but left a lasting impression. It proved drinks could be fun, even if they didn’t stick around.
3. Clearly Canadian
This sparkling fruit drink felt like the height of sophistication in the ’90s, especially for kids who wanted something fancier than soda. The tall glass bottles with pastel-colored labels stood out in the cooler section. Flavors like blackberry and cherry had a light sweetness that felt grown-up compared to Kool-Aid.
Clearly Canadian disappeared for years, becoming a nostalgic favorite that fans begged to bring back. While it has had revivals here and there, it never regained its original shelf space. For those who remember, it was like your first step into the “adult” drink world, even if it was just sparkling water with sugar.
4. Hi-C Cans
Before juice boxes took over, Hi-C came in giant metal cans that parents needed a can opener to punch holes in. One hole for pouring, one hole for air. If you were lucky, your family had a plastic spout you could stick in the top. The bright orange and fruit punch flavors were staples of summer picnics.
Eventually, packaging moved to cartons and juice boxes, and the big cans quietly disappeared. They were messy and a pain to store, but they felt like a rite of passage at family barbecues. Anyone who had to hold a sweaty metal can in the fridge will remember just how old-school they were.
5. Fruitopia
In the mid-’90s, Fruitopia was everywhere. It had psychedelic labels, colorful ads, and flavors like Strawberry Passion Awareness. The drink felt like it was made for teens who wanted something cooler than Capri Sun.
Fruitopia didn’t last long, fading into obscurity as bottled teas and waters took over. But it had a devoted fan base, and some McDonald’s locations even had it on fountain for a while. For many, it symbolized a very specific ’90s vibe: grunge, tie-dye, and weirdly named fruit drinks.
6. Jolt Cola
Before energy drinks ruled the shelves, Jolt Cola was the drink that promised “all the sugar and twice the caffeine.” It became legendary among kids, teens, and college students who wanted to feel rebellious. Just the word “Jolt” sounded dangerous.
Eventually, energy drinks like Red Bull pushed it out of the market, but not before it carved out a place in pop culture. For anyone who tried it, Jolt felt like the first “forbidden” soda your parents warned you about. It was bold, jittery, and unforgettable.
7. Squeezit
Colorful plastic bottles you could twist and squeeze made Squeezit more toy than drink. The fruity flavors weren’t groundbreaking, but the fun packaging made it feel like an event. Kids would compare colors, trade flavors, and sometimes even keep the bottles.
By the early 2000s, Squeezit was phased out, and juice pouches like Capri Sun took over. Still, it’s hard to forget a drink you had to squeeze to the last drop. It was fun, messy, and perfectly designed for lunchbox bragging rights.
8. Pepsi Blue
In the early 2000s, Pepsi took a gamble on a bright blue, berry-flavored cola. It was flashy, sweet, and very much a product of its time. Some loved it, some hated it, but it always got attention.
Pepsi Blue didn’t last long on shelves, though it still pops up in nostalgia conversations. People remember it more for its bold appearance than its taste. It was one of those experiments that showed soda companies weren’t afraid to get weird.
9. Kool-Aid Bursts
Plastic twist-top bottles filled with sugary liquid made Kool-Aid Bursts a lunchbox favorite. You didn’t just drink them, you made a production of cracking open that little plastic top. The flavors were as wild as you’d expect from Kool-Aid, from Tropical Punch to Sharkleberry Fin.
Over time, they faded as healthier options crowded them out. Still, the memory of peeling off the cap and squeezing the bottle lingers. They weren’t the best juice out there, but they were undeniably fun.
10. Tab
Before Diet Coke, there was Tab. This pink-canned diet soda was a staple in the ’70s and ’80s, especially among moms who wanted a “lighter” option. The taste was distinct, slightly bitter, and definitely not for everyone.
When Coke products expanded, Tab lost its place and eventually vanished for good. But it holds a nostalgic spot in soda history. For many, it was the background drink of their childhood—always in the fridge, even if you didn’t actually drink it.
11. Crystal Pepsi
Few drinks caused as much hype as Crystal Pepsi. A clear cola that looked like water but tasted like Pepsi, it felt like the future when it hit shelves in the ’90s. Ads promised a new era of soda, sleek and refreshing.
Unfortunately, the taste didn’t quite match the excitement, and it was pulled quickly. Still, it had cult status, with occasional limited releases that got fans excited all over again. It was more an idea than a successful product, but an unforgettable one.
12. Yoo-Hoo in Glass Bottles
Yoo-Hoo still exists, but the glass bottles from decades past were something special. They made the chocolate drink feel fancier, like a milkshake you didn’t need ice cream for. Kids loved shaking the bottle and watching the powdery mix settle at the bottom.
Today, Yoo-Hoo is mostly in cans and boxes, which somehow doesn’t hit the same. The glass bottles were a piece of nostalgia, making even a simple chocolate drink feel like a treat. It wasn’t quite milk, not quite soda, but it was uniquely its own.
13. Surge
Surge was Coca-Cola’s answer to Mountain Dew, and it leaned heavily on the “extreme” branding of the ’90s. Commercials showed kids skateboarding, bungee jumping, and generally bouncing off walls. The drink itself was bright green and full of sugar and caffeine.
It disappeared in the early 2000s but became a cult favorite online, leading to a limited comeback years later. For kids who grew up on it, Surge felt like rebellion in a can. It was messy, loud, and perfectly of its era.
14. Capri Sun Mystic Dragon
Most people remember Capri Sun, but the wild flavors like Mystic Dragon quietly vanished. The pouch with its metallic shine was a staple in lunchboxes, and flavors like this made kids feel adventurous. Mystic Dragon mixed fruits with a bit of fantasy flair, and just the name made it cool.
As the lineup streamlined, flavors like Mystic Dragon faded away, leaving behind the more classic versions. For those who had it, it’s a reminder that even small things like juice pouches could feel magical. The memory is less about taste and more about the sense of discovery.
15. Slice
Before flavored sodas became endless, there was Slice. Orange Slice, Grape Slice, and even Apple Slice offered fruity alternatives to the big colas. It was everywhere in the ’80s and early ’90s, with bold cans that made it stand out.
Eventually, it was phased out as other brands took over the fruit soda market. But for those who remember, Slice was a household staple. It wasn’t flashy, just reliable, which might be why its disappearance feels so surprising. It quietly slipped away, leaving only nostalgia behind.