18 Foods That Don’t Taste Like They Did in the Good Old Days

This post may contain affiliate links.

Have you ever taken a bite of your favorite childhood snack or some great fruit and thought, “Why doesn’t this taste the same?”  Many of the foods we love have changed with the years, some for the better, some… not so much.

The flavor evolution of our food has, after all, been a wild ride — from modern farming practices to ingredient tweaking. These 18 foods just don’t taste the same anymore, and here’s why.

Brussels Sprouts  

Not all taste change is terrible, though! Belgian scientists have, over the years, tweaked Brussels sprouts to get them to dial back on some of the chemical compounds that make the vegetable bitter.

That’s why they are a favorite veggie today.

Corn  

The modern corn is sweeter than its ancestors. What we munch on now are super sweet varieties selectively bred as our sugar-loving taste buds demand.

Once hearty and with more savor, older varieties are difficult to find.

Cucumbers  

Have you ever noticed that cucumbers are now mild and watery? Cucumbers back in the day were a lot more bitter.

These contained high levels of cucurbitacins, natural substances that kept pests away (and, well, humans as well). Modern cucumbers are far easier on the palate thanks to breeding.

Kale  

According to Zagat’s 2015 National Dining Trends Survey, only 27 percent of diners in America reported kale. The kale hasn’t morphed yet, but there is already a community to genetically edit that super leafy green.

Plant researchers at Cornell University College of Agriculture and Life Science have been working to make it less bitter so that even a kale skeptic might be able to stomach it on the plate. Fingers crossed!

Twinkies  

Yeah, it’s not in your head: Twinkies no longer taste like they used to. The recipe was changed since the Hostess bankruptcy and rebranding in 2013 to stretch shelf life, an abomination many fans claim led to a slightly fresher and less fluffy experience.

Hellmann’s Mayonnaise  

Hellmann’s loyal fans have picked up on subtle changes in taste and texture, even though Hellmann says nothing’s changed. However, experts think the variation may be due to tweaks in the production process.

Oreos  

While some may keep it down to nostalgia, others swear that the cookies just don’t taste as delicious as they once did. The cause may be subtle recipe tweaks, including ingredient sourcing.

Girl Scout Cookies  

Long-time Girl Scout Cookie fans have arbitrated changes in their cherished Thin Mints and Samoas for years. Taste can differ depending on where you buy them because not all bakers bake with the same recipes.

Campbell’s Soup  

Great for health-conscious consumers, Campbell’s revamped their soup recipes to reduce artificial ingredients. But it also altered the flavor profile, to which some soup junkies longed for OG versions of the soups.

Tomatoes  

Today’s tomatoes are something akin to aftertastes — once packed with flavor, now underwhelming. Why? Whefarmers bred modern tomatoes; they did so for durability and appearance alone and lost out on the vibrant and complex taste and aromas.

According to a study by the National Institutes of Health, the genetic shift has led to the loss of crucial aroma compounds that define their flavor.

Milk  

The days of drinking really creamy, rich milk are long gone. The taste of milk has changed enormously with industrial dairy farming techniques, pasteurization, low-fat choices, etc.

Bread  

Commercial yeast and preservatives deserve the blame. Today’s bread is softer and lasts longer, but it can’t compete with the robust, tangy profile of traditionally baked, slow-rise loaves.

Butter  

Over the years, changing dairy practices and the desire for mass production have dulled butter’s flavor.

Red Delicious Apples  

Spoiler alert: They’re not that delicious anymore. In the past, Red Delicious apples were prized for their taste, but selective breeding emphasized a red skin that looked good—rather than good taste.

The result? It’s a bland, mealy apple that looks great but does not deserve its name.

Meat  

Have you ever noticed how chicken or beef doesn’t seem to taste as good as it used to? Meat grown in factory farming settings is often much blander — and less nutritionally dense than the meat of the past because today’s factory farming prioritizes fast growth and volume.

Eggs  

Not even eggs are saved from modern farming methods. The flavor shift from free-range natural to industrial farming diets made them less wealthy and distinctive.

Wine  

Things didn’t necessarily get worse in wine—they just changed. Over the decades, flavors have changed due to changes in production techniques, grape varieties, and even climate.

Cheese  

Cheese used to be lovingly handmade with all sorts of complex flavors built up over time. Today, with mass-produced cheese, that artisan touch is sacrificed in favor of milder, less distinctive tastes.  

Disclaimer – This list is solely the author’s opinion based on research and publicly available information.

15 Food Trends Nutritionists Wish You Would Forget About

15 Food Trends Nutritionists Wish You Would Forget About

15 Best Dinner Foods that Can Help You Reach Your Weight Loss Goals

15 Best Dinner Foods that Can Help You Reach Your Weight Loss Goals