It’s always exciting when new versions of our favorite items hit grocery store shelves—and the opposite can be truly heart-wrenching. There’s no disappointment quite like the disappointment of realizing that your favorite snack isn’t just out of stock, but rather discontinued for good. Unfortunately, we’ve seen a lot of items disappear from stores over the past year. Below, we’re rounding up a few that have left consumers with a few holes in their hearts, from Sierra Mist to Maple Cheerios.
1. Sierra Mist
Sorry, lemon-lime lovers! PepsiCo discontinued this beloved soda in January. Luckily, you can still sip on Sprite and 7-Up. But if you're a PepsiCo loyalist, don't worry—there's something new for you, too. In Sierra Mist's place, the brand introduced an entirely new drink that has a lot in common with its predecessor: Starry. The main difference between Starry and Sierra Mist is that Sierra Mist was made with cane sugar, while Starry contains high-fructose corn syrup.
2. Ronzoni Pastina
Although there were murmurs of a potential pasta shortage in 2024, the good news is that there still seems to be an ample supply of pasta in stores—except for one beloved fan favorite. That's right: the sad truth is that Ronzoni's Pastina can no longer be found on shelves this year. This pasta comes in tiny, round pieces (around 1.6mm to be exact), and it was adored by many. Unfortunately, Ronzoni reported that their supplier stopped making pastina, and they were unable to find a replacement. Fans did not take this well. "Very upset that Ronzoni is discontinuing Pastina. Fond childhood memories," one person posted on X, the website formerly known as Twitter. So sad!
3. Silk Nog
Egg Nog is a controversial beverage, but we're firm believers that anyone who wants to drink it should be able to drink it—including those who don't consume dairy. For years, Silk Nog, made from soy milk, offered a great-tasting dairy-free option. But that changed this year; fans were upset to learn that this seasonal beverage was nowhere to be found in the winter, as it usually is. Fingers crossed it'll make a comeback.
4. Atomic Fireballs
This candy was first introduced in 1954. But sadly, it's now officially a thing of the past. Production on this ultra-cinnamon-y treat stopped last year. "Though there is no mention of them being discontinued on the manufacturers website, several resellers show they will stop in May 2024," one Reddit user reported. While you may still be able to find it on shelves some places, it's not likely to be available much longer, so stock up if you can!
5. WPOP Soda
WPOP was a beloved soda from Wegmans—but sadly, it was discontinued last August. According to Wegman's, this decision was due to the fact that the drink contained artificial ingredients, going against their pledge.
"Our 'Food You Feel Good About' banner stands for no artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives. We are discontinuing Wegmans Brand Soda because it contains artificial ingredients like aspartame and high fructose corn syrup. We are committed to our mission of helping customers live healthier, better lives through exceptional food, and we want you to feel confident in our Wegmans Brand products," they wrote, as reported by WHAM 13.
"We didn't deserve you WPOP. RIP. @Wegmans breaking my heart tonight," one X user lamented.
6. Trader Joe's Hi-Protein Veggie Burger
Trader Joe's is always adding incredible new items to shelves—but that means they also have to discontinue some fan-favorites here and there. A lot of great TJ's items have been discontinued over the years, but one of the products fans were saddest to say goodbye to was the Hi-Protein Veggie Burger.
"trader joe’s discontinued the hi protein veggie burger and the corn ribs in one go i can’t breathe," one X post reads. We feel that!
7. Maple Cheerios
Despite the potential health risks at hand, we love a crunchy bowl of breakfast cereal every now and then. This is especially true when it comes to Cheerios, which are simple, slightly sweet, and so easy to munch on. Plus, they come in a few different flavors (shout-out Honey Nut Cheerios!) Unfortunately, though, the beloved Maple flavor, which fans would look forward to every fall, was recently discontinued.
"Maple Cheerios is discontinued! The best! Bring them back!" one fan begged on X. We'll keep our fingers crossed!
