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The Drinks of the 80s that Raised Us
Back when our biggest worries were catching the latest He-Man episode or convincing Mom we really did need another pack of Garbage Pail Kids, there was one other key part of growing up in the 80s: what was in your lunchbox.
Here’s a sugar-fueled look back at the drinks that kept us hydrated, hyper, and high on nostalgia.
Hi-C
The juice box to rule them all
Hi-C was the drink of 80s childhood. With flavors like Orange Lavaburst and Flashin’ Fruit Punch, you weren’t just drinking juice, you were experiencing a peak childhood moment. This classic 80s drink came in bright boxes, metallic cans, and even those little aluminum pouches at one point. No matter the form, Hi-C was liquid gold.
Hi-C Ecto Cooler
Green. Glowing. Glorious.
Released in 1987 to go along with the Ghostbusters hype, Ecto Cooler was Hi-C’s citrus-flavored answer to the ultimate question: “What would Slimer taste like?”
Spoiler: amazing. It had Slimer’s face on the box, turned your tongue green, and made lunchtime trading politics very real. If you had Ecto Cooler, you were the top of the cafeteria food chain.
Yoo-Hoo
Not really chocolate milk, but kinda?
Yoo-Hoo is an enigma. Somehow both watery and creamy, it confused us still to this day and we loved it. Best served ice cold straight from the fridge, and even better when paired with a pack of Hostess cupcakes. It was what you grabbed when you wanted to feel fancy and fun.
Jolt Cola
"All the sugar. Twice the caffeine. "
Look, Jolt wasn't technically a kids’ drink but that didn’t stop us from sneaking it into movie nights and sleepovers. Jolt was basically rocket fuel. Sweet, fizzy, and so over-the-top your mom probably banned it after one taste. Which of course made it even cooler.
Slice
"We've got the juice!"
Slice hit shelves in 1984 and immediately upped the soda game. This stuff tasted so good, featuring flavors like mandarin orange, apple, and cherry cola. The label proudly boasted real juice, which we used to argue made it healthy but really it just made it extra delicious.
Sunny-D
“Purple stuff… Sunny-D!”
Every 80s kid remembers this commercial: the fridge opens, someone mentions “purple stuff,” and boom—Sunny-D saves the day. It isn't quite orange juice. It isn't quite soda. Some in some special kid drink category like yoo-hoo.
Gatorade (in the glass bottle)
The OG sports drink
Before it came in squishy plastic and squirt-top bottles, Gatorade came in thick, sturdy glass bottles that made you feel like you were drinking something serious. The original lemon-lime flavor was a little salty, a little sweet, and somehow exactly what your body didn’t know it needed after playing tag in 98-degree heat. And let’s be honest—everything tasted cooler in glass.
Whether it came in a bottle, a box, or a suspiciously glowing green carton, these drinks defined 80s childhoods. They were sugary, strange, and and maybe even radioactive.
Got any other drinks of the 80s that you love as a kid? Comment below!