They were there after school, at the park, and the best ones were always at a friend’s house. That’s right, childhood snacks. They made school lunches exciting and trips to the grocery store an adventure. Nostalgic snacks are more than just wrappers and sugar, they are time capsules of good times.
Check out our map below to see which childhood snack from the good old days is the most popular in your state.
Mapped: The Most Popular Nostalgic Snack in Every U.S. State
With nearly ⅕ of the country hooked on this edible jewelry, Ring Pops are the most popular nostalgic snacks. They are the favored treat of 9 states and the most desired in Southern states such as Florida, Louisiana, and Oklahoma. Maybe fancy Southern Belles enjoy having the bling on while they eat their candy.
Capri-Sun, Kudos, and Pop-Tarts are the second most popular childhood snacks with 5 states each. Capri-Sun, the self-proclaimed #1 kids’ drink in the world, is known for its refreshing flavors and iconic yellow straws. Naturally, this cool drink is the most popular in warmer states like Texas, Arizona, and Georgia.
Kudos may be unfamiliar to some regions because they’re exclusively the most popular in Northern states. From the Great Lakes region with Minnesota and Wisconsin to the Northeast with Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine, Kudos deserve kudos for captivating the region. They were created in the 80s with nutty fudge, chocolate chip, and peanut butter varieties. Later options carried bits of other candy, including Snickers, M&Ms, and Dove chocolate, before eventually being discontinued altogether.
Pop-Tarts are one of the most popular breakfast snacks, especially in the Midwest. Specifically, Michigan, Missouri, and Ohio each crave these delicious pastries. However, we can’t help but wonder which of the 20 flavors are their top choices. Sometimes, these can be a tough sell to parents as a breakfast option, particularly with flavors like hot fudge sundae, s’mores, and cookies & crème. Fruity options like blueberry and strawberry may be a little bit more convincing.
Finally, Go-Gurt rounds out the top 5 most popular nostalgic snacks with 4 states all in the Northwest. The best explanation for this regional popularity is as elusive as the sasquatch widely believed to live in the Northwest. Perhaps Alaska, Montana, Oregon, and Washington will reveal why they prefer yogurt on the go and out of a tube one day. For now, it is clear that dairy is the key to the heart of Westerners.
Methodology
To determine the most popular nostalgic snack in each state, we compiled a list of 28 snacks that Delish, Eat This, and Buzzfeed deemed nostalgic. Then we analyzed the search volume data of the snacks from 2004 to 2024 using Google Trends.
Closing Thoughts
No matter how long it has been since you’ve eaten your favorite childhood snacks, you can still taste the memories they hold. From snack-swapping with friends during lunch to breaking the silence on family road trips with a crinkling wrapper, the best parts of growing up live in the first bites of our favorite treats.
As you reminisce with us, we invite you to consider all the memories you could still make with some extra money. At Coventry Direct, we assist life insurance policyholders who no longer need their coverage by helping them sell it for cash. If you’re ready to sell a policy you no longer need and make some new memories, find out if you qualify today.