School lunches just aren’t what they used to be. Not only can you reasonably expect whatever you decide to throw in that school lunch to cost far more than it used to, but it seems like the quality of those easily accessible foods is rapidly speeding downhill nowadays. I thought it’d be fun, in a darkly humorous way, to round up some of those iconic school lunch favorites that have somehow ended up becoming items that only make unwelcome dents in the bank account nowadays. The times they have changed, oh so much, and it’d sure be nice to return to the pricing of school lunches as they were.
1. Lunchables
A standard Lunchables pack back in the day was often going to run you anywhere around $1.00 to $1.50 (late 1990s-early 2000s). Today, however many of those same varieties will sell for $3 to $5 each. Any parent who is being asked to grab Lunchables from the store is definitely feeling that extra financial weight.
2. Capri Sun
Capri Sun pouches were once a great budget-friendly addition to almost every lunchbox. They usually only cost $0.15 to $0.20 per pouch. Today though, many of those same multipacks work out to $0.40 to $0.60 per pouch. If only the actual drink had changed a bit to match the price change.
3. Dunkaroos
Back in their prime, Dunkaroos were a relatively inexpensive treat that parents could throw into lunchboxes without even thinking twice. After momentarily vanishing into the abyss and then making their grand comeback though, modern packs cost much more than they did decades ago.
4. Fruit Roll-Ups
Fruit Roll-Ups were a lunchbox staple throughout the 1980s, 1990s, and also the early 2000s. Individual servings that would only cost mere pennies now work out to costing more than $0.50 each, even when purchased in multipacks.
5. Gushers
Kids were obsessed with Gushers for their dynamic combination of sweet filling and colorful packaging. Packs that were once hardly worth an afterthought now cost two to three times what they did a generation ago.
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6. Fruit by the Foot
Fruit by the Foot was once one of those affordable ways to satisfy the proverbial sweet tooth without consuming an incomprehensible amount of sugar in the process. Today’s boxes, though, cost far more than parents ever remember.
7. Cosmic Brownies
Little Debbie’s Cosmic Brownies were once a go-to budget snack. Individual brownies that once felt like pocket-change purchases years ago now often cost several times more per serving.
8. Zebra Cakes
Zebra Cakes earned their loyal following because they delivered loads of sweetness at a very low price point. While they maintain their popularity, modern boxes often cost far more than they did 15 or 20 years ago.
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9. Twinkies
Twinkies have survived changing tastes, ownership shifts, and even a complete temporary disappearance from store shelves. What hasn’t survived all the changes, though, is their old price.
10. Bagel Bites
Bagel Bites were a freezer staple for those quick lunches and after-school snacks. Boxes that would sell for just a few dollars in the early 2000s now cost almost double that amount.
11. Totino’s Pizza Rolls
A few snacks were more common in American freezers than pizza rolls. Once considered one of the cheapest options for hungry kids out there, today’s larger bags can cost substantially more than they did even a decade ago. Inflation really rocked that freezer aisle.
12. SunnyD
SunnyD brings to mind all that electric marketing that dominated television sets back in the day. I can still hear some of those rocking jams from their commercials. Families who remember paying just a couple of dollars for large bottles might be surprised by the current prices of SunnyD.
13. Go-Gurt
Go-Gurt made yogurt both more portable and more fun for kids. While it retains its popularity, the cost per tube has skyrocketed since its early years. Parents looking for lunchbox staples oftentimes come to discover that that very convenience comes at a premium.
