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Keebler
Note: Many flavors have unknown release dates because brands alert the press when they have new products to tout, there’s not typically an announcement when Cheez-It crackers are discontinued, making it difficult to pinpoint exact timeframes for many discontinued varieties.
Discontinued: Late 1990s
The ’80s were all about fitness and health. Cheez-It Low Salt answered the call. After 65 years of having just one product, this reduced-sodium cracker broke new ground in 1986.
The timing was perfect. “Health-conscious yuppies” were driving demand for better-for-you snacks, and Cheez-It Low Salt rode that wave alongside competitors like Ritz’s low-salt crackers. But when Keebler acquired the brand, they discontinued it soon after.
Discontinued: 2003
What could go wrong with Parmesan & Garlic? The combination works magic on pasta, pizza, and garlic bread. But let’s just say this execution wasn’t the best.
The Minneapolis Star Tribune put it best in 2003: “the predominant flavor component in Parmesan & Garlic Cheez-Its is Cheddar cheese.” When your signature ingredient gets overshadowed by the base formula, you’ve got a problem. And folks weren’t buying it.
Discontinued: 2000s
Ask any Cheez-It fan about their most missed flavor, and Chili Cheese tops the list every time. This flavor was a childhood companion that made perfect sense.
Chili and cheese: the ultimate comfort food duo for kids. While other questionable combinations survived, this logical pairing got the axe, leaving fans “crushed” and flooding social media with pleas for its return. Today, those craving that chili-cheese fix have to settle for Fritos. But it’s just not the same.
Discontinued: Unknown
When Cheez-It wanted to bring serious heat, Atomic Cheddar delivered the fire. This spicy flavor was designed to “blaze a smoldering smile across each satisfied face.”
The marketing promised to “Feed the fire for snackin’ heat.” Made with whole grain to meet school guidelines, Atomic Cheddar proved you could be both educational and incendiary. But apparently, not everyone wanted their snack time to feel like a volcanic eruption.
Discontinued: 2018
The partnership that should have lasted forever. Hot & Spicy with Tabasco represented the perfect marriage of Cheez-It’s cheesy crunch and Tabasco’s legendary zing.
Then came the breakup that broke hearts.
Around 2018, the iconic green Tabasco bottle vanished from packaging, replaced by a generic hot sauce illustration. Fans immediately tasted the difference. The flavor and consistency changed. The collaboration ended for “unknown reasons.”
Discontinued: Unknown
Buffalo wings and blue cheese. It’s a combination so classic it needed its own Cheez-It. Twists Buffalo Bleu brought that bar food favorite to snack form, complete with a twisted shape that looked like “a short, crunchy, cheese Twizzler.”
The concept was solid, but the execution had gaps. Fans noted the absence of any actual chicken flavor, with the taste emphasizing the “hot” while forgetting the “wings” part.
Discontinued: Unknown
Mexican cuisine meets American snacking. Zingz Queso Fundido brought the rich, melted cheese experience of traditional queso fundido to Cheez-It.
Part of the bold Zingz lineup, this flavor was one of many international cheese preparations from Cheez-It. “Melted cheese” in Spanish, the flavor promised an authentic taste experience that went beyond typical American cheese flavors.
Discontinued: Unknown
Why choose one cheese when you could have two? Duoz Smoked Cheddar and Monterey Jack delivered exactly that. The perfect cheese pair.
This flavor created “a mashup of exciting flavors and textures” that looked as good as it tasted. Dumping them in a party bowl made it look like you’d done twice the work.
Discontinued: Unknown
When Cheez-It ventured into snack mix territory, Barbecue & Cheddar Snack Mix represented their boldest flavor fusion experiment yet.
The complete snacking experience combined the smoky tang of barbecue with the familiar comfort of cheddar Cheez-Its. The snack mix format allowed for textural variety that single crackers couldn’t provide.
Discontinued: Unknown
The Grooves line brought textural innovation to Cheez-It, and Hot & Spicy Grooves added heat to those signature ridges.
Those notched surfaces weren’t just for show—they held seasoning better and provided a more satisfying crunch. When combined with spicy flavoring, the result was a multi-sensory experience that went beyond traditional flat crackers.
Discontinued: 2019
The sriracha craze of the 2010s demanded a Cheez-It response. Sriracha Snack Mix delivered that “spicy/garlicky/sweet flavor” that “hits multiple taste buds at once.”
When fans discovered the snack’s discontinuation in 2019, they weren’t satisfied with the company’s suggestion to try Hot & Spicy instead. “It’s not the same,” they protested. And they were right.
Discontinued: 2023
The cheese pizza won the People’s Choice award. Introduced in 2017 as part of a Game Day promotion alongside Cheeseburger and Cheddar Nachos, fans voted for their favorite to earn a permanent spot.
Cheese Pizza triumphed, eliminating its competitors and claiming victory. But victory was short-lived. Despite fan support and a democratic mandate, Cheese Pizza got discontinued in 2023, leaving supporters feeling betrayed. The outcry was so intense that Cheez-It created new pizza-inspired flavors in 2025 to fill the void.
Discontinued: 2023
The all-American flavor that should have conquered snack aisles. Cheeseburger joined the 2017 Game Day lineup with high hopes, bringing that classic burger taste to cracker form.
Despite the nostalgia factor and the obvious appeal of America’s favorite sandwich, Cheeseburger couldn’t outlast its pizza competitor in the fan vote. When Cheese Pizza won permanent status, Cheeseburger faced the chopping block.
Discontinued: 2023
The shooting star of Cheez-It history. Puff’d Scorchin’ Hot Cheddar launched with fanfare on January 31, 2022, promising “puffy and airy, bite-sized squares baked with 100% real cheese crispiness and a fiery kick, inside and out.”
But this blazing innovation burned out fast. Despite using paprika extract and natural flavors to achieve authentic heat, Puff’d Scorchin’ Hot Cheddar lasted barely a year before it disappeared.
Discontinued: 2024
The perfect balance of indulgence. Sweet & Salty Snack Mix combined M&M’s chocolate pieces, salted pretzels, caramel popcorn, and classic Cheez-Its into one irresistible package.
Walmart customers called it “the best boxed snack on the shelf,” rating it 4.2 out of 5 stars. When news of its discontinuation broke in 2024, even Cheez-It admitted they were “as devastated as you” about losing this beloved mix.
Discontinued: Unknown
Get Nutty! Snack Mix delivered both roasted peanuts and almonds, plus sesame sticks, pretzels, and cheese crackers.
An anomaly in the modern Cheez-It lineup, representing a time when nuts were welcome in snack mixes. Cost efficiency and school nut bans eventually made such combinations impractical. The glazed, sugary nuts provided a sweet-salty contrast, though customers complained they always sank to the bottom.
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