DAILY DIRT: Is it time to bring some of those discontinued candies and treats?

Daily Dirt for Sunday, June 1, 2025

PB Max, anyone? … Welcome to today’s three thoughts that make up Vol. 1,302 of The Daily Dirt.

1. Have you ever walked by the candy counter at one of the local supermarkets and wonder what happened to some of your old favorites?

Well, I have. And quite often.

Here are the selections I miss most when I’m trying to decide what to treat my taste buds to:

1. Butterfinger BB’s Debuted: 1992 Retired: 2006

Butterfinger BB’s mirrored the traditional Butterfingers, but smaller and round for easy snacking. Unfortunately, the bite-sized treats disappeared around 2006, but three years later Nestle issued the similar Butterfinger Bites and these are still available today.

2. PB Max Debuted: 1990 Retired: 1994

This story is particularly sad, at least for candy aficionados. Mars released the PB Max, a chocolate-covered cookie featuring a layer of peanut butter and a smattering of oats that seemed to be popular. The PB Max reportedly did well with consumers, raking in $50 million in lifetime sales. A former Mars executive claimed it was because the billionaire Mars family did not like peanut butter. Shame on them.

3. Life Savers Holes Debuted: 1990 Retired: 1991

A counterpart to the iconic ring-shaped candies, the Holes were a choking hazard and Life Savers pulled them from shelves in 1991. They came back briefly later that year before being discontinued for good. These were excellent treats. If only there had been a way to keep them out of the hands of younger kids.

4. Summit Bars Debuted: 1977 Retired: 1984.

Mars’ Summit Bars, a blend of a cookie and a candy, were actually tasty — but were prone to melting in the package. Mars tried to reformulate them in 1983, but it wasn’t enough to salvage the treat and Mars discontinued them a year later.

5. Maple Nut Goodies Debuted: 1912 Retired: 2024

It seemed Maple Nut Goodies would go on forever. Brach’s peanut-and-toffee treats came out in 1912 and had legions of fans as recently as 2024. Unfortunately, the company pulled them from shelves that year, discontinuing the longtime fall-favorite treat. No official reason was ever provided.

Others that are missed PowerHouse candy bar (late 1960s-late 1980s), Marathon candy bar (1973-81), Crispy M&Ms (1999-2005, 2015-22), Hershey’s Kissables (2005-09) and Nestle Alpine White (1986-mid 1990s)

2. Did you know (Part 381)

That the average American uses his/her first curse word of the day at 10:54 a.m.

That speaking of discontinued candies and treats, among the fast-food items that need to make a comeback are the McDonald’s McDLT, Hostess Pudding Pies, Jell-O Pudding Pops, Tato Skins, McDonald’s Onion Nuggets and the McDonald’s Arch Deluxe.

That “Raiders of the Lost Ark” was made in 1981 and it was about life in 1936. If the film was made today it would be about life in 1980.

That Fox Sports CFB analyst Joel Klatt has the following teams as his preseason top 10: 1. Tennessee, 2. Texas, 3. Ohio State, 4. Georgia, 5. Oregon, 6. Notre Dame,  7. Clemson, 8. Miami, 9. LSU and 10. Michigan.

That India is home to the only two vegetarian McDonald’s in the world.

3. This week’s best of “Found on Facebook”:

• “Pepsi and Coke can’t even be i the same restaurant together, and we want world peace.”
• “I watched three joggers outside and it inspired me to get up and close the curtains.”
• “If you have to buy stuff to store stuff, you might have too much stuff.”
• “Birthdays are good for your health. Studies show that people who have more birthdays live longer.”
• “The first five days after the weekend are the hardest.”

Steve Thought O’ The Day – Man, could I go for a PB Max about right now.

Steve Eighinger writes daily for Muddy River News. He’s never met a candy he didn’t like.