Sometimes, regulations on food go too far.

[NinjaRabbit]

Do any of the Brits here remember Tangy Toms? They were mildly-spicy tomato-flavoured corn snacks from the 1980s and early 1990s, and tasted rather nice. They've put them back on the market. I was delighted to see them, and picked up a pack, expecting them to taste much as they did before...

I just ate some and had to bin them! They are absolutely vile - rather than tasting like tangy tomato, as they used to and as their name has always suggested, they now taste like insipid, sweetened ketchup! I haven't tasted anything so disgusting in quite a while.

A quick look at the back of the pack revealed the culprit - they're making a selling point out of the fact they're being pressured to cut down on salt.

Now, I'm fully aware that in the big picture, this isn't a big deal at all. That said, I do my best to eat properly and all that, and I was looking forward to these as a nostalgic treat. Am I the only one who's absolutely sick of being "punished" for other people's unhealthy eating decisions, by across-the-board bans (as well as proposed taxes!) on certain food ingredients?

 

[sir_beaker]

I know, I bought some sweet peanuts a couple of years back as I used to enjoy them as a kid, and either my taste buds have changed or they taste nothing like they used to back in the 80's

 

[salaxi54]

I can sympathize! A short while ago i purchased a cereal box, Kellogg's Froot Loops to be precise. Haven't had those for decades since back in the US. Was pretty excited just like you felt at first, but opening the carton i was exposed to something that seemed like it was 'bleached' or something.
Not the striking colors i used to remember. Well, you could say that color is chemistry etc. etc. But second shock was the most disappointing: taste!
Nothing common with what i expected. Those loops used to taste like fruit, now it was... well, something else, and they all tasted the same.
Go figure. Maybe the fact that the one i purchased was made in the EU? Dunno

 

[NinjaRabbit]

I know, I bought some sweet peanuts a couple of years back as I used to enjoy them as a kid, and either my taste buds have changed or they taste nothing like they used to back in the 80's

Have you tried the ones from A Quarter Of? (Nobody with a sweet tooth is going to thank me for linking to this place, but they are good!)

I can sympathize! A short while ago i purchased a cereal box, Kellogg's Froot Loops to be precise. Haven't had those for decades since back in the US. Was pretty excited just like you felt at first, but opening the carton i was exposed to something that seemed like it was 'bleached' or something.
Not the striking colors i used to remember. Well, you could say that color is chemistry etc. etc. But second shock was the most disappointing: taste!
Nothing common with what i expected. Those loops used to taste like fruit, now it was... well, something else, and they all tasted the same.
Go figure. Maybe the fact that the one i purchased was made in the EU? Dunno

It'll definitely be the fact that it was made in the EU.

Another victim of similar are Smarties (to avoid confusion for anyone, these are of no relation to the US variety - the Smarties I mean are made by Nestle, and are chocolates similar to M&Ms), where the colourings are now "all natural", which causes the sweets to taste strongly of the vegetables that the colours are extracted from. I'm not especially fond of spinach or cabbage flavoured chocolate, to be honest! It's kind of ridiculous when, for treats like that, it's a better option to import, because the locally-made stuff is complete rubbish (don't get me started on how much a great many of Cadbury's products have gone way downhill, either!).

 

[ShambleS1980]

i remember them, never liked them though. also were space raiders i liked those. and monster munch i think you can still get them..

but i do remember in the lat 80's possibly early 90's shreddies slapped "NEW IMPROVED FLAVOUR" on the box..
i had one bowl and have never eaten them again since. and they used to be my fave

 

[NinjaRabbit]

Space Raiders still taste identical - they're one of the few non-casualties, at present! Do beware of the multi-bags, though - the bags in those are tiny. The ones in the catering boxes are still as big as ever, though.

Monster Munch changed and then a few years ago changed back to mostly how they once were (what happened was that they introduced a "Mega Monster Munch" retro brand, temporarily, but bringing back the old ones was such a popular decision that the other kind were phased out, instead), so I guess sometimes it will go back the other way.

As for "New & Improved", it's usually a big red flag to stay the hell away, in my experience!

 

[deadb0y]

If it says "Great new taste" or "Improved recipe" or "No artificial colours or additives" or "Now with less fat" It's going to taste REAL bad

 

[Paul_s]

If you can't pronounce the ingredients forget it!

More and more foods are like lab experiments nowadays - who only knows what mayhem this does on the human body.

 

[SaviorX]

for the last few years i have found most 'milk' chocolate bars to taste a little plastic-y (my assumption being that companies are putting a thin wax coating on them to keep them looking glossy)

the 'dollar' stores have been carrying some candy bars that are cheaper (50 cents vs 77) than the big-name bars (and usually come from places like Turkey) that taste more like 'real' candy bars used to taste (i am assuming there they are using people to make then rather than machines that the big companies probably use), the chocolate tastes more like chocolate used to taste and caramel tastes like caramel...rather than just melted sugar...

they carry a bar called 'Island Bar' which is clearly a knock off of Bounty....but i find Bounty wayyyyy too sweet (sugar that tastes a bit like coconut) and the Island Bar tastes of....coconut that's been sweetened a bit...

 

[sputnik]

could this not also be down to memory as well?

example : I remember the Goonies being a great film, watched it again the other month and it's just a load of children shouting!

 

[SaviorX]

i think a lot of it is down to companies trying to find cheaper ways to make things for the same/more money...

at least as far as food, particularly 'snacks' are concerned...

gotta maintain those profit margins to keep the shareholders happy...