Did you know that Gushers, the quintessential ‘90s “fruit snack,” are actually called Fruit Gushers? Me neither. And honestly, who is gonna ask for a Fruit Gusher and not just a Gusher? Though, if you look back at the original commercials, the box does not say Fruit, so what’s the real truth here?
You know what? It doesn’t matter. Let’s not get into the weeds here. Let’s talk Gushers. Those delightful little jewel-shaped fruit snacks that were the envy of every kid sitting at the lunch table at school in the ‘90s. Are Gushers still popular today? Who knows, but when they first came out in 1991, they took the kid lunch market by storm.
Originally, there were just two flavors to choose from – Strawberry Splash and Gushin’ Grape, and we all know that Strawberry Splash was the flavor of choice. Eventually, they released a whole variety of different flavors, but Strawberry Splash is still the best. Regardless of flavor preference, what really made Gushers so special was the nice, chewy exterior giving way to a juicy interior. You could either pop them whole into your mouth and get that nice “gush” of juice when biting in, or go a more creative route, take a little bite into one, and suck the juice right out. The world was your oyster back when a packet of Gushers in your lunch made your day.
However, if you go out and buy a box today, you’ll be left feeling nostalgic for those days of yore. The packaging back in the ‘90s for the individual packs were paper with a lining inside, and these days they have embraced the plastic trend, so you won’t get that satisfying paper rip when you open them anymore. Talk to the hand, modern Gushers packaging.
Despite this lame packaging switch from paper to plastic, nothing will replace our memories of enjoying these tasty bites of delight that were really just candy disguised as fruit (shh, don’t tell mom). Now stock up on a dose of retro goodness by enjoying this original commercial for Strawberry Splash below:
Were (are) you are a Gushers fan, or were you more about those Dunkaroos? Let us know in the comments!
- Gushers were first introduced in 1991 by Betty Crocker, and were originally priced at $2.19 per box — the price as of late 2020 is $4.19 per box.
- In 2015, all artificial coloring was removed from Gushers (and other fruit snacks from the company), though they are still packed full of sugar.
- Gushers have come out in many different flavors over the years. Currently there are 8 varieties available.
- Parent company General Mills faced a class action lawsuit for false advertising for claiming that their snacks don’t have artificial flavoring, and agreed to update their packaging.
- Gushers are still widely available in stores today, but if you can’t find them in person, you can also buy them online.
- Gushers were first introduced in 1991 by Betty Crocker, and were originally priced at $2.19 per box — the price as of late 2020 is $4.19 per box.
- In 2015, all artificial coloring was removed from Gushers (and other fruit snacks from the company), though they are still packed full of sugar.
- Gushers have come out in many different flavors over the years. Currently there are 8 varieties available.
- Parent company General Mills faced a class action lawsuit for false advertising for claiming that their snacks don’t have artificial flavoring, and agreed to update their packaging.
- Gushers are still widely available in stores today, but if you can’t find them in person, you can also buy them online.
