Discontinued Pop-Tart Related Products We May Never Eat Again

Is there a more distinctive breakfast memory for kids of the 1990's and early 2000's than scarfing down a steaming, fresh-out-of-the-toaster Pop-Tart on the way to the school bus stop? We didn't think so. Pop-Tarts, the ready-made breakfast pastries which have been filling the mouths of craving kids and adults alike since 1964, are still going strong in the modern toasters of today, with dozens of different flavors up for grabs on grocery store shelves across the nation.

But your typical stuffed-and-frosted, standard Pop-Tart isn't the only Pop-Tarts product to be devoured by craving consumers. Plenty of branch-off variations of the originals treat (such as the currently-offered Pop-Tarts Bites or Crunchy Poppers, for example) have been produced and put out on a rotating basis by Pop-Tarts' parent company, Kellogg's, over the years, providing some flavor and textural variety for fans of the classic pastry. However, not every creative Pop-Tarts spin-off snack has stuck around for the long haul. Many have been discontinued with the passage of time — leaving behind a heap of disappointed consumers plagued by cravings they can no longer satisfy. From cereals to snacking sticks to buttery combos, here are some discontinued Pop-Tarts related products we may never eat again.

"Bring back 'Go Tarts!'" reads the title of a petition on change.org. Just as the name of this online plea suggests, shoppers across the nation miss this particular branch-off product, which resembled a thicker, longer version of a standard Pop-Tart that was similar in size and shape to a standard granola bar. Unlike original Pop-Tarts, which require a bit of toasting prior to eating, the Go-Tarts snack needed no warming ahead of time: simply unwrap, and go. In the minds of many eaters, this made them superior for on-the-go munching, with nostalgic shoppers on online platforms praising the Go-Tarts for having been significantly less crumbly than the real thing.

Despite this alleged ease-of-eating, however, the Go-Tarts had a relatively short run on the market, coming out in 2006 and then ultimately being discontinued in 2008. Though the reasons surrounding the product's quick demise are unknown, one thing's for sure: many shoppers feel that its cancellation was unnecessary, and unwarranted. Though we suppose there's a chance Kellogg's might one day resurrect these irresistible Pop-Tart bars, it's been a long time since their disappearance. We'd say a Go-Tarts resurgence is likely a no-go in this case — pun (unfortunately) intended.

The 1990's brought with it many memorable contributions to society. Ripped jeans, the rise of MTV, Beanie Babies ... and Pop-Tarts Crunch, of course. According to the Pop-Tarts official website, the rumor that consumers were breaking up original Pop-Tarts and dropping them into bowls of milk is what inspired the iconic cereal's official creation. Pop-Tarts Crunch debuted in 1994, and came in boxes of Frosted Strawberry and Frosted Brown Sugar Cinnamon breakfast cereal flavors — both of which had shoppers drooling.

But after a brief run filling cereal bowls and satisfying hungry Pop-Tart-and-milk craving customers everywhere, the mouth-watering cereal mysteriously dropped off the map after only a year on the market. This lead many to wonder what happened to Pop-Tarts Crunch. The answer, disappointingly, was discontinuation. However, more than 20 years later, customers would see an updated version of the long-forgotten Pop-Tarts Crunch appear in grocery stores yet again, under a different name. Pop-Tarts Cereal, in a seeming attempt to resurrect the mid-nineties product, was released in 2019, but has since also faded from the shelves, just as its predecessor did. Some things just aren't meant to be, and perhaps a Pop-Tarts cereal is one of them.

Beef sticks, pretzel sticks, cheese sticks — the best snacks seem to come in stick form. So why wouldn't this logic also apply to everyone's favorite pre-packaged breakfast pastry, as well? The Pop-Tarts Snak Stix were released just as the world was entering into the first years of the 21st century, offering consumers an on-the-go sweet treat that could easily be eaten one-handed with no warming required. Released in Cookies & Cream, Caramel Chocolate, Double Chocolate, and Frosted Berry flavors, the Snak Sticks became an instant hit. Even the popular play oven, Easy Bake, had a Snak-Stix-making kit for children at home.

But despite all this promotion and the general popularity of stick-shaped snacks, the Pop-Tarts Snak Stix were slashed from the Kellogg's lineup in 2003. Though no reason for this cancellation was ever made public, it hasn't stopped some customers from reminiscing about a potential comeback. They're the subject of a Reddit post under the subreddit r/nostalgia, with one user commenting: "I knew I didn't dream this!!" Given the lengthy period of time that has passed since life was this particular Pop-Tarts branch off filled our pantries, however, we'd say the likelihood of a resurgence is slim. But who knows? Crazier things have certainly happened in the realm of processed snacks.

When it comes to people who love Pop-Tarts and their many glorious flavors, most have a clear preference when it comes to the elements composing the product — either the sweet filling within the pastry is considered the "best" part, or the slightly crumbly crust which surrounds it. For those who prefer the latter, Pop-Tarts developed one snackable variant that was composed solely of breading: the Pop-Tarts Mini Crisps. 

The Pop-Tarts Mini Crispswere individually-packaged bags of miniature crunchy Pop-Tart-shaped cookies that contained none of the gooey filling for which the original Pop-Tarts are known. This made them the perfect alternative for consumers who prefer the outside portion of the standard pastries ... until, of course, this filling-less take fell victim to the chopping block known as discontinuation. Interestingly enough, a separate yet similar product was reintroduced years later, and is still offered in grocery stores today — only, the angle has been shifted. The currently-offered Pop-Tarts Bites, while being similar in size and style to the Mini Crisps, are stuffed full of Pop-Tarts filling, with many customers reporting that the Bites feel even more heavily filled than original Pop-Tarts pastries. Why both of these snack-sized products have fallen on either taste preference extreme, we can't say ... but we do wonder whether one day, the snack gods will gift us with a bite-sized Pop-Tart that falls in the happy medium between stuffing and shell.

Who says butter always has to have the standard creamy and subtly salty flavor we're used to? The company Banner Butter challenges this very convention, creating small batches of uniquely-flavored butters with which to cover your toast, pasta noodles, or roasted veggies. On its website, Banner Butter offers up flavors like Balsamic Fig & Caramelized Onion, Dark Chocolate, or Cinnamon, Cardamom & Ginger, to name a few. But one product you'll no longer see listed among its eccentric offerings are the Pop-Tarts butter pairing kits.

In 2021, Banner Butter — in an exciting brand mash-up – came together with Kellogg's Pop-Tarts to create the Pop-Tarts x Banner Butter kits. These pre-packaged sets came with both brands' most celebrated flavors, purposely placed so that they could be paired together. Buyers could sample a dollop of half-melted BBQ Butter atop a fresh-from-the-toaster Cherry Pop-Tart, for example, or a Smoked Sea Salt square spread over a Frosted S'mores pastry. While these specialty kits no doubt took many taste buds to an indulgent breakfast paradise, they were only offered for a limited time. The good news? You can buy all the elements separately with a simple grocery store visit, and an order from Banner Butter's website. Recreating your favorite Pop-Tart combo is, indeed, still possible. Let that sink in like melted butter for a second.

Pop-Tarts and peanut butter, Pop-Tarts and a sprinkle of cinnamon, Pop-Tarts and vanilla yogurt — consumers have tried all sorts of combinations over the years in an attempt to spice up their favorite on-the-go breakfast. But what takes first place for the most unique pairing ever attempted? That title would likely have to go to the Crocs-and-Pop-Tarts combo.

In 2023, a delightfully-bizarre mash-up was released to the masses. The Crocs shoes company teamed up with the Kellogg's Pop-Tarts team to create a one-of-a-kind kit known as the Pop-Tarts Croc-tarts. A pair of all-white slip-on Crocs were packaged together with a variety of extra-creative Jibbitz — the shoe charms specifically designed to adorn the Crocs collection. The Jibbitz that came with the Croc-tarts kits were, of course, Pop-Tarts-themed, giving customers the opportunity to decorate their new shoes with adorable, swirly-frosted miniature pastries. The best part? Real Pop-Tarts, as well as edible Jibbitz candy, were also included — meaning that snacking while expressing yourself artistically via your newest pair of kicks was the delicious reality in this case. Sadly, there were only a limited number of Pop-Tarts Croc-tarts made, and only a select number of lottery-winning consumers scored one of these coveted kits. Will those of us who missed out ever have a second chance? That remains to be seen.

What is it about sweet and spicy that appeals to us? Is it the intriguing journey on which it takes our taste buds, offering a flavor contrast so shocking it somehow ... works? Whatever it is, if you're a fan of saccharine snacks with a bit of a kick, then boy, do we have the perfect creative Pop-Tarts brand collaboration for you.

The Pop-Tarts x Tajín kits were a 2022 brand mashup between Kellogg's most celebrated ready-made breakfast pastry and the seasoning company, Tajín. The pack consisted of Tajín's Clásico Seasoning and its Fruity Chamoy Hot Sauce paired with some notable fruit-forward Pop-Tarts flavors, such as Peach Cobbler and Frosted Strawberry, among others. The intention was to give customers the ability to get creative with their morning pastry toppings and push the boundaries on flavor, as well as provide a sample of that perfect, sweet-and-spicy zing that so many eaters crave. Sadly, these Pop-Tarts-spice kits were limited-edition only: a crushing blow for those who ended up believers in the unconventional combination. The good news is that both Tajín and Pop-Tarts can still be found in the aisles of endless grocery stores across the United States. If you've got a craving, there's nothing to stop you from throwing together your very own spiced pastry. There is hope for satisfying your craving yet.