Uploaded November 2022 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
Every generation has certain foods that define their childhoods. Some persist throughout the decades while others decline in popularity and fade into obscurity. For children of the 1990s, one such food was Dunkaroos, a beloved sweet snack food introduced in 1992. After 20 years, Dunkaroos was discontinued in the United States before making a surprising comeback. Join me as I talk about the rise and fall and rise again of Dunkaroos.
Sources
General Mills Annual Reports
Dunkaroos website and social media channels
General Mills, Inc. Tumblr account
USPTO Trademark and Patent Records
“Snack Attack,” Lisa H. Towle, New York Times News Service, The Palm Beach Post, Jan 28, 1988
“Sf: Snack Food Update,” Snack Food, 1992
“General Mills Takes Plunge into Cookies,” Julie Liesse, Advertising Age, Aug 10, 1992
“The Economy May Be Slow, but Americans Snack in a Crunch,” Chippewa Herald Telegram, Feb 2, 1992
“General Mills to Add Two Snack Items,” Star Tribune, Jun 19, 1992
“No Time to Cook,” Jeanne Blumberg, The Herald Statesman, Sep 9, 1992
“The Back Turner,” York Daily Record, Sep 30, 1992
“Supermarket Sampler,” Bonnie Leblang and Carolyn Wyman, Sunday News, Nov 15, 1992
“Dunk Dunkaroos into Trash,” Brett Jones, Times Record News, Feb 12, 1992
“Dunkaroos: You're Kidding; Sabatini Goes for Sushi,” Jodi Noding, Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel, Apr 7, 1993
“General Mills to Launch FundaMiddles, Bite-Size Graham Morsels with Fillings,” Tony Kennedy, Star Tribune, May 28, 1993
“Emma Chisit?” The Sydney Morning Herald, Feb 20, 1994
“Fun Foods Popular, but Not Always Nutritional,” Gannett News Service, Wausau Daily Herald, Oct 29, 1994
“Fun Foods Mirror a Larger Trend,” Gannett News Service, St. Cloud Times, Nov 2, 1994
“Mom's Wrong! You Can Play With Your Food,” Barbara Nachman, Gannett News Service, Star-Gazette, Nov 9, 1994
“Foods Put Colorful Designs on Youth Market,” Linda Giuca, Pittsburgh Post Gazette, Aug 7, 1997
“Fast Food is Getting Even Faster,” Carole Sugarman, Washington Post, Jan 13, 1999
“Selling Kids on Junk,” Sharon Kirkey, CanWest News Service, Times Colonist, Nov 21, 2006
“General Mills Hopes to Hit Sweet Spot with New ‘Smugglaroos’ Campaign,” Susan Krashinksy, The Globe and Mail, Oct 26, 2016
“Dunkaroos,” General Mills YouTube channel, Jul 26, 2017
“Dunkaroos are Back. Why?” Caity Weaver, The New York Times, Feb 6, 2020
“Dunkaroos are Making a Nostalgic Comeback,” Lee Schafer, Star Tribune, Feb 7, 2020
“Leftovers: Dunkaroos Bounce Back; RXBAR Creates a Clean Label Valentine’s Day Treat,” Food Dive Staff, Food Dive, Feb 7, 2020
Every generation has certain foods that define their childhoods. Some persist throughout the decades while others decline in popularity and fade into obscurity. For children of the 1990s, one such food was Dunkaroos, a beloved sweet snack food introduced in 1992. After 20 years, Dunkaroos was discontinued in the United States before making a surprising comeback. Join me as I talk about the rise and fall and rise again of Dunkaroos.
Sources
General Mills Annual Reports
Dunkaroos website and social media channels
General Mills, Inc. Tumblr account
USPTO Trademark and Patent Records
“Snack Attack,” Lisa H. Towle, New York Times News Service, The Palm Beach Post, Jan 28, 1988
“Sf: Snack Food Update,” Snack Food, 1992
“General Mills Takes Plunge into Cookies,” Julie Liesse, Advertising Age, Aug 10, 1992
“The Economy May Be Slow, but Americans Snack in a Crunch,” Chippewa Herald Telegram, Feb 2, 1992
“General Mills to Add Two Snack Items,” Star Tribune, Jun 19, 1992
“No Time to Cook,” Jeanne Blumberg, The Herald Statesman, Sep 9, 1992
“The Back Turner,” York Daily Record, Sep 30, 1992
“Supermarket Sampler,” Bonnie Leblang and Carolyn Wyman, Sunday News, Nov 15, 1992
“Dunk Dunkaroos into Trash,” Brett Jones, Times Record News, Feb 12, 1992
“Dunkaroos: You're Kidding; Sabatini Goes for Sushi,” Jodi Noding, Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel, Apr 7, 1993
“General Mills to Launch FundaMiddles, Bite-Size Graham Morsels with Fillings,” Tony Kennedy, Star Tribune, May 28, 1993
“Emma Chisit?” The Sydney Morning Herald, Feb 20, 1994
“Fun Foods Popular, but Not Always Nutritional,” Gannett News Service, Wausau Daily Herald, Oct 29, 1994
“Fun Foods Mirror a Larger Trend,” Gannett News Service, St. Cloud Times, Nov 2, 1994
“Mom's Wrong! You Can Play With Your Food,” Barbara Nachman, Gannett News Service, Star-Gazette, Nov 9, 1994
“Foods Put Colorful Designs on Youth Market,” Linda Giuca, Pittsburgh Post Gazette, Aug 7, 1997
“Fast Food is Getting Even Faster,” Carole Sugarman, Washington Post, Jan 13, 1999
“Selling Kids on Junk,” Sharon Kirkey, CanWest News Service, Times Colonist, Nov 21, 2006
“General Mills Hopes to Hit Sweet Spot with New ‘Smugglaroos’ Campaign,” Susan Krashinksy, The Globe and Mail, Oct 26, 2016
“Dunkaroos,” General Mills YouTube channel, Jul 26, 2017
“Dunkaroos are Back. Why?” Caity Weaver, The New York Times, Feb 6, 2020
“Dunkaroos are Making a Nostalgic Comeback,” Lee Schafer, Star Tribune, Feb 7, 2020
“Leftovers: Dunkaroos Bounce Back; RXBAR Creates a Clean Label Valentine’s Day Treat,” Food Dive Staff, Food Dive, Feb 7, 2020
