20 Nostalgic Ice Cream Truck Treats We Long For from the ’80s and ’90s

There are a few sounds that can instantly transport you back to your childhood: the sound of a baseball hitting a metal bat, “You’re it!” on the playground, and the melodic sound of an ice cream truck approaching your block. When you’re a kid, it kind of seems like your whole world stops when you hear the song bellowing from the truck, as you and your friends look around frantically trying to find where it is before running up to the closest adult and asking, “Can I please get ice cream?” like your life depended on it. Ice cream trucks remind us of a simpler time, when the biggest choice you had to make was whether you wanted a SpongeBob ice cream or a Tweety Bird Bar. 

Ice cream trucks are a dime a dozen nowadays, and even if you do find one by the beach, driving through your neighborhood, or even catering a special event, you may find that its flavors don’t match the ones you remember growing up. In an effort to highlight some of the best ice cream truck offerings from a bygone era, we created a list of some of our favorites that were popular in the ’80s and ’90s. While some of them are still available today, others, like ice cream trucks, have become relics of a bygone era. 

WWE (or WWF) Superstars of Wrestling Ice Cream Bars may have only reached a niche subset of the population, but we think they’re still worth mentioning. These frozen treats were first manufactured by the Gold Bond Ice Cream Company in Wisconsin in 1987, but were eventually sold to ice cream giant Good Humor in 1989. Each package included a slab of ice cream sandwiched by a chocolate and cookie layer and imprinted with a popular wrestling star at that time. The bars also included trading cards, adding to their novelty. Hulk Hogan, Randy Savage, and André the Giant all made appearances on this sweet, sports-themed ice cream treat.

Surprisingly, these ice cream bars stayed in production many years after their inception and included modern WWE characters, like The Rock and John Cena. The company ceased production of the bars in 2008, but ran a special-edition series later on in 2020 to the enjoyment of ice cream fans. However, the 2020 release was not the same as the original bars; they featured an ice cream sandwich-like concoction instead of one on a wooden stick. 

The only thing more fun than ordering a character-themed Popsicle from the ice cream truck was opening the plastic packaging to see how disfigured the character inside was. Loopy eyeballs, smeared lips, and unique (to put it gently) shapes were all too common with these ice cream delights.

These character pops came in many different shapes, including Tweety Bird from the “Looney Tunes,” Bubbles from “The Powerpuff Girls,” and SpongeBob SquarePants himself. Many of these pops boasted fruity flavors, though the actual flavors varied from character to character. Some pops even came with bubble gum eyes for a unique visual contrast — which made biting the head off your character of choice even more fun. The good news is that you can still find character Popsicles in stores, gas stations, and the like — a spokesperson for Popsicle even told Thrillist that 25 million character pops are sold annually today. The character lineup has definitely changed; while SpongeBob is reportedly a popular seller, you’ll also find Spider-Man and the Minions from “Despicable Me” in ice cream form. 

If you make a trip to your local gas station’s ice cream chest, chances are that you’ll be able to find some Nestlé Drumsticks nestled inside of it. The Drumstick, which features a vanilla ice cream cone, covered in chocolate and rolled in nuts, was actually created all the way back in 1928 by two brothers: I.C. and J.T. Parker. The duo was interested in making their own ice cream to sell, but quickly realized that their cones got too soggy on their way to stores. Food scientists from Ohio State University recommended adding a chocolate coating to the top of the cone, and so the drumstick was born. 

Nestlé is now the proud owner of Drumstick and sells a plethora of flavors, including dipped, mini, and plant-based offerings. But, true ice cream truck OGs will know the best one is the original flavor, which just hits different on a hot summer day at the park as a kid. 

Part of the nostalgia of ice cream truck treats isn’t their flavors or their quality; it’s the experience of eating them. One pertinent example is Flintstones Push-Up Pops. These sherbet-filled treats, first introduced by Nestlé in the ’90s, featured an ice cream filling inside a paper tube. In order to get the frozen treat inside, you had to push up the base of the pop — which was about as messy as it was fun to eat. 

Orange was a popular flavor (its government name was Yabba Dabba Doo Orange), but the brand also came in lime, grape, and berry. In 1994, the brand even introduced pops that were made with Nerds candy — a revolutionary concept at the time. This pop was a favorite among youngsters, especially thanks to the catchy — and very ’90s — commercials. Now that the Stone Age is long gone, Nestlé dropped the Flintstones advertising — though it still sells Push-Up pops for those looking for a taste of their childhood. 

We’re not talking about the peanut butter whiskey here, but rather the ice cream truck favorite by the same name: Screwballs. These conical treats were first sold in ice cream trucks in the 1970s and included a cherry-flavored slush with a gum ball at the bottom. 

Eventually, Screwballs started to come in more flavors, including the popular blue raspberry. You could even find Two-Ball Screwballs, which contained not one, but two gum balls at the bottom. While they weren’t the creamiest of ice cream treats, they were no doubt refreshing on a hot summer day. 

The Chocolate & Vanilla Giant King Cone was made for people who liked to make a statement. It resembles the Drumstick in some ways, but instead of featuring a cap of chocolate on the top, it comes with stripes of chocolate and crumbled peanuts. 

Once you get near the bottom, you’ll uncover an even better surprise: a chocolate tip and a chocolate-lined cone shell. At 4.2 ounces, it was one of the larger options from the ice cream truck, making it a great budget find for anyone looking for a refreshing summer treat. 

Ah, the Good Humor Toasted Almond bar — gone but certainly never forgotten. These truly iconic ice cream bars got their start in the 1960s and remained a persistent ice cream truck staple until 2023, a decision the brand attributes to changing consumer preferences. In a statement given to CNN, Good Humor said that they did not have any plans to bring back this ice cream treat, which is disappointing news for folks who loved getting it from the ice cream truck.

The novelty featured an almond-flavored cake core, covered in creamy vanilla ice cream and doused in an almondy, brown-sugar-esque coating. The discontinuation has not stopped some fans from trying to recreate their own bars at home, while others insist that nothing quite tastes like the original. 

School might be out during the summer, but it’s not time to put your pencils (or crayons) down — especially when you could get Scribblers from the back of the ice cream truck. These pops are in the shape of a colorful crayon, and boast a delicious fruity flavor and hard, tooth-breakable consistency. 

While Scribblers’ parent brand, Popsicle, still sells these pops in grocery stores, some fans have argued that they don’t taste the same as they used to. Some folks report that the new-age Scribblers lack the same flavor, creaminess, and colorful vibrancy that made eating them as a kid so much fun. That said, the combination of flavors, including cherry red, wild watermelon, razzmatazz raspberry, and outrageous orange, is the perfect snack to eat by the pool. 

We don’t remember ever ordering a giant ice cream sandwich from an ice cream truck, but that doesn’t mean they’re a bad novelty. After all, there’s no denying that there’s something magical about the way that the chocolate cookie sticks to the paper, your finger, and seemingly every surface you touch. 

The ice cream sandwich is actually one of the oldest ice cream novelties ever made. The first recipe was developed in 1894 and called for sandwiching ice cream between sponge cakes. In 1900, these sandwiches were sold from a push-cart in New York City — and priced at a mere penny. The sandwiches went up in price; in the 1970s, they would have cost closer to 50 cents each. If you were lucky, you may have even found a Neapolitan ice cream sandwich with vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry ice cream sandwiched between those iconic chocolate wafers. 

The cookie ice cream sandwich, also known as the Chipwich, is like the ice cream sandwich’s fun cousin. Instead of using chocolate wafer cookies, this ice cream truck staple utilized soft cookies and a mini chocolate chip coating. Crave Better Foods claims ownership of the Chipwich, arguing that it invented the combination in the 1980s. However, the earliest form of this upgraded ice cream sandwich was arguably the 1928 It’s-It, which featured two soft oatmeal cookies sandwiching vanilla ice cream and dipped in melted chocolate. 

Origins aside, there’s no denying that this treat is as deluxe as they come. Luckily, you don’t have to visit an ice cream truck anytime soon to get your hands on one of them. With these tips, you’ll be whipping up tasty homemade ice cream sandwiches in no time. 

The Choco Taco is the definition of “you don’t really know what you have until it’s gone.” This ice cream was initially invented in 1984 by the Philly-based Jack and Jill Ice Cream Company, which sold the treat from its trucks and at corner stores. Eventually, it was bought by Good Humor in 1989; the company scaled up production of this truly unique novelty before transferring production to its sister company, Klondike. 

This ice cream “sandwich” of sorts was made with a waffle cone taco shell, vanilla ice cream interspersed with decadent chocolate fudge, and topped with a hard chocolate and peanut shell. It was truly unlike any other ice cream novelty that came before it. Sadly, Good Humor-Breyers axed the Choco Taco in 2022 — much to the dismay of its beloved fans. While Salt & Straw, in a partnership with Taco Bell, announced it was developing its own version of the novelty — and several folks have put out copycat recipes over the years — there has been no official announcement of when (or if) this beloved novelty might return.

Bubble Play ice cream looks like an ice cream novelty straight out of the ’90s. This ice cream bar first appeared on Good Humor trucks in the mid-’90s and featured a cherry ice baseball mitt and baseball-shaped gumball. 

Folks have reported mixed feelings about this novelty; some argue that it was one of the most underrated selections, while others express disgust toward its texture and flavor. “To me, the flavor was always a subtle cherry flavor with a hint of [Pepto Bismol],” one user said on a Reddit thread. Some, however, share fond memories about getting these baseball-themed treats at baseball games. 

If you have an affinity for fruity-flavored ice cream, you may have tried a strawberry shortcake pop or two back in your day. The original strawberry shortcake bar, which is still sold today, was essentially a berry-forward version of the toasted almond Good Humor bar. It has a sweet, strawberry-flavored cake center, vanilla ice cream coating, and strawberry cake piece coating on the outside. 

Although grocery store shelves and convenience store coolers are still packed with these ice cream bars, some folks have noticed a shift in the recipe over the past few years — including a coconut-tasting coating, brighter red color, and a more intense artificial strawberry flavor. Or maybe it just tastes different because folks aren’t buying them from ice cream trucks anymore? 

Chocolate Éclair bars are yet another member of the Good Humor ice cream family, though the popularity of these bars has caused other brands, including Blue Ribbon and Blue Bunny, to make their own versions. Like the strawberry shortcake and toasted almond bars, this one features a dense cakey center (this time with chocolate), with vanilla ice cream and a chocolate cake coating. 

Unlike the strawberry shortcake bars, fans have not reported major recipe changes or alterations to the chocolate éclair’s formula. However, some fans have reported periodic shortages over the years, so if you see these on the shelves of your local grocery store, you’re better off snagging them and reliving your ice cream truck days from the comfort of your air-conditioned kitchen. 

These red, white, and blue pops come with several different names, including “Firecracker Pops,” “Rocket Pops,” and “Bomb Pops.” They were originally invented in 1955 and contained cherry, lime, and blue raspberry-flavored ice, pressed into a signature rocket shape. However, the flavor and shape of this pop wasn’t the most unique thing about it. The company that bought the Bomb Pop recipe from its original creators in 1991, Wells Enterprises, had a trademark on it — but that didn’t stop burgeoning treat brand Popsicle and its Firecracker Pops from trying to fight the trademark. TL;DR there was a lot of suing and countersuing involved, which is why you will see both brands on store shelves and on ice cream trucks.  

The shape of this pop, and its patriotic colors, were a nod to ongoing Cold War tensions during their inception. Although these tensions may have ceased, these pops still remain a refreshing and sweet way to cool down — whether it’s the Fourth of July or not. 

The Creamsicle may have inspired dirty sodas, cakes, and more, but it has humble beginnings as an ice cream. It was actually created by 11-year-old Frank Epperson, who named his orange juice and ice cream concoction the “Epsicle.” Creamsicle is a brand name that was developed once Epperson sold the brand to the Joe Lowe Company in 1937. You may also hear them called “dreamsicles,” though ice creams with this title are actually made with ice milk and orange sherbet, while the Creamsicle is made with ice cream. Regardless, they’re both delicious. 

While orange was the predominant flavor, you could also find other varieties of Creamsicles, including ones made with raspberry-flavored sherbet, on your local ice cream truck. Luckily, the orange-ice cream combo remains a popular one today, and it’s easy to find these flavors everywhere you look — not just in the ice cream aisle. 

Let’s get one thing straight: Fudgesicles are not the same as chocolate ice cream. When they were originally created by the Joe Lowe Company (eventually Popsicle) back in 1946, they were actually made with ice milk, which distinguished the brand’s products from its competitor, Good Humor, which was allowed to make its products with ice cream. This ingredient also made the mouthfeel less rich and ice-cream-like, but still as fudgy as ever. The resulting pop was called a Fudgeicle, which eventually became Fudgesicle. 

The first flavors sold were chocolate and orange, though the chocolate one endured much longer and made its way onto ice cream trucks everywhere. Now, you can find no-sugar-added, single pops, and more.

While there were several different ice cream truck options that included gumballs, there was also one that was entirely bubblegum flavored: the bubblegum swirl pop. This colorful combination of pink and blue was straight out of a child’s dream and surely satisfied cravings for sweet, bubblegum-flavored treats. 

This Popsicle is no longer available in stores or on ice cream trucks. However, that has not stopped some from taking to sites like Reddit to share fond memories of this treat in all of its pastel glory. 

Sharks at the beach? Oh no! Don’t worry, we’re talking about the Great White pops, which are a little more of a welcome sight at the beach than the dreaded dorsal fin. This lemon-flavored pop, which is in the shape of a Great White (or at least its front half), is white in color, which makes it stand out among the more colorful selections on this list. It was a popular ’90s ice cream truck treat, but it is now lost to history. 

Lemon is a flavor historically underserved on Good Humor’s trucks. While you might find Lightning Lemon cups — or resort to gnawing on the lemon part of a Firecracker Pop — the flavor is otherwise absent. 

Snow cones are one of the most divisive treats on ice cream truck menu boards. These paper cones, which should really be labeled as “ice with sugar syrup in the bottom half,” were undeniably a popular selection at ’90s-era trucks, though their quality was debatable. Snow cones are made with coarse ice, but these ones were on another level. The ice was almost pebbly in texture, which gave each bite a satisfying but otherwise flavorless snap.

The flavor syrup in these cones varies; some are made with cherry, blue raspberry, and (oddly enough) banana, while others come with strawberry, lemon, and blue raspberry. And while some cones were made with just ice and syrup, others included a special surprise gumball at the bottom. One thing’s for certain: They’re undeniably better with alcohol.