90s Drinks You Probably Forgot About

Ah, the 90s—a time when life was simpler, marketing was louder, and drinks were weirder. This was the decade when sodas were neon, juice boxes were dangerously sharp, and someone thought, “You know what would really sell? Suspended jelly balls in a bottle!” The drinks of the 90s weren’t just beverages; they were cultural icons, playground currency, and sometimes, questionable science experiments. Whether you were guzzling Surge to fuel your questionable kickball skills or trying to figure out what exactly made SunnyD “sunny,” one thing’s for sure: these drinks weren’t just memorable—they were unforgettable (even if we don’t entirely know why). Let’s take a sugary stroll down memory lane and revisit the fizzy, fruity chaos of 90s drinks!

Sodas and Carbonated Drinks

• Orbitz – The clear fruit drink with floating jelly spheres that screamed “future” but lived a short, mysterious life. The wildest part? Everyone claims they want it back, yet no one actually drank it. It’s like the Bigfoot of beverages—iconic, bizarre, and forever talked about, but never truly experienced.

• Surge – Coca-Cola’s high-octane citrus soda designed to rival Mountain Dew. Honestly, this stuff might as well have been called "detention in a bottle." I once knew a kid who, after chugging a 20oz Surge, kicked a kickball so hard it might still be in orbit. Without missing a beat, he grabbed his Jansport backpack, clutched a roast beef sandwich on white bread, and vanished. Some say he was a time traveler. Others just stare into the distance and whisper, “We don’t talk about it.”

• Crystal Pepsi – Iconic? Yes. Enduring? No. The 8-year old in me might still be upset about this. 

• OK Soda – The D.B Cooper of soda. Nobody knows why they did it or where it went. 

• Slice – A fruit-flavored soda, particularly the orange and lemon-lime varieties. These drinks were delicious, but sadly lived in the shadows of the other sodas out at the time. And rumor has it, Slice will be making a resurgence in the coming year(s)? Let's see! 

• Pepsi Blue – Though it lingered into the early 2000s, it never quite broke into the cultural zeitgeist of the 90s. It tried to be bold and edgy, but let’s face it: Pepsi Blue was more like a trend chaser than a trendsetter.

Juice Drinks

• Squeezit – The fruit-flavored juice drink in vibrant, squeezable bottles with faces that radiated chaotic energy. These drinks absolutely fcked*. But let’s be real—just like Little Hug Fruit Barrels, they were a lip-cutting hazard waiting to happen. Juice content? Minimal. The only natural ingredient? Probably water (maybe). But did we care back then? Nope. Do we care now? Still nope. Some legends live beyond logic.

• Hi-C Ecto Cooler – A citrus-tasting juice box featuring the iconic "Ghostbusters" Slimer character. Fun fact: Perfy almost launched its own version of this nostalgic classic. But we couldn’t figure out how to keep it naturally green in a can. Science, why must you haunt us like Slimer?

• Sunny Delight (SunnyD) – The tangy orange drink that dominated fridges and thirsts alike in the 90s. The "K.I.T. yearbook note" of juices, SunnyD had a firm grip on our gullets and refused to let go. But seriously... was there even any actual juice in that neon magic?

• Fruitopia – A psychedelic-themed fruit juice marketed as a cooler alternative to boring juices. Fruitopia is Perfy's paternal step grandfather-in-law and biggest inspiration. 

Sports Drinks

• All Sport – A competitor to Gatorade, often sweeter and fizzier. Gatorade made you wanna be like Mike. All Sport made you wanna be like "The Kid" Ken Griffey Jr. 

• Gatorade in a Glass Bottle – There is no other way to put this than...Gatorade in a bottle just hit different. IYKYK

Kids' Drinks

• Kool-Aid Bursts – The Kool-Aid you squeezed from plastic bottles, often in neon colors. These were wanna be Squeezits and no one f*cked with 'em. 

• Capri Sun – While still around, the silver pouches were at their peak 90s popularity. Today nobody knows what flavors were in Pacific Cooler, but after all this time, do we really need to?

• Mondo – Another squeezable drink with bold flavors, similar to Squeezit but with less fanfare.

• Little Hug  – If you were around to try the majestic Fruit Barrels then you'd know that 50% of the time you cut your lip every time. What a glorious creation. 

Dairy-Based Drinks

• Nestlé Quik – There is a reason this is the only powdered drink on the list. It is believed (but cannot be proven) that the CIA funded the contras to procure more of this chocolate magic. This powder had more kids believing they were ninja turtles than all other other psychedelics on the market at the time combined. Believe it or not, the earlier versions of this product were also in oil cans that famously did not have the bunny. But because only adults were injecting this into their blood streams, Nestlé refreshed the aesthetic, appealing to a "younger demographic." 

• Yoo-hoo – Nestle Quik's younger step-cousin. To be honest, I've never met someone who has tried this. And I'm sad it had to make the list...but intrigued on how it has shelf space everywhere on the planet. 

Specialty and Regional Drinks

• Snapple Elements – Snapple’s attempt at blending trendy flavors with cool names like "Rain" or "Fire." This product had a shorter lifespan than an avocado. It is rumored that an episode of the Power Rangers lasted longer than Snapple Elements. But it had to be included. It was an actual moment with huge promise in the 90s. 

• Clearly Canadian – A sparkling flavored water with an iconic glass bottle. Clearly Canadian has been around for what feels to be like forever. No one questions it. No one bothers it. It just kinda does what feels like a billion in sales because the brand is so nice. The brand actually went away for awhile, but fans brought it back. Cool, eh? 

• Arizona Iced Tea (Original Cans) – The massive 99-cent cans became a hit in the 90s, and remarkably, the price has stayed the same! The original cans—at least the ones I remember—looked like little juicy blankets. And in a way, they were. These cans wrapped your taste buds in warmth and comfort, the perfect companion to a sandwich and chips from the corner store in just about every small town across America during the 90s.

Alcoholic Nostalgia (for the adults reminiscing)

• Zima – A clear malt beverage that became a staple of 90s party culture. Honestly, Zima should have released a non-alcoholic version back then because its legendary ads had middle schoolers and high schoolers alike yearning to try it! The drink’s crystal-clear appearance and cool, futuristic marketing made it feel like the ultimate beverage for anyone wanting to join the 90s vibe.

• Bartles & Jaymes Wine Coolers– A fizzy, sweet staple of 90s adult gatherings. If you recognize this picture you've either never tried them or have puked from drinking too many. There's no in between. How many did you remember?