# The world is racing to ruin! (disappointing foods you've encountered) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** food-cooking\ **Created:** [January 31, 2026, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-world-is-racing-to-ruin-disappointing-foods-youve-encountered/1027229 "2026-01-31T15:54:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![MindsEye\_Watering](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mindseye_watering/32/3619_2.png) [@MindsEye\_Watering](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MindsEye_Watering)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2026, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-world-is-racing-to-ruin-disappointing-foods-youve-encountered/1027229/21 "2026-02-02T22:26:06Z")
> [@MindsEye\_Watering](#): > > The Progress Progresso ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2026, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-world-is-racing-to-ruin-disappointing-foods-youve-encountered/1027229/22 "2026-02-02T22:32:40Z")
Just to give a nod to the OP, I happen to love those orange slice jellied candies that are coated with sugar. Almond Roca seems to have taken a nosedive over the years. It used to be a nice, tasty chunk of toffee coated with chocolate and nuts. I think they’re using cheaper ingredients nowadays for the toffee. Of course, my taste buds aren’t what they used to be, either. I used to love Denison’s canned chili as a kid. Now it seems like tasteless glop. And forget most canned soups. I think Progresso soups are probably some of the better ones, although Progresso’s chicken stock in a box is pretty bad. Stick with Swanson or Better Than Boullion. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2026, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-world-is-racing-to-ruin-disappointing-foods-youve-encountered/1027229/23 "2026-02-02T22:39:09Z")
> [@MindsEye\_Watering](#): > > The Progress Thick and Hearty Clam Chowder is respectable. Fortify it with a can Snows Chopped Clams. I don’t know if we have Progresso here in Canada. Eh, I’ll just pay periodic visits to one of my fave supermarkets and hope I hit it on a good day when they have their fresh clam chowder, which is absolutely fine-restaurant quality. And maybe a slice or two of pepperoni pizza that they bake in their own stone oven – there’s something about its thin crust that is addicting! They also make a fantastic forest mushroom soup! They also make other decent soups but the clam chowder and forest mushroom is to die for! ---
**Author:** ![mixdenny](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mixdenny/32/2962_2.png) [@mixdenny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mixdenny)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2026, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-world-is-racing-to-ruin-disappointing-foods-youve-encountered/1027229/24 "2026-02-02T22:41:51Z")
> [@digs](#): > > But my personal defining tragedy was the bankruptcy/sale and reformulation of NECCO wafers. > > Just like the OP’s Spice Drops, they toned down the “spice” nature, like the Clove Necco. They also sweetened the chocolate and “added more flavor”. The actual change they made was to use all “natural” flavors in some misguided attempt to placate mothers. Turns out we like whatever they originally used much better. Those improved flavors were horrible. But they went back to the good stuff within 2 years. They are produced in Mexico today but they seem to taste like originals to me. Not sure about the clove in particular. Wintergreen and licorice are my favorites and I scan rolls before I buy them to ensure enough of them. I always have a roll or two on hand. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2026, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-world-is-racing-to-ruin-disappointing-foods-youve-encountered/1027229/25 "2026-02-03T02:14:19Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > Just to give a nod to the OP, I happen to love those orange slice jellied candies that are coated with sugar. Almost, I prefer the mint flavored ones. Or did anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2026, 6:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-world-is-racing-to-ruin-disappointing-foods-youve-encountered/1027229/26 "2026-02-03T06:03:57Z")
I’m convinced Ding Dongs don’t taste as good now as they did when they were wrapped in foil. And what’s up with Cracker Jack these days? I couldn’t care less about the surprise but I want more than one or two peanuts per box. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2026, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-world-is-racing-to-ruin-disappointing-foods-youve-encountered/1027229/27 "2026-02-03T14:54:50Z")
> [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](#): > > but I want more than one or two peanuts per box. That’s funny. When I was a kid I always thought the weird tasting peanuts were a pollutant in the mix, not a special treat to be sought after. Every peanut in there was that much less of the good popcorn to be had. Our mileages obviously vary. Such is the world, even the world of kids. ---
**Author:** ![bobsmom101](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobsmom101/32/2867_2.png) [@bobsmom101](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobsmom101)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2026, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-world-is-racing-to-ruin-disappointing-foods-youve-encountered/1027229/28 "2026-02-03T15:42:30Z")
Bigelow Peppermint tea. I really like a cup of peppermint tea in the afternoon, almost as good a wake-up call as coffee. I usually buy Stash, but there was a twofer sale at Safeway on Bigelow brand. Hey, how can you mess up peppermint??? G\*d _damn_, Bigelow! You mess up peppermint by making the flavor so mild as to be almost invisible (I know, mixing metaphors or something) and then adding an ingredient that leaves an unpleasant grassy aftertaste. And I bought two flippin’ boxes! ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2026, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-world-is-racing-to-ruin-disappointing-foods-youve-encountered/1027229/29 "2026-02-03T17:42:06Z")
I _swear_ those KFC bowls are a joke on their customers. They are making fun of them. ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2026, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-world-is-racing-to-ruin-disappointing-foods-youve-encountered/1027229/30 "2026-02-03T18:37:27Z")
…a failure pile in a sadness bowl… [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/tfan5MacmsI/hqdefault.jpg "Patton Oswalt - KFC Famous Bowls") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tfan5MacmsI) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-world-is-racing-to-ruin-disappointing-foods-youve-encountered/1027229.md?page=1)