A Tuna Sandwich, Barbecue Chips, and a Lifetime of Memories

I had a few extra dollars in my pocket today and decided to take my daughter's advice.. "Treat yo-self!"

I wandered down the snack cake aisle at the supermarket but immediately did an about-face. Snack cakes just aren't what they used to be. 

Instead, I found myself in the cookie aisle where something caught my eye: Fig Newtons.

I couldn't remember the last time I had one. Growing up, they were about the only mass-produced cookie my mom would allow in the house. I tossed a package into the cart, wondering if they still tasted the way I remembered.

Then I grabbed a bag of Lay's Barbecue Potato Chips to go with lunch. It might not sound like much of a treat, but I promise you, it was.

When I got home, I made myself a thick tuna sandwich on wheat bread. Then I opened the bag of barbecue chips, covered the tuna with a generous layer, put the top slice of bread on, and pressed it down until the chips crunched into the tuna. I opened it back up, added a few more chips, and did it again. The first bite instantly transported me back decades.  Add in an ice cold Coca-Cola, poured into one of those vintage Tupperware plastic iced tea cups, and it was like I stepped into a time machine back to the 70s or 80s.

My cousin and I practically grew up together. She was my first best friend. Our moms were incredibly close, and many afternoons followed the same routine. They'd come home from the grocery store with a loaf of Roman Meal wheat bread, tuna, and a bag of Lay's Barbecue Potato Chips.

They'd make tuna sandwiches exactly the same way I made mine today.

And of course, my cousin and I copied everything they did.

Curious, I texted my cousin today and asked if she remembered those afternoons. She absolutely did. In fact, she laughed and admitted she had just made herself a tuna sandwich with potato chips the day before.. only with regular chips this time instead of barbecue.

I realized I hadn't made one of these in decades What's funny.. is that I can vividly remember those afternoons, yet I don't remember my mom ever making another tuna-chip sandwich after I was probably a preteen. Still, over the years I would overhear my mom and aunt fondly reminiscing about those lunches as if they had happened in another lifetime, and stating how they tasted sooo good.

I've noticed I'm having more moments like this lately. A memory, a smell, a taste, a certain food.. and suddenly I'm standing in my childhood again. I've always been amazed at how many of my memories are tied to food. My family is constantly surprised by the tiny details I remember from growing up, especially when it comes to meals, restaurants, and little traditions that everyone else has forgotten.

Before writing this, I shared the memory with my cousin. As I did, I realized something that caught me off guard. Many of the memories we carry through life may very well exist only inside us. The people who lived them with us may remember them differently or not at all. Some are gone. Some have been forgotten. That makes me want to tell these stories, almost as a way of keeping them alive. To make them real. To honor them before they quietly disappear.

To most people, a tuna sandwich with barbecue potato chips is just lunch. To me, it's history.. My history. And maybe these little, seemingly insignificant moments shaped me in ways I still don't fully understand, even now in my 50s. 

I guess sometimes, all it takes is something like a sandwich to remind you where you came from.

And the Winner for Breakfast Cereal Most Likely to Be Mistaken for Cat Food Is…

Growing up, I saw plenty of cereals trying to pass themselves off as “healthy,” but one always made me stop aghast in the cereal aisle. It didn’t look fun, it didn’t look kid friendly, it looked like something you would scoop into a bowl on the floor. When it first hit the market in 1977, nothing else looked quite like it. That unforgettable champion was Cracklin’ Oat Bran. In fact, it actually stopped me in my tracks once again today in the supermarket some 48 years later. 

I remember when this stuff showed up and how shocked I was that it was meant for actual human consumption. To my kid brain, it looked exactly like cat food. Same color, same shape, same energy. And it’s not like my mom fed us sugary junk. I grew up on Buckwheats and Wheaties, the classic “be good, eat this” cereals. But nothing in our pantry ever looked as aggressively adult as the Raisin Bran, Total, and Special K lineup. Those were the cereals that felt like they came with tax advice.

Fast forward to today, when I am actually trying to find the healthiest cereals on the shelf. Even if Cracklin’ Oat Bran were to show up at the top of that list (far from it) I still would not buy it. Heck, the cereal has so much sugar and palm oil, it negates the health benefits the fiber may have.

Yup.. that childhood image is locked in forever. Some things you cannot unsee, and for me, Cracklin’ Oat Bran will always be the cereal that looks like it belongs next to a scratching post.

The Cookie Crisp Mascots: From Wizards to Wolves (and Why We Still Miss the Old Ones)

If you grew up before the mid 2000's, there’s a good chance your morning cartoon lineup was powered by sugar and mascots. And few cereals hit that sweet spot better than Cookie Crisp.

Back when I first wrote about the Cookie Crisp mascots in 2019, I had no idea it would take off the way it did. The post blew up with readers reminiscing about that wizard, that crook, that howling dog who made cookies for breakfast seem totally acceptable. But.. whether it’s a favorite cereal mascot or a classic frozen pizza like Red Baron and Tombstone, certain flavors and memories stick with us for decades.

So here we are again, a few years later, with a fresh look at every Cookie Crisp mascot from the 1970s through today. No fluff, no filler. Just a nostalgic rewind through the mascots that made us yell “Cooooookie Crisp!” at the breakfast table.

Cookie Jarvis — The Wizard of the 1970s

Before the crooks, cops, and canines, Cookie Crisp started with a wizard. His name was Cookie Jarvis, and he looked like the cousin of Merlin who lived above a bakery.

Cookie Jarvis would wave his wand and turn regular cereal into tiny chocolate chip cookies. It was pure Saturday morning magic. The commercials were weird, fun, and very seventies. Full of fog, sparkles, and that deep announcer voice that sounded like it came from a record player in your kitchen.

If you had a bowl of Cookie Crisp in 1977, chances are you can still hear him say the line: “You can’t have cookies for breakfast… or can you?”

The Cookie Crook and Officer Crumb — The 1980s Duo

By the time the eighties hit, the wizard had disappeared, and Cookie Crisp went full Saturday morning sitcom. The new stars were the Cookie Crook, his Dog and cohort 'Chip' and Officer Crumb. A couple of cartoon criminals and the cop who always tried to stop them from stealing kid's Cookie Crisp cereal.

Every commercial was like a mini episode that was always very Keystone Cops-esque. The Cookie Crook had plans that always failed, as Officer Crumb showed up eventually thwarting their efforts.

For kids watching before school or in between He-Man and The Smurfs, these spots were part of the fun. They made cereal feel like part of the same world as the cartoons we loved.

It was clever marketing, and it worked. You didn’t just eat cereal. You joined the chase.

Chip the Dog — The 1990s Mascot Everyone Remembers

Then came one that hung in there for the next decade, Chip the Dog.

Chip showed up in the early nineties now as a solo act and instantly became the face of Cookie Crisp. He had the kind of voice that could sell excitement to anyone under twelve. The crook and the cop slowly disappeared, and Chip was left to run the show, literally howling “Cooooookie Crisp!” in every ad.

This was peak mascot energy.. loud, happy, and hyper. The commercials were bright, fast, and full of motion. Even if you didn’t eat the cereal, you knew that howl.

If you want a quick blast of memory, look up a 1991 Cookie Crisp commercial on YouTube. You’ll be right back on the living room carpet, watching DuckTales with a spoon in hand.

Chip the Wolf — The 2000s and Beyond

In the early 2000s, General Mills gave Cookie Crisp another facelift. Chip the Dog evolved into Chip the Wolf, a slicker, more animated version with bigger eyes and more attitude.

He wasn’t stealing cookies from the jar anymore but rather, chasing bowls of cereal like a Looney Tunes character on espresso.

It was fun, but it also felt different. Gone were the hand drawn, personality filled ads. The new ones looked computer animated and louder but somehow less warm. Kids loved him, but to adults, it felt like the end of an era.

Still, Chip the Wolf has been around for more than twenty years now. That’s longer than any of his predecessors, which says something about his staying power.

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Then vs Now

Era	Mascot	Vibe	Tagline Style
1970s	Cookie Jarvis	Magical and whimsical	“You can’t have cookies for breakfast… or can you?”
1980s	Cookie Crook and Officer Crumb	Cartoon cops and robbers	“Stop, thief!”
1990s	Chip the Dog	Loud, friendly chaos	“Cooooookie Crisp!”
2000s to now	Chip the Wolf	Modern high energy mascot	“The howl of the modern mascot”

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Why Mascots Like This Disappeared

There was a time when every kid could name five cereal mascots without thinking. Now, most of them are gone or barely used.

The simple reason? Advertising rules changed. Marketers couldn’t directly target kids the same way anymore. Parents pushed for healthier breakfasts, and the world got busier. Saturday morning cartoons went away, replaced by streaming shows with no commercials.

Mascots lost their playground.

But those old characters stuck in our heads because they represented more than cereal. They were part of our weekend routine, part of our identity as eighties and nineties kids.

The Retro Dad’s Take

I still think Cookie Crisp nailed something special. I mean, come on — what kid couldn’t get excited about eating a bowl of cookies for breakfast? It felt like we were getting away with something. Like we were calling the shots for once, eating what we wanted instead of what we were told. Heck, as a kid, I totally knew that when I grew up and was on my own, I was going to endless bowls of Cookie Crisp while watching MTV every night.

But the mascots made the whole experience richer. They gave it personality. Cookie Jarvis made it feel magical, the Crook and Crumb made it funny, and Chip the Dog turned breakfast into a full on cartoon moment. There was nothing like eating your favorite bowl of cereal and then having a commercial for said cereal entertain you as you enjoyed the sugary treat.

It wasn’t just cereal. It was this weird, wonderful mix of sugar, imagination, and rebellion. That’s what made mornings feel alive, and that’s the part I still miss today.

Cookie Crisp Collectors and Where It Stands in 2025

Believe it or not, old Cookie Crisp boxes and merchandise still pop up on eBay and collector sites. The vintage ones featuring Cookie Jarvis or the Crook and Crumb duo can go for surprising amounts.

General Mills occasionally nods to the past with retro packaging, but the mascots themselves stay in the vault.

If you’re into cereal nostalgia, there’s a whole world of collectors out there swapping boxes, trading cards, and even the occasional unopened pack from the eighties. It’s a strange and beautiful subculture.

Which Mascot Was Your Favorite?

Was it the wizard, the crook, the dog, or the wolf?

Drop your favorite in the comments below. I’d love to know which one you remember best, and if you still find yourself howling “Cooooookie Crisp!” when you see a box at the store.

Coca-Cola Brings Back Real Cane Sugar: The Classic Taste Returns to America

 

A Sip of Nostalgia: Coca-Cola’s Return to Cane Sugar
Coca-Cola is bringing back its classic taste with real cane sugar in the U.S., and it’s a nostalgic game-changer for anyone who remembers the original flavor. Here are my memories of the sugary classic and what I think about this major development.

The Sweet Comeback: Cane Sugar Coke Returns

Coca-Cola has officially announced that it will begin rolling out a version of Coke made with real cane sugar in the United States. For decades, American Coke has been made with high fructose corn syrup, a change that started in the 1980s after a government sugar embargo made cane sugar too expensive for mass production.

This new version is Coca-Cola’s answer to growing demand for more natural, nostalgic products. It’s set to appear later this year in select markets, starting with limited quantities in 12-ounce glass bottles that echo the look of the classic Coke many of us remember. Availability will expand gradually as bottlers adjust to the shift in ingredients and supply.

While health experts say there’s little nutritional difference between cane sugar and corn syrup, most long-time Coke drinkers agree: the taste isn’t the same. There’s a brightness, a clean, crisp sweetness that cane sugar delivers in a way corn syrup never quite could.

 Why This Matters (and Why It Hits Home)

For me, this announcement feels like more than just a marketing move. It feels personal. I can still remember the taste of the original Coke, the way it hit different back when my family would gather for dinner on the weekends. My parents, aunts, uncles, and cousins would sit around the table with a couple of 2-liter glass bottles of Coke. Yes, glass. They were heavy, elegant, and somehow, no one ever dropped one.

That memory came rushing back the moment I read the news about Coca-Cola’s return to cane sugar. It’s like they’re finally bringing back a piece of the past that so many of us thought was gone for good.

How I’ve Been Getting the Real Stuff

Even before this new rollout, I found ways to enjoy the classic recipe. For years, I’ve been sidestepping the corn syrup version by picking up Mexican Coke, the Coke still made with real sugar, at the exact kinds of places that have quietly kept the tradition alive.

You can find it in the international or Spanish sections of grocery stores, in local bodegas, and in plenty of Mexican restaurants. In fact, many Mexican eateries now offer the glass-bottle Mexican Coke right alongside their meals. It costs a bit more, but for me, that first cold sip instantly takes me back to 1979.

 Final Thoughts

This upcoming return of cane sugar Coca-Cola isn’t just about nostalgia or marketing. It’s about a flavor that defined an era and still has the power to transport us back in time. When I hear that familiar pssst from a glass bottle cap, I’m not just drinking a soda. I’m revisiting a memory, one that’s been sitting on ice for over 40 years.

3 Vintage Shakey’s Pizza Commercials You Can Watch on YouTube

🍕 3 Great Old Shakey’s Pizza Commercials You Can Still Watch on YouTube

If you ever went to a Shakey’s back in the day, you know there was just nothing else like it. The smell of the pizza, the wooden tables, the player piano.. it was a scene. Shakey’s wasn’t just a pizza joint. It was a night out, a family ritual, a place you told your buddies about. These old TV spots still do the job: they yank you back to those nights like nothing else.

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1. “Shakey’s” — 1980 commercial

This one’s pure 1980s energy. Bright, upbeat, and the kind of ad that makes you want to pile the family into the car and go right now. It nails the “fun night out” vibe that made Shakey’s special.

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2. “Pizza Keeper” — 1978 spot

This 1978 spot (the “Pizza Keeper” box bit) is comforting in a way modern ads rarely are.. honest, simple, and all about the food and family. Those little production touches bring back the smell of hot pizza and the chatter of a lively dining room.

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3. Mid-1970s — little girl bowling commercial

Kids, bowling, and a big pizza hitting the table — this commercial is pure memory juice. It’s the sort of clip that pulls up a photo you forgot you had of your own pizza nights back then. If you miss the community feel of old family restaurants, this one’s for you. 

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Watching these makes me realize how much of a social anchor places like Shakey’s used to be. Not just pizza, a whole night out. Nothing I go to now quite scratches that itch. If you liked these, drop a comment with your favorite Shakey’s memory. Maybe I’ve got a photo or two that’ll match it.

🍫 My Top 5 Favorite Candies from the ‘70s and ‘80s: Sweet Memories That Still Melt in My Mouth

There was nothing quite like being a kid in the ‘70s and ‘80s and walking into a corner convenience store with a pocketful of change. The smell of bubble gum, the faint hum of a soda cooler, and the sound of the door chime — it was pure magic. You could spend 50 cents and walk out feeling like a king with a treasure trove of sugar.

Here are my top five favorite candies from back in the day — the ones that made every trip to the store worth it.

🍫 1. Ice Cubes

Every trip to the store wasn’t complete without grabbing a handful of Ice Cubes — those little foil-wrapped squares of creamy chocolate bliss. They came in those shiny silver or gold wrappers, and once you unwrapped one, it was game over. The texture was unbelievably smooth, almost buttery, and they melted the instant they hit your tongue.

You didn’t chew Ice Cubes. You savored them. Recently, I stumbled across them again at a German market — the same brand, the same foil, the same melt-in-your-mouth magic. It was like time traveling straight back to 1978.

🍬 2. Nerds

When Nerds hit the candy aisles in the early ‘80s, everything changed. Tiny, tangy, colorful crystals of pure sugar — and we couldn’t get enough of them. Half the fun was the box itself, with two separate chambers so you could pour a little of one flavor or mix them together like a candy scientist.

Whether it was Strawberry vs. Grape or Cherry vs. Watermelon, every handful felt like a flavor explosion. You’d tilt that little cardboard spout right into your mouth, and before you knew it, the box was empty and your tongue was neon-colored.

Nerds weren’t just candy — they were a full-blown experience.

🍭 3. Bottle Caps

If there was ever a candy that felt like a fizzy science experiment, it was Bottle Caps. They looked like little soda bottle tops and came in flavors like root beer, cola, and orange soda. Somehow, those chalky little disks captured the essence of a fizzy drink without being liquid.

My friends and I used to sort them out, trade our least favorites, and pretend we were “drinking” our candy. Root beer was always my favorite — and still is.

🍫 4. Razzles

“First it’s candy, then it’s gum!” That slogan was burned into our brains thanks to Razzles. They started out like tiny fruit-flavored candies, but after a few seconds of chewing, they transformed into gum — a magic trick that never got old.

Every kid in the neighborhood had a favorite flavor (mine was the original red). You’d pour the whole pack into your mouth, wait for the transformation, and suddenly you were the coolest kid on your block — blowing bubbles and smirking like you’d just discovered alchemy.

🍫 5. Reese’s Pieces

Before E.T. made them world-famous, Reese’s Pieces were a secret weapon for peanut butter lovers. The crunchy candy shell and creamy peanut butter center were an instant classic. After that movie came out, they became impossible to find — stores couldn’t keep them in stock.

Even now, opening a pack gives me that same sense of excitement. They were the perfect road trip snack, movie treat, or after-school pick-me-up.

🏁 The Sweet End

These weren’t just candies — they were moments. Each one reminds me of simpler times: riding my bike to the store with friends, counting out change on the counter, and walking home with pockets full of chocolate and possibilities.

The ‘70s and ‘80s were full of wild flavors and even wilder packaging, but more than that, they were full of joy — the kind you can still taste when you find one of these classics today.

What was your favorite candy from the good old days? Drop it in the comments — let’s see which ones still make our inner kids light up.

🎬 My Top 5 Favorite Movie Candies from the ’70s and ’80s

Going to the movies back in the ’70s and ’80s was an experience like no other. The smell of popcorn filled the theater, the screen seemed enormous, and the sticky floors crunched beneath your sneakers. But for me, no movie trip was complete without candy. From the convenience store on the way to the theater or straight from the lobby, these little treats were the icing on the cinematic cake.

Here are my top five favorite movie candies from back in the day that still bring back those feel-good memories:

🍫 1. Milk Duds

The king of chewy movie candy! These little caramel bites smothered in chocolate had staying power—a good-size box could last you through a long stretch of the movie. They weren’t just for nibbling on their own either; toss a few into your popcorn and let them soften a bit, and you got that perfect sweet-and-salty combo before it was even a thing. Milk Duds were simple, delicious, and made the theater experience just that much more magical.

🍬 2. Hot Tamales

Before spicy candy was trendy, there were Hot Tamales. That cinnamon kick could wake up an entire theater and keep you alert during the slower parts of the movie. They were also a slow-eating candy, which meant one box could last most of the film. I remember shaking the box during previews, trying not to spill them while waiting for the movie to start. Sweet, fiery, and unforgettable.

🍫 3. Flicks

Flicks were chocolate perfection. Imagine a flattened Hershey’s Kiss, but made from chocolate so smooth and fine it practically melted the second it touched your tongue. Thick enough to savor, yet thin enough to pop a few in your mouth during the previews, they were a real treat. Wrapped in shiny little foil cylinders—red, green, or gold—you could spin the tube in your hands, tracing the repeating silhouettes of two Dutch kids chasing each other in wooden shoes. My dad always got me these, and I’d sit there staring at the wrapper before slowly unwrapping a disk and letting it dissolve in my mouth. They weren’t just candy—they were part of the ritual of going to the movies.

A bit of Flicks history: Originally developed by Ghirardelli in the early 1900s, chocolate wafers were a staple in theaters for decades. Production stopped in 1989, but in the 2000s the Tjerrild family revived the brand, bringing back the chocolate disks and those iconic foil-wrapped tubes, keeping the classic movie candy experience alive for a new generation.

🍬 4. JUJYFRUITS

These chewy, colorful gummies were tough little candies that tested your teeth through the entire film. Sometimes they’d get stuck in your molars, but that was part of the fun. Nothing says “classic movie candy” like sitting in the dark, trying not to crunch too loudly on a Jujyfruit.

🍫 5. Goobers & Raisinets

Chocolate-covered peanuts, chocolate-covered raisins—both made by the same company, both simple, crunchy, and classic. Perfect for tossing into your popcorn for that sweet-and-salty mix. I was one of those strange kids who actually liked chocolate-covered raisins, so Raisinets were a special treat for me alongside the Goobers. I remember the big boxes stacked next to the Milk Duds at the concession stand. If I had an extra dollar, this combo was my go-to—a perfect mix of chewy, crunchy, and chocolatey goodness.

🍬 Bonus Entry: Junior Mints!

Not exactly a candy you’d plan on enjoying the entire way through the movie, Junior Mints were a complimentary theater treat that packed a punch. That first cool, minty pop would awaken your senses, clear your sinuses, and snap you right into the action on screen. Perfect for staying alert during a slow part of the movie or intensifying the thrill during an exciting or suspenseful scene, Junior Mints were small but mighty—a little burst of freshness that made movie-watching just a bit more cinematic.

🎥 Bonus Memory: Sneaking Candy In

Let’s be honest—half the fun back then was sneaking your own candy into the theater. A jacket pocket full of treats saved a few bucks and felt like a small act of rebellion. My friends and I would walk in like candy smugglers, grinning all the way to our seats.

Those candy boxes, the movie posters in the lobby, the paper tickets—they all come together in one big nostalgic blur. Grab a handful of Milk Duds, a Flick or two, and you’re transported back to those magical movie nights. They just don’t make movie nights like they used to—but a little bit of old-school candy can take you right back.

How to get 50 FREE Big Macs.. ( in 1977 )

I came across this 1977 newspaper clipping from my hometown newspaper The Fort Collins Coloradoan. The appliance store 'downing's' was having a huge sale and were offering coupons for free Big Mac's to get people in the door. Basically, the more you spent, the more Big Mac's you would score, with the chance of accumulating a maximum of 50 Big Macs total. Behold..

A closer look at the 'Free Big Mac' Redemption chart..

I miss the days when businesses had deals like these. It was great going out to buy something you needed anyway, and getting something extra in return. In this case, you could go buy an appliance or television, and be able to get dinner for your family several times over!

Just another example how businesses used to fight for your business. Nowadays, they know people are going to spend money with them regardless, so they won't even bother spending one extra cent to get your attention. 

I love viewing old advertisements from the recent past. The culture of shopping has changed so much since the 70s. Don't even get me started on prices. I loved seeing how ten Big Macs had a retail value of $7.50! I'm seriously considering featuring more ads like this on a regular basis, so keep an eye out..

1978 Happy Meal Space Raiders toys from McDonald's

You've got to admit, some of todays fun meal toys are pretty dang impressive. However, the ones I acquired as a kid hold a special place in my heart. Particularly my complete set of 1978 Space Raider Happy Meal toys. They were made by a toy company called Diener, and the set consists of four alien figures and four space ships. All of the figures in the set are roughly two and a half inches, were made of a soft bendable rubber, and came in a variety of about 5 different colors.

Aliens.. Brak, Zama, Dard and Horta
and ships.. Altair 2, Ceti-3, Krygo 5, and Lyra 4

These guys hail from the era when Happy Meals always came in those cool boxes, and included a free package of McDonald Land cookies. When these figures were released, the STAR WARS craze was in full effect, and kids were scrambling to get their hands on anything sci-fi related. 

I remember obtaining my very first Space Raider figure which was Brak (The green fellow with the big brain). I remember placing him in the Happy Meal box for safe keeping on the trip home. Upon retrieving him from the box, I noticed he was coated with French fry salt that had collected at the bottom of the box. It was hard as heck to get the salt granules off of him, so I gave him a bath in the kitchen sink with some Dawn dish soap. I soon learned that these guys would need a regular hygiene regimen to keep them looking presentable. The type of rubber that they were made of seemed to be a magnet for hair, lint, dirt, dust, sand, and all manner of filth.

Each alien had their name clearly printed on the front of them, as did the ships. You had no clue as to which ship was paired with each alien, so usually you would just match them up by color. Collectors often refer to these as rubber eraser figures. I even remember kids at school trying to use them for this purpose. These attempts usually resulted in making a big mess of your school work, because the rubber would just smear the pencil marks rather than removing them from the paper.

Diener also produced other rubber and plastic toys for other companies in the 70's and 80's. In fact, there was another Space Creatures Happy Meal toy set they made in the 1980's. You can see the more monster-esque Happy Meal toy line here at Neato Coolville.

I loved my Space Raiders, and had hours of fun playing with them.  I guess they weren't too different from the non articulated cowboys and Indians, or green army men I grew up with.  Those simple yet great toys forced you to use your imagination, provided a kid with endless hours of fun, and I for one have many great memories of playing with them.

1975 Jack in the Box Bendable Buddies – Vintage Fast Food Toys

My first memories of dining on fast food were at Jack in the Box. I remember my Dad and I visiting the drive through in his old Ford Falcon station wagon. I always used to giggle when he would talk into the big clown head to order our food.

One day we pulled up to the drive through window and something caught my eye. Just inside the window was a little poster featuring Jack in the Box action figures! Just as McDonald's had characters like Ronald, Hamburglar, Mayor McCheese, Big Mac, & Grimace, to market their product towards children, Jack in the Box also had their own cast of characters to help sell Jumbo Jacks.

I begged my dad to buy me one, and he shelled out twenty five cents of his hard earned money for an "Onion Ring Thing" figure. What a Dad! Back in those days, twenty five cents could buy you a half gallon of gasoline. He continued purchasing different figures for my brother and I every time we visited Jack in the Box. These were some of my favorite toys from my early childhood, and I got endless hours of enjoyment playing with them.

Tired of the hustle and bustle of California, my family moved to Colorado in 1977. Sadly, my set of figures were lost during that move. For decades I fondly reminisced about these toys and wondered what ever happened to them. As an adult I swore that if I ever came across any of these figures, I would snatch them up no matter what the cost.

For a span of about eight years, I scoured the web looking for these toys on auction and toy websites to no avail. Then, in the spring of 2007 I found an online antique store that had the entire set of toys I was seeking. Yes, I once again became the proud owner of a complete set of 1975 Jack in the Box Bendy Figures. So come along and meet the marketing that helped mold many a hamburger and fast food connoisseur of modern times.

The Fab Five's likenesses appeared on collectible cups, comics, storybook's, and a slew of kids meal prizes. The most memorable Jack in the Box fast food toys from my childhood are the Bendy action figures pictured below. These Jack in the Box Bendable Buddies roughly stand about four inches tall, and were made by Imperial toy company in 1975.

"Jack the Clown"

The ringleader himself! Through the 70s, his face graced most everything connected with Jack in the Box from food packaging to advertisements. Surprisingly, he was the most sane and well adjusted character of this bunch.

"Onion Ring Thing"

A Hyper little fellow that always seemed to be goofing around and shouting "Hoo Hoo!" He's the kind of guy that you'd like to sock in the stomach.. if he had one.

"Small Fry"

Small Fry was a kid that was always hanging around and asking Jack questions. The storybooks depicted him as being a little kid, but the bendy fig makes him look more like an awkward teenager that's always half asleep.

"Secret Sauce Agent"

I'm not quite sure what Secret Sauce Agent contributed to Jack's Clique. Maybe his job was to guard the secret sauce from Ronald and the Burger King? He always had a big grin on his face, and was constantly peeking around corners and lurking about. He'd pop out once and awhile to say a word or two, and then he'd go and hide again. Secret Sauce Agent's skin was flesh color in the story books and on the toys, but Imperial for some strange reason opted not to paint his face. It made him look kind of sinister, so I designated him as the villain when I played with these toys.

"Hamburgermeister"

Being a Hamburgermeister isn't necessarily a bad thing. In fact, I've been called Hamburgermeister on many an occasion. This little guy hails from Germany and was always clad in lederhosen. He was known for cracking incredibly bad jokes and had a thick German accent. Sadly, the coolest thing about this cat is his name. 

There was a nice run of Jack in the Box items made throughout the 70s. I may have to showcase them very soon, so stay tuned. If you too were a fan of the old Jack in the Box characters, or had an affinity for other fast food icons of the era, let me hear about them in the comment section below.

October 2025..

If fast food mascots are your thing, then you will love what McDonald's has recently done with their Adult Happy Meals! Check out one of my newest articles in this link below..

McDonald’s McDonaldland Adult Happy Meal: Why Nostalgia Made Me Buy One (Even When I Said I Wouldn’t)

Frankenberry Monster Cereal.. a RETROspect

Franken Berry was brought to life in late 1971 by General Mills. It was the second Monster cereal General Mills produced after Count Chocula, and preceded Boo Berry.

Due to the popularity of Monster movies since the 1950s and 60s, General Mills saw an opportunity to benefit from the monster phenomenon. Hence, the Monster cereals were born. Franken Berry is obviously styled after Frankenstein's Monster, but this gentle giant wouldn't hurt a fly. This most timid of the General Mills monster cereal mascots would often get spooked very easily in the commercials.
 

Franken Berry's voice was reminiscent of Boris Karloff's (The original actor who portrayed Frankenstein) and the person who provided his eerie yet kind sounding voice, was voice over specialist Bob McFadden. Sadly, Mr. McFadden died on Jan. 7, 2000 at the age of 76. McFadden also used his talent to sell Geritol, Campbell's soup, Wisk, Mountain Dew, as well as numerous other products. He also did voice overs for many cartoon characters. One you may remember, was Snarf from the 80's cartoon "Thundercats". You can see a great tribute to Bob McFadden here that is 23 years old at this point.

I'll never forget when I first discovered Franken Berry. The year was around 1976, and I was watching Saturday morning cartoons when a commercial came on for General Mills Monster cereals. I couldn't believe it, a Monster cereal? Furthermore, one of the cereal mascots was based on one of my favorite movie monsters... Frankenstein's Monster. I immediately knew that I MUST satisfy my palate with these strawberry and chocolate delicacies. I sampled the BIG THREE, being Count Chocula, Franken Berry, and Boo-Berry, but Franken Berry won me over with its strawberry taste.

Unfortunately (in this case) my mom was a very caring parent, and would not allow me to regularly eat cereals that would "rot my teeth out" so the times I was able to enjoy eating it, were a bit sporadic. Nonetheless, I looked forward to watching the new Monster cereal commercials, and trading various toys with my friends for their in box surprises. I actually came to enjoy collecting the toys, and watching the commercials every bit as much as eating the cereal. Once I started to earn my own money from mowing lawns, I was then able to buy all the Franken Berry I wanted.

Fast forward forty some odd years later. While I can still satisfy my craving for this great cereal, it's only on shelves around Halloween. However, a few things just aren't the same..

1.) I'm a big fan of the old Franken Berry box art and animation from the 70's and 80's. That being said, while I didn't much care for the facelift that General Mills gave old Frankie in 1995, they have recently been releasing retro box art for the last several years. Hopefully the keep up the throwback marketing, because the masses seem to love it.

2.) There's also the issue of the in-box surprises being pretty much non-existent. Mazes and puzzles printed on the backs of boxes are amusing, but it just isn't the same as having to dig through a box of cereal for that in box surprise. Children of the 60s, 70s and 80s know exactly what I'm talking about.

3.) The lack of imagination that goes into marketing for this cereal (and most cereals for that matter) simply disappoints. You just don't see ingenious commercials, advertisements, and merchandise that uniquely promote breakfast cereal anymore. When I was a kid, there was a slew of promotional items that you could buy right off of the shelves in the grocery stores, like vinyl figures, school supplies, etc. based on many of the General Mills cereal mascots.

4,) Finally, the taste is not the same as it was back in the day. It's a entirely different cereal than the one we used to enjoy in the 70s and 80s, and I don't think anyone can deny this. Just check out the 70s ingredients vs. today's recipe..

I remember instantly getting strawberry flavor in every bite years ago. Now.. the only thing that is vaguely reminiscent of that great flavor is the marshmallows. The throwback boxes used to be enough to get me to buy a box every Halloween, but I haven't even bothered for the last few years. Last year in 2022, I would have bought a box if not for the artistic liberties taken with the Monster Cereal characters. Some people dug them, but they just weren't my cup of tea.

2022 Franken Berry Cereal Box

They even had me excited for a minute with the mention of 70s style cereal premium figures of the Monster Cereal characters. However, once I learned you were only offered a chance to win them in a sweepstakes, I immediately put the box back on the shelf. I walked away shaking my head, disgusted at General Mills for taking the cheap way out.

The monster cereals of today are only mere shells of what they once were, but I'm very thankful that they are still available. Some people really get excited to see them every year. I do still pay attention and check in every year, hoping to see if the newest boxes and promotions will coax me into parting with a few bucks. It remains to be seen if that will happen in 2023.

I know I can probably find the box art out there right now, but I prefer to be surprised as I peruse the cereal aisle as Halloween gets closer. Whether or not I buy a box this year, I still may cover the newest incarnation of Franken Berry and his pals. We'll see..

Cookie Crisp Cereal Mascots Through the Years: Nostalgia for 70s, 80s & 90s Fans

Theretrodad.com experienced a huge bump in site traffic during the month of July. Upon checking my site stats, I saw massive amounts of Google searches for 'Cookie-Crisp' that were directing viewers to an older Cookie Crisp article I wrote. Therefore, I decided to dust off that old article, and add some more in depth history about the cereal, as well as the mascots we've seen over the years.

Ah, Cookie Crisp Cereal. What a sneaky way to get kids to eat their breakfast! Not to mention an equally sneaky way to trigger me into late night snacking. I can't even begin to count the bowls of Cookie Crisp I ate while watching late night TV, or while working on blogs and web-sites late into the night.

Launched in 1977 by Ralston Purina, Cookie Crisp was an instant hit right out of the gate. It was originally available in chocolate chip, vanilla wafer and oatmeal flavors. My absolute favorite was the vanilla variety, with chocolate chip being a close runner up. Other flavors introduced through the years were Peanut Butter, Double Chocolate, Vanilla with Sprinkles, and Birthday Cake flavors.

Old box featuring 'Cookie Jarvis' the Wizard

If there was ever a retro packaging resurrection I'd like to see, Cookie Jarvis ranks right up there at the top of my list. I miss seeing the old commercials with Jarvis the Wizard turning kids drab and boring breakfast cereal into bite sized cookies.  There was even a vanilla flavored version that I loved equally as much as the chocolate chip Cookie-Crisp back in the day.

1982 Cookie-Crisp Topps Wacky Packages tie in

The box above is from 1982, with a Topps Wacky Packages in-box prize of two cards per box. This was when Topps shrunk down the size of the Wacky Packages cards, making them much smaller.

1982 Topps Beastball Wacky Packages card

As a direct result from the 'Planet of the Apes' movies, KING KONG, and countless black and white gorilla based horror movies, I was obsessed with gorillas as a child. Therefore, this was one of my favorite Wacky Packages cards of all time. It was a re-release from an earlier 70s set of Wacky Packages. I actually scored the 'BEASTBALL' card from one of the 1982 Cookie-Crisp boxes. I coveted that card and held onto it for decades. I believe my son now has it in his collection somewhere.

I vividly remember the following Cookie Crisp Commercial from my youth. It's from an era where cereal manufacturers used to actually try and compete for your business with clever marketing. They did this by catering directly to their main consumers, which were kids.

The Cookie Crook, Chip, and The Cookie Cop

The 'Cookie Crook' was introduced in 1980 while Cookie Jarvis was still the Cereal's mascot. Jarvis would always be the foil to Cookie Crook's dastardly deeds. Quite suddenly however, Cookie Jarvis disappeared in 1985 and only the Cookie Crook remained. However, Hot on his trail was 'Officer Crumb', a police officer looking to bust the Ne'er-do-well.

The storylines and skits that ensued, were in the style of old 'Keystone Cop' comedy. Sometime around 1990, the Cookie Crook gained a canine sidekick named 'Chip'.  The crook's plans to steal Cookie Crisp were usually foiled when Chip would get overly excited and uncontrollably start to howl "Coo-ooooooookie Crisp!" 

Later on when the Cookie Crook was phased out, Officer Crumb became the antagonist, because he felt kids shouldn't be eating cookies for breakfast. Chip then became the hero, usually foiling Officer Crumb and saving the day.

When Officer Crumb and The Cookie Crook were dropped altogether, Chip became the sole mascot.  Rather than a thief, the commercials usually featured him giving kids cereal while howling "Coo-ooooooookie Crisp!". 

After Officer Crumb's disappearance, authority figures such as teachers, park rangers, little league umpires etc. would act as the antagonists, telling kids they couldn't have cookies for breakfast. Chip would inevitably save the day and the kids would in turn get to enjoy their bowls of cookies.

In 2006, Chip the dog was dropped altogether and replaced with 'Chip the Wolf', who succinctly pilfered Chip the Dog's catch phrase "Co-ooooookie Crisp".

Chip the Wolf would try to steal kids Cookie Crisp cereal using gadgets and inventions he had created. His plans were usually brought down by the same kids he was trying to steal from. I personally can't remember seeing any new commercials featuring Chip the Wolf recently, but then again.. we now consume content in entirely new ways since the heyday of cereal television commercials. 

An interesting thing I've noticed on YouTube, is that most of the same exact commercials seen in America were broadcasted in the U.K. However, they were voiced over by an actor with an English accent.

I have seen recent videos on YouTube and tiktok about folks rejecting Chip the Wolf as their Cookie-Crisp mascot. Kind of like the way I felt many years ago about Cookie Jarvis being dropped, and then again when the Cookie Crook was given the boot.

Upon writing this article, I realized haven't bought a box of Cookie Crisp in about 5 years. Partly because of the way I eat these days, but mostly because it just doesn't excite me anymore. Breakfast cereals were a lot different when I was a boy. The cereal companies employed advertising agencies to produce a constant slew of adventurous cartoons in commercial form. They also commissioned toy companies to make the great in-box prizes and toys that so many of us remember from our youth. In television commercials and promos, cereal mascots took on a life all their own.

Cookie-Crisp.. Oatmeal?

I eat a lot more oatmeal these days,

so this caught my attention this week

Thankfully, companies are catching onto consumers fondness for the way things used to be, and many are hopping on the retro packaging bandwagon everyday. Hopefully General Mills will include Cookie Crisp into their ever changing limited edition lineup of throwback packaging. Maybe they just need a little feedback to encourage them to do so? Below is a link to bug err.. encourage General Mills to bring back Jarvis the Wizard, The Cookie Crook, and Chip the Dog.

Ask General Mills to bring some or all of the old mascots back!
Choose the subject as "other" and let them know why they should bring back some retro magic, by re-introducing your favorite old school mascot. 

Heck, while I'm at their site putting in my bi-annual vote for a Jarvis revival, I may even ask them to bring back Vanilla flavored Cookie Crisp as well.

BIGFOOT - Childhood obsession & lifelong friendship

As a child growing up in the 70s, I witnessed Bigfoot fever firsthand. The now infamous Patterson-Gimlin Bigfoot video shot in 1967, started an obsession with the cryptid that carried on from the 70s to present day. I remember learning of Bigfoot for the first time on an old TV show called 'In Search Of'. It was a show hosted by actor Leonard Nimoy, that covered all sorts of unexplained mysteries and phenomenon. 

While the TV shows and news outlets shared sightings and stories, I got super interested when a sighting was reported in the Red Feather lakes area of Colorado, located about an hour away from where I grew up in Fort Collins. During my youth, our family camped in the Red Feather Lakes area, and I was always on the lookout for the big guy. 

At the ripe old age of ten, I would set out on secret solo Bigfoot hunting expeditions during our camping trips. I must admit that I got in my own head many a time whilst alone in the wilderness, or in my tent at night. There were several occasions when I heard/felt strong footsteps close by as well as hearing huge branches being snapped like twigs. Granted, this was also where Colorado Parks and Wildlife released Moose into the wild, and by the mid 80s, they were very abundant in the area.

I remember drawing WANTED type posters with my rendition of Bigfoot and taping them to my bedroom wall. Many a night I fell asleep staring at the drawings I made, wondering if there were the slightest chance he existed. My family didn't celebrate holidays when I was growing up, so I never had any lore like Santa, Leprechauns, the Easter Bunny, or Tooth Fairy to believe in. In a way, Bigfoot was the only legend in my childhood that I halfway believed in, and held out hope for his existence.

My old 'Fouke Monster' ceramic school project

When I was in 4th or 5th grade, I took a ceramics class at school. I had heard of a new (to me) Bigfoot sighting in Arkansas, and this one attacked a family. It was spotted in Fouke Arkansas, hence his name. You can see my nine year old brain failed at phonetically trying to spell out his name in the clay. 

The Fouke Monster is also known as the Boggy Creek Monster and Swamp Stalker. The town has capitalized on the legend, having festivals and businesses dedicated to Fouke Monster merch.

Fast forward to adulthood. While I've been alive long enough to definitely experience some weirdness and unexplained phenomenon, I'm no conspiracy theorist. I'm from the school of I want to believe.. but my brain requires hard evidence. That however, certainly does not mean that I'm no longer a fan of Bigfoot and anything to do with it.

I'm a sucker for any kind of Bigfoot pop culture gimmick. Just look at some of the stuff I've gladly spent my hard earned money on over the years.

BIGFOOT PIZZA
from Pizza Hut

No.. that's not a young Billy Crystal, it's some cat that people called 'The Pizza Hut Guy'.  And for a time from 1993 to the mid 90s, he pedaled Pizza Hut's newest creation BIGFOOT Pizza! This pizza was Pizza Hut's answer to Little Caesar's 'Pizza Pizza' promotion, which even came in similar packaging. Pizza Hut's pie however, was one huge pizza that measured about two square feet. 

The advertising campaign was quite ingenious. People would run around screaming their lungs out, and the Pizza Hut Guy would pop up screaming "IT'S BIGFOOT!". I fell for this gimmick hook, line and sinker, and bought a crazy amount of BIGFOOT Pizza over the years. I really do miss that pizza, but then again, I also really miss the way Pizza Hut Pizza used to taste back in the day.

SASQUATCH PIZZA

I've bought this 3 pound frozen pizza a couple of times. 

In the end, the gimmick was way better than the pie.

BIGFOOT Lunchbox

This lunchbox graces a shelf in my office. I don't use this for lunch although maybe I should. I love the scene of this socially distanced Bigfoot just chilling in the Rockies, leisurely watching a fisherman (and Nessie). That scene reminds me so much of the wilderness I grew up camping in.

BIGFOOT Air Freshener
Pine.. not BIGFOOT scented

BIGFOOT Action Figure

My Bob's Burgers BEEF SQUATCH Tee

Sasquatch Sweat Soap

I can attest this does not grow hair

One of my favorite caps in my current lineup

Gotta represent my home state

Great Divide Brewing's YETI Stout

Great Divide Brewing in Denver Colorado makes a wonderful Imperial Stout, my favorite in fact. They also have a killer logo for the beer, and I jump at the chance to buy any of their special edition beers and YETI merch I can find.

BIGFOOT SOCK CO.

I'm crazy about this company's BIGFOOT socks, and want every pair they make.

Bigfoot Socks Online

I'm not exaggerating when I say this is just a portion of things I've squandered my money on over the years. Bigfoot lore to me now is just fun, and his appearances in pop culture are usually entertaining and lighthearted. 

My adult self wonders about the ancient carvings, totems, and cave drawings that feature sasquatch type beings. I also often wonder why there's a law stating that it's illegal to kill a Bigfoot in Canada. 🤔 I guess the kid in me wants to still believe, and my ears do perk up whenever a news story makes the rounds about a Bigfoot sighting.

Until I learn any different, I'll still make the occasional comment that Bigfoot exists. My bride will roll her eyes as she always has, my kids will giggle and agree with me just to tick Mom off, and we'll all have a good laugh. Real or not, Bigfoot has made for some great memories and entertainment over the years, and indeed made life a bit more colorful, mysterious, and entertaining for this particular boring Gen Xer.