Nostalgic Snacks That Were Banned or Discontinued

#12: Banned in 1976

In 1976, the FDA banned Red Dye No. 2 after a study linked it to cancer in lab rats. Although M&M’s didn’t actually use the dye, Mars voluntarily pulled red from the lineup to avoid consumer confusion. Fans were devastated by the vanishing of their favorite color.

For over a decade, red was missing, replaced by tan — a color few kids grew attached to. When red finally returned in 1987, it was celebrated like the comeback of an old friend. The absence turned red M&M’s into one of the most famous candy legends of all time.