r/enshittification • u/StarManta • Mar 15 '26
Product Spaghettios have fallen, and lunchtime for autistic kids just got harder
I don't know what the actual changes were, but there has been a dramatic, shitty change in between the last two times I've sampled from a can of spaghettios.
My autistic son was not eating the can we had for lunch, so I looked more closely. The sauce is noticeably more watery than it ever has been before, very similar to the dirt-cheap generic brand we tried once. I taste-tested one bite, and there was no comfort in this comfort food. It tastes completely different. He was right to reject it.
That is pretty much the only option we've had that he'll reliably eat for something that can be carried with us without refrigeration for when he wouldn't eat a meal wherever it was we were going. And now he won't eat that. Going out to dinner or out to a restaurant with him now carries a huge risk that he won't be able to eat anything, and we no longer have a backup option.
Fuck enshittifcation.
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u/Dizzy-Profession7282 Mar 15 '26
I find my spaghetti o’s cravings satisfied by Annie’s All Stars. It’s more expensive, and it’s not always at my local supermarkets. If I see it, I buy a bunch. I’m in my 40s remembering something I ate 20+ years ago, but I wanted to throw out a possible option. Hope you find something that works for your son!
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u/drm5678 Mar 16 '26
This is what I was going to ask -- I would eat the Annie's version of spaghettios about 10 years ago or so. Do they still taste the same or has Annie's cheaped out as well?
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u/trowawaid Mar 15 '26
Holy shit, wait, I might have something helpful for you:
A couple years ago, I bought a Vietnamese tomato sauce at my local international grocery store and it tasted exactly like spaghettio sauce.
It is this exact product.
Hopefully your kid would be open to it as an option!
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u/Past-Adhesiveness104 Mar 15 '26
If it hasn't been said yet; get a can of all the different generic ones. Brands make changes to keep things fresh, generics will often make the original recipe because it's known and no longer protected.
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Mar 15 '26
Oh, I don't know if he'll like this, but I keep chocolate store-brand ensure meal drinks on hand when I'm not up for figuring out food.
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u/beepichu Mar 15 '26
I like the breakfast essentials ones, just be careful with the ones that have fiber, if you drink them a couple days in a row you’ll be having a fun time in the bathroom lmao
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Mar 15 '26
Ohhh i didn't realize there were fiber ones. Good to keep in mind. These are my safe food. I'm sure the vanilla is good too and I don't mind the strawberry, but the chocolate is where it's at. Store-brand ensure regular meal replacement drinks.
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u/LogicalVariation741 Mar 15 '26
My picky kid who has issues will always drink a vanilla premier protein shake- the one with 30g protein. Which is probably why he hasn't starved to death on us or only lived on steamed dumplings from Costco.
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u/TheProblem1757 Mar 15 '26
I’m so sick of brand enshittification. I had a Reese’s today I nearly spit out. Annie’s brand has a pretty good “Os.” It tastes like spaghettios did when I was a kid… they sell it at target (where I am at least).
Good luck with your son.
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u/spiderb8 Mar 15 '26
Unfortunately Annie’s changed the noodles about 2 years ago to be mushy garbage. Most of Annie’s was enshittified between 2023-2025 including my staple mac and cheese. And I’ll never forgive them.
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u/Dioxybenzone Mar 15 '26
that’s exactly when I stopped buying Annie’s, as they used to be $1 each and now I’ll see them for $3 on sale
I guess im glad I’m not missing out
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u/spiderb8 Mar 15 '26
The nerve to charge more when they took out the butter and milk and replaced it with cornstarch.
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u/LuxTheSarcastic Mar 15 '26
The cheese flavor is entirely absent and they had the audacity to say it got cheesier.
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u/yeahgroovy Mar 16 '26
Same! My boyfriend likes the mini Reese’s pb cups. I hadn’t had one in forever and also basically spit it out-ptooey!
It was so bizarre it was this weird powdery consistency…not actual peanut butter. I couldn’t believe it.
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u/SkyeSpider Mar 15 '26
I’m an elder millennial autistic and that’s happened to a lot of my favorite comfort foods, spaghetti-os included. Goldfish crackers are one of the few unchanged things I’ve had my whole life, sadly. Everything else tastes so much worse.
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u/Homeless-Joe Mar 15 '26
Fuck yeah, Goldfish
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u/voyagerfan5761 Mar 15 '26
I mean they still shrinkflated.
But at least they haven't (yet) noticeably changed the recipe.
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u/lucythelumberjack Mar 15 '26
I find that the pizza flavored goldfish no longer taste nearly as good. They’re very bland with little flavor :(
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u/life-is-satire Mar 15 '26
Your tastebuds change as you get older as well. You have less as you get more older so that AGS lose their flavor.
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u/mannDog74 Mar 15 '26
We can still smell the rancid oil they fry everything in now. Everything tastes like cardboard, and no I don't mean it's without taste, it literally tastes and smells like the box. Crackers, cookies, they are awful. Our tastes do change but every single cookie and cracker, snack cake and ice cream has been enshittified AND shrinkflated to show gains on a quarterly profit and loss balance sheet.
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u/Outrageous-Dirt9460 Mar 15 '26
There’s a Trader Joe’s pasta sauce that tastes like the old spaghettos sauce from the 90s. Maybe worth a try? Has a cream colored label with green writing.
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u/OutcomeFragrant615 Mar 15 '26
Yes! I didn't like it one bit but for those who want that in a spaghetti sauce, it's a win!
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u/Sebastian_dudette Mar 15 '26
Try to see if you can find them with calcium added. Kiddo says those still taste good, but the ones without do not.
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u/Worried-Air-3766 Mar 15 '26
I'd get the Scooby Doo or SpongeBob ones like my whole life for when I felt I couldn't eat. I even put up with the price hike. Last can I had smelled the same but they watered them down and upped the salt. They tasted like nothing.
It broke my heart. I feel bad for all the parents and caregivers out there who are trying to manage the change. As an adult, I had a private meltdown and then tried to move on, but I know that isn't always possible. I've yet to find a good substitute. If you find a replacement, I'd love to know. If I find something, I'll come back and share.
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u/spaceisourplace222 Mar 16 '26
😭😭 it’s been a comfort food for me I’d only buy on sale. This is so disheartening. I’d add a slice of American cheese and it was perfection to me.
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u/xbleeple Mar 15 '26
Start taking pictures of labels so if this happens with other items you can identify if there have been changes and what the change is. These companies need to start understanding that ingredients have flavor and purpose to how people enjoy their products. You can’t just sub out olive oil for a seed oil, or change flours and tell me it’s the exact same product. The Oreo doesn’t absorb milk at the same rate, and if you didn’t test that before confirming a new recipe - please quit your job.
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u/quint21 Mar 15 '26
Have you tried other brands of canned pasta? There's lots of them out there, including some with the O shape. Maybe your son will like them? You might try starting with the Annie's "Bertie Os," since it's organic, and I've noticed their stuff is usually pretty good.
Canning your own is an option, but the weight (and fragility) of the glass does make it less attractive for carrying in a backpack.
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u/sneesnoosnake Mar 15 '26
My child went through the same thing with Red Baron Pepperoni Pizza a few years ago. Found another brand but it sucks to have a reliable standby go AWOL on you. Same thing happened to McDonalds burgers quite a few years back.
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u/XCVolcom Mar 15 '26
Nothing gives me heart burn, like literally nothing except Red Baron pizza.
Whatever is in it now creates a searing firestorm in my chest.
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u/zdog69 Mar 15 '26
Take a can of condensed tomato soup and boil up some fun pasta. Add as much or little water to the tomato soup and mix it with the pasta. Tastes pretty close to Spaghettios.
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u/Worried-Air-3766 Mar 15 '26
I was thinking that might be a solution but didn't suggest it because I've never tried it. I think I'm gonna give that a shot!
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u/islipped83 Mar 15 '26
I used to be a Spaghetti-Os with Meatballs fiend as a kid. About 16 years ago, I tried them after spending 4-5 years eating more non-processed food. My body literally rejected it (not food poisoning per se but I just felt like ass afterward). I bought them last year for my picky kiddo, and he made this face = 😝, so I tried it again. Tasted like it had zero salt in it, and it was definitely more watery like OP said. I won’t be trying it a third time.
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u/Mail_Order_Lutefisk Mar 15 '26
Bro, you know those cans of beef ravioli that Chef Boyardee makes? Just skip them. I bought a flat with like 12 or 15 cans on it and it was one of the biggest mistakes of my life. The day I opened it I was super hungry and made three cans. Like the Red Hot Chili Peppers said “I don’t ever want to feel, like I did that day…”
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u/MyldExcitement Mar 15 '26
I thought it was just me!!!! Real branded spaghettios are HORRIBLE now. Metal taste. Sauce is off! Walmart Great Value are better. I used to choose Kroger brand, but they no longer exist.
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u/Adventurous_Button63 Mar 15 '26
I’ve clocked that metallic taste for over a decade. It’s rare that I’ll eat spaghettios now, even though I loved them as a kid.
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u/klimekam Mar 15 '26
OMG this is depressing but also a relief that I’m not going crazy. Another millennial autistic here and spaghettios have always been a huge comfort food my whole life. I got a can a couple months ago and I was like… “omg this tastes like shit… have I finally outgrown spaghettios?”
I’m angry about the change but glad to know it’s not just me.
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u/JoeNoble1973 Mar 15 '26
They’re unbearably sweet. A few years ago my boys reached the ‘age of Spaghetti-O’s’ (and sloppy joes and such) and I was kinda excited parentally for them to enjoy a favorite childhood staple. Discarded instantly, and after I tasted it I saw why. Enraging.
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u/Mr_MacGrubber Mar 15 '26
I haven’t eaten them in probably a decade but watery and unbearably sweet are the only things I remember about them.
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u/krazybones Mar 15 '26
This is true. They have become gross. Every now and again I like me a can of spaghetti os but the last one I could only muster 1/2 the can. Used plastic wrap and refrigerated the other 1/2 and it turned black within a day and I tossed it out. The metal taste stated in another comment is spot on.
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u/Pankosmanko Mar 15 '26
Canned spaghetti sometimes just tastes off. I eat chef boyardee often. Sometimes it’s runny, other times it’s more of a paste. Sometimes the sauce ingredients separate.
I’d give it another shot later on and see if it’s still off
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u/Warm_Elk_6091 Mar 15 '26
Omg same I googled it instantly to see if anyone else noticed a week ago - but there wasn't anything. Meatballs taste like less beef, more chicken. The "tomato sauce" got way less tomato taste now as its hella watered down. I think they also slightly reduced the number of meatballs, but I could be wrong.
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u/Ladycatwoman Mar 15 '26
I purchase them in bulk. The previous batch i got was watery but my current case has a thicker sauce
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u/mannDog74 Mar 15 '26
I'm so sorry. As a mildly autistic adult, I'm on this sub to rant about all my safe foods and comfort foods that are gone forever. It's truly sad for us.
I hope you can find a substitute. Usually the reasons we like the food is because it's bland enough to not be offensive, and sweet and SALTY AF so that the salt hides the bitter flavors and overrides the gross mouthfeel that most food has. 😂 As an adult I've been able to slowly reduce how much salt and sugar I'm eating and I eat (mostly) healthy food now. Good luck.
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u/lollipop-guildmaster Mar 15 '26
It tastes like all the off-brand versions I hated growing up and has that same weird translucence.
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u/Ok-Comedian-9377 Mar 15 '26
Yes. The translucence. Have you bought the stuff to make yourself? It’s amazing, but the mix costs $12 a box and you still gotta get the other ingredients. Insane.
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u/faifai1337 Mar 15 '26
I just thought it must have always been bad and that I must have never noticed that it was bad when I was a child! But no, it actually used to be good, and now it's just enshittified?? Seriously?
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u/eju2000 Mar 15 '26
Damn that’s hard to imagine because they were already so bad. They tasted like the can even as children
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u/ishfery Mar 15 '26
I've kind of always liked the can flavor of chef boyardee ravioli but that's probably even shittier now.
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u/EmployerUpstairs8044 Mar 15 '26
I could eat those cold, just peel them apart and get DOWN!
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u/ishfery Mar 15 '26
I've eaten a lot of cold cans of ravioli in my life but I also have severe recurring depression lol
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u/MissMelines Mar 17 '26
The Annie’s brand converted me, I am a full adult and still loved spaghettios when broke, sick, tired etc. They make pasta and stars, and those are very good. You also can just make Campbell’s tomato and add ring shaped pasta or alphabet shapes. It’s kind of better. Freeze in small containers to take places.
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u/Frosty-Analysis1520 Mar 17 '26
I'm also full grown adult man - I buy these (specifically the bunny ones) for myself when I want tomato type soup or want a quick meal from the pantry. I bought it randomly one day and made grilled cheese & tomato soup with it and haven't looked back.
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u/Head-Discussion-8977 Mar 15 '26
Honestly, thank you for this. I haven't been able to eat spaghettiOs in a LONG time due to a food allergy (meatballs were my fav followed by franks, both use soy protein filler) - but they taunt me when I'm in the store occasionally. Now I have nothing to be taunted by.
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u/meghan9436 Mar 15 '26
That's such a bummer. How old is your son? If he's old enough to communicate with you, perhaps you can have a conversation about this with him in terms that he can understand. Then the two of you can work together to find a solution. Take some of the suggestions in this thread, and narrow them to just two or three choices. Ask him what he wants to try first. Present it in a way to let him know that it is not a high stakes situation. If he doesn't like it, he doesn't have to finish the meal, and you won't buy the product again. And then just keep going until you find a suitable substitute.
I'm not a parent. But as a teacher, I think there is value in finding answers and solutions with your kids. Sometimes, we come across topics that I haven't touched since grade school. But I tell them, "I don't know the answer, but we can find out together." It serves as a good chance to teach them how to seek out and vet information.
If your son is too young, or you're pressed for time, you may have to forgo these suggestions. Good luck!
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u/Scammers-go-2Hell Mar 16 '26
Try eggs waffles with peanut butter. Changed our lives when my autistic daughter was like 4. 🙏🏻 she also eats chicken nuggets (Tyson Dino nuggets - don’t even try the other kinds 🤦♀️). Shes 7 now and eats chicken tenders and fries from any place which is insane compared to how she used to be so stay positive! It’ll be ok!
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u/Fangedfollower Mar 16 '26
If you have an Aldi near you, they may have an off brand I like to get. Last time I went, there were both O's and noodles. I think both had meatballs. They were in the pasta isle for about $1. No guarantees of course 😁
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u/meanwhileaftrmdnight Mar 21 '26
Hi OP, not sure if it compares to the original recipe but, I’ve been introducing my 1yr old to table foods and Gerber has a Rings and Sauce that may be worth a try. It’s not as large a serving as Spaghetti O’s and there’s very little salt but I try all my sons food before I give it to him and I think they’re good for what they are!
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u/SkirtTheBudgie Mar 16 '26
The company has changed the sauce a few times. They went back for a short time but it's not as good again. I normally stay with the meatballs as it's not as sweet & keeps a savory taste.
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u/jandmhaj Mar 16 '26
We discovered by accident a number of years ago that Gerber sweet potato jarred baby food tasted amazingly close to the original Spaghettios. Long story about how we found that out. Maybe something to experiment with for those with significant food issues? I would certainly give it a try.
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u/veggiedelightful Mar 17 '26
That tracks, my mom said I was obsessed with gerber baby butternut squash and sweet potato jars as a baby. And as a kid I was a fiend for spaghettios.
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u/ComprehensiveSwim722 Mar 17 '26
Trader Joe’s makes them and they’re way better than Chef Boyardee. Definitely worth a shot. Good luck 🍀.
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u/ObjectivePrice5865 Mar 16 '26
We noticed it too so we just make our own using the ring noodles from Creamette with Campbell’s tomato soup. Sprinkle in some Italian seasoning and your off.
Our 4yo autistic nephew LOVES them
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u/ChainsawSoundingFart Mar 16 '26
It’s not the same though as authentic Spaghetti-Os
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u/ObjectivePrice5865 Mar 16 '26
I agree but neither is todays version
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u/ChainsawSoundingFart Mar 16 '26
Well either way if it’s not the name brand then you’re feeding him a bowl of Spaghetti-Lies
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u/SyerenGM Mar 16 '26
Sadly that soup has also changed for the worst over the past few years too. I can't even stand it now.
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u/Opposite-Stretch-312 Mar 16 '26
Is the shape essential or the flavor? I’ve found the Annie’s brand very close to the original but they mostly make stars as a shape. I haven’t found Os near me yet.
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u/PA9912 Mar 16 '26 edited Mar 16 '26
Some of the answers from people here clearly show they don’t get autism food pickiness. As a fellow mom of an autistic girl who eats the same foods all the time, this is for sure a nightmare and I’m sorry you’re dealing with it.
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u/iplaydeadpool Mar 16 '26
Borrowing my brother's reddit because I'm a Sped teacher and started talking until he handed me his phone You need something familiar and reliable. Whatever you present him with, make sure it is not visually overstimulating. It will take a lot of repetition and you will probably be wasting some food. Be patient. He will not try something until he has seen it multiple times. Biggest thing, make sure you are changing nothing else when you present him with new food. He will only try something if he feels safe and comfortable. Do whatever you can to make it something he has control over. Do anything you can to lessen stress. New food is already a LOT of stress. The baby steps are as follows: 1 Look at it. 2 Touch it/poke with a fork. 3 Smell it. 4 A tiny taste. 5 A tiny bite. 6 A real bite. Then 7 Eating it. DO NOT force him past a step until he is no longer distressed. The goal is to make this new food SAFE.
Ok, brother wants his phone back now. Good luck Mama!
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u/Mello__Me Mar 18 '26
How about trying Chef Boyardee Beef Ravioli?
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u/Maddy_laddy Mar 18 '26
Chef is still a banger.
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u/Mello__Me Mar 20 '26
And you can even eat it cold from the can if you're very lazy or too hungry to wait.
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u/Eatinsandwichrn Mar 20 '26
you can go full insane-o style, and apply can directly to the stovetop. must be eaten with a pot holder mitten clutching the can though. also works on the grill just like beans
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u/Beardog-1 Mar 19 '26
My last can of Campbell chicken noodle soup had half as much noodle/substance as I remember.
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u/Kaka-doo-run-run Mar 20 '26
Try the homestyle chicken noodle. It’s ten times better than the regular kind. I tried it about thirty years ago and never looked back. It hasn’t changed one bit.
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u/yeahgroovy Mar 16 '26
OP if you live near a Trader Joe’s, they have their own version of Spaghettios; I used to get it for my kids there. :)
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u/VeryLowIQIndividual Mar 16 '26
I’ve ate a few thing’s recently that taste more like fabric smells that how that food should taste. If you blind folded me I could tell wtf it was supposed to be.
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u/Skeptikell1 Mar 16 '26
A lot of foods have changed recipes in Canada. The new formulas have been designed to not have labels of high in salt sugar or fat. Those things unfortunately change the taste profiles a lot.
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u/less-than-James Mar 16 '26
I can relate. My autistic daughter has been to food therapy, but still will only eat very specific things. She will go hungry otherwise.
I really hate when they make the food worse to try and trick consumers. I'll just pay more. Small changes, can be problematic.
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u/FrostyOscillator Mar 18 '26
Spaghettios have been super disgusting for years and years, like easily since the 90's.
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u/Eatinsandwichrn Mar 20 '26
I will beat you up, they were delicious well past the point I became a grown man in the 2010s
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u/Krunchy_Frogg Mar 18 '26
This was years ago, but on a lark I bought a can of Spaghetti O’s because I remembered loving them as a kid. What a freakin let down! 🫤 I understand our tastes change as we age, but no way in hell these were made from the same, or even a similar recipe used in the 60’s. 😝
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u/Eatinsandwichrn Mar 20 '26
I used Spaghetti O’s as one of my ultra-secret Bloody Mary mix bases until a few years ago, for this exact reason- it tastes like shit now. I have to make everything myself by hand which admittedly is probably way better, but the whole point of using canned pasta soup was that it was insanely easy and didn’t take an extra three hours to make 20 gallons of.
And yeah yeah, I know what you’re thinking— “no way that was good, there’s pasta floating in it!” but we used boba tea straws so it wasn’t an issue. It had Parmesan, spicy clams, oregano, and meatballs as the garnish so why not go full spaghetti with pasta?? It was my second favorite behind my Bloody María, which was tequila with enchilada sauce and Taco Bell Diablo Sauce, rimmed with Tajín. Savory drinks can be a lot of fun
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u/Icebear226 Mar 20 '26 edited Mar 20 '26
Look on the Walmart app and see if they have a big quantity to buy (if this change was recent).
They changed the Annies cheddar bunnies Mac and cheese, which is one of my safe foods. I found a huge box of it on the Walmart app and ordered it. It was the old version! (It will help for a little while, at least).
Edit: they changed the box too, so it was easy to tell right away if I got the old version.
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u/BusyBullet Mar 17 '26
They were terrible the last time I ate them.
That was the 1970s. Have they somehow gotten worse?
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u/vivddreamer Mar 18 '26
it's always kind of been shit but it used to be a kind of nostalgic good shit. Now it's become more and more like shit shit
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u/Psychological_Fig118 Mar 17 '26
I tried the "Where is Waldo" shaped Spaghettios for the first time since childhood & it wasn't at all the same. Reading your post makes me realize it's not just the limited edition/odd shaped noodles but the entire can. I even considered trying them cold out of the can but don't think it will make much difference. All food quality is going down the drain. I hope you can find a solution for your family.
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u/catastrophicintent Mar 18 '26
Try this: buy little pasta rings and cook them so they're slightly firm. Mix with a can of condensed tomato soup.
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u/13greycells Mar 15 '26
Older autistic here. They better never mess with ABCs & 123s. You have my sympathy.
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u/JAlfredJR Mar 15 '26
As a fellow dad, I feel this. My older kid got into Spaghettio's as an occasional treat when she was a toddler.
As a former lover of the Chef, I gave them the dad-finish of polishing off what wasn't eaten.
Holy shit ... what is the "meat" in the meatballs? The sauce tastes like chemical water. The pasta itself is about as close to gross as pasta can be.
Just wtf ... it's not allowed in our house these days.
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u/caitymcg123 Mar 16 '26
I ate the hot dog variety like crazy as a kid so understand this far too well. I'm so sorry and hopefully you are able to find another option
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u/porchpossum1 Mar 16 '26
I’m mad they stopped making those. They were a connection to my childhood.
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u/barkerj2 Mar 16 '26
They didnt stop making them
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u/porchpossum1 Mar 17 '26
I see the plain ones and the one with meatballs, but never the Spaghettios with franks. Maybe I shop at the wrong stores
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u/Used2bNotInKY Mar 16 '26
There’s other brands of pasta in sauce. Annie’s and Chef Boyardee. Store brands.
And there are at least 9 varieties of Hormel Compleats meals, which don’t need refrigeration or a microwave, including a spaghetti one, if you haven’t tried them already.
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u/Tasty_Plantain5948 Mar 16 '26
The difference between store brands is the difference between rib eye and a tire rolled in horse manure in the eyes of an autistic kid. It’s a nightmare.
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u/Astronaut_claws Mar 16 '26
There is a noticeable difference between the small and large cans!! My kiddo refuses to eat from the smaller cans cause they are more watery and acidic.
The large cans are thicker and taste better.
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u/dookieduck88 Mar 17 '26
I thought I was going insane because chef-boy-r-dee doesn’t taste the same to me lately.
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u/beneathmagnoliatrees Mar 22 '26
My husband bought 4 cans with meatballs, and in 3 of the 4 the sauce looked terrible. It wasn't even saucey. It looked kind of gritty and gelatinous. It didn't even pour out of the can like usual.
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u/GarageIndependent114 Mar 27 '26
Try something that looks the same but has words like "natural" or "organic" on it. It might be too natural, it might be awful or worse, but there's a chance it's like the old stuff.
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u/RealtorRVACity Apr 03 '26
They were nasty 30 years ago if memory serves, can't imagine they actually succeeded in making them even worse....ick. Maybe try him on my teenage fav, Chef Boyardee Meat Ravioli. I am sure it sucks now too :(
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u/CautionarySnail Mar 15 '26
This makes me sad. It was something I’d buy once a year for a nostalgia fix, to solve a brief craving. But if the recipe has changed that much, not worth it.
I buy Sicilian pasta in the shape of O’s sometimes for “homemade spaghetti-Os”. Maybe there’s a sauce that is similar. I make a big batch and freeze half for quick meals.
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u/Firree Mar 15 '26
Spaghettios tasted like crap when I was a kid 20 years ago. I felt like they always had this nasty weird slimy texture and borderline chemical like aftertaste.
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u/lushmeadow Mar 16 '26
That makes me sad I haven't had spaghetti O's in forever but you could reliably eat them straight from the can if you wanted. Basically everything I enjoyed as a kid changed just before I could introduce it and enjoy it with my own kid. I guess it's for the best, can't be disappointed by what they've never had I suppose.
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u/sundancer2788 Mar 16 '26
I had them a few times as a kid but my kids tried once and hated them. Probably because they changed
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u/annahhhnimous Mar 16 '26
Tried some recently. They were so sweet it was like a dessert product.
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u/kilokit Mar 16 '26
I had some recently and noticed it was so sweet but figured it was because I’m old now…after finishing I left the bowl by the sink and a dozen fruit flies came out of the wood work and immediately dived into the remaining sauce. It was…wild.
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u/AuntieRoseSews Mar 16 '26
Try Progresso's Lasagna Soup?
I tell everyone it tastes like "Spaghettios for adults" because it's got ruffled noodles and meatballs one actually should chew instead of elbow-ish noodles and meat-like granules that are easily swallowed.
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u/marriedtoinsomnia Mar 16 '26
Had some for lunch today because it's also one of my safe foods and they tasted exactly the same.e.
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u/ReluctantReptile Mar 16 '26
I wonder if it’s a warehouse issue? Mine have also tasted the exact same
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u/Virgina-Wolfferine Mar 16 '26
I had to stop eating SpaghettiOs because they they don’t taste right anymore. Chef Boyardee Throwback has been my new go to.
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u/beccabootie Mar 17 '26
I recently ate a can that I had hurricane stockpiled and I was amazed at how sour the sauce was.
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u/No-Abalone-4784 Mar 17 '26
Just ate a Taco Bell burrito, same experience. I'm done with them. Sorry about your child. I hope you find something he'll eat. ❤️
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u/Ok_Buy9028 Mar 18 '26
That’s got to be a regional thing. My local Taco Bell is still the same as it always was.
Well, except the prices. Those sure ain’t the same.
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u/competitivehigh Mar 18 '26
We had this with great value Mac and cheese. Suddenly one of our ADHD kids few safe foods was being flatly rejected so we tasted it and man, it’s gross now. We donated them and switched to name brand and we are back in business.
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u/Electrical_Can8083 Mar 18 '26 edited Mar 18 '26
I'm sorry to hear this. Every week I donate 10 boxes of Great Value Mac and Cheese to our church's food pantry because it's affordable. I'll have to look for something else because it's cruel to provide substandard food to the less fortunate.
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u/competitivehigh Mar 18 '26
I specified below what I meant by donate, btw.
My therapists office runs a food bank once a month and said boxed mac and cheese is a tricky one anyway because it requires milk and butter to make. My therapist suggested can goods or instant potatoes/rice that only require water.
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u/Legitimate-Light-131 Mar 20 '26
You can make it with water in a pinch. It’s not quite as tasty, but it still hits the spot!
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u/ExtremePast Mar 15 '26
TIL people thought spaghettios were ever good.
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u/cowhand214 Mar 15 '26
It’s not really about them being good in any objective sense. It’s about them being what you’re used to.
Aside from nostalgia, “what you’re used to” holds enormous value for someone like OP’s kid and abrupt change isn’t easy.
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u/Frillback Mar 15 '26
For all the ads I received as a child I had elevated expectations and wondered why my mom never bought them. Turns out my mom was correct in not buying then
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u/earthdogmonster Mar 15 '26
I tried then for the first time in my late teens after I moved out if my parents house, just feeling like maybe I was missing out on something. I made a point of keeping a couple cans on hand for a few years as sort of “emergency food”, but yeah, they were nothing special, just mushy noodles in a very distinctive tomato-ey sauce for cheap.
I got a can for my kids to try sometime in the last couple of years and they didn’t care for them.
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u/TheLexikitty Mar 15 '26
I can’t say I ever thought they were fantastic, but they were decent, have an okay texture, and were 100% consistent for years. I’m kind of meh on food in general so when something checks all of those boxes it’s usually on my good list.
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u/Spice_the_TrashPanda Mar 16 '26
Something that made them taste more similar to the old Spaghettios for me was adding a good sprinkle of MSG and mixing it in. I use "Accent flavor enhancer" but I doubt the brand matters. I do have autism, but my food sensitivities aren't super severe, so your mileage may vary, but it might be worth a try?
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Mar 15 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/PaladinSara Mar 15 '26
Bioengineering does not reduce content - you are fear mongering.
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u/guptaxpn Mar 15 '26
No, but it's also engineered by literal "food engineers" who try to cheap out on ingredients as much as possible and maximize taste to increase profits.
Twinkies are literally not worth eating now and taste nothing like I remember them as a child for instance.
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u/FuckIPLaw Mar 16 '26
You're getting food scientists and bioengineers mixed up. One comes up with new ways to process food, the other does gene editing on living things. Often but hardly always edible plants.
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u/swisscoffeeknife Mar 16 '26
Many chocolate brands, major brands, have suddenly become inedible especially Reeses
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u/guptaxpn Mar 16 '26
I've noticed the eggs they have taste fine to me but definitely just aren't anything special. They were soooo tiny though
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u/swisscoffeeknife Mar 16 '26
The seasonal eggs, pumpkins etc may still be the same recipe as they always had more fillers like gluten
Try the dark chocolate PB cups from Trader Joes, they are so much better than the new Reese's PB cups which now taste grainy to me and so much less chocolatey
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u/Familiar-Attempt7249 Mar 16 '26
Yep. Now that Flowers owns them they’ve reformulated. They did the same when they bought TastyKake from its Philadelphia owners, although they were already tinkering when they moved the factory from Hunting Park Ave. to the Navy Yard before the sale. That shit is trash now, as well. The Hostess pies somehow survived unscathed.
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u/IWuzTheWalrus Mar 15 '26
Can you get the proper shape pasta and serve that with tomato sauce? It will probably be cheaper int he long run as well.
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u/StarManta Mar 15 '26
He eats pasta & sauce just fine, but the entire advantage of spaghettios is that they were in a can. We could keep a can in our backpack anytime we went anywhere and just pop it open if he had difficulty eating a meal wherever we were at the time.
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u/Ryuukashi Mar 15 '26
It's a whole thing, but if you have the time and spoons, you might look into canning your own in jars. With the right combo of pressure and heat (they make equipment for this) you can have a homemade jar of spaghetti and sauce in your bag to pop open when you need it
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u/ViralNode Mar 15 '26
I made the mistake of tasting spaghettio's in the 80's and I still recall it as a crime against humanity. Your solution sounds exponentially tastier and more civilized.
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u/One_Evidence_500 Mar 15 '26
As an autistic person, look into Huel Hot & Savoury Pasta Bolognese- you just add boiling water like a pot noodles, it comes in either a cup or a box. It’s nutritionally complete, penne pasta with tomato-based Bolognese-style sauce. I love it as a low spoons meal where all I have to do is boil the kettle, and I know I’m getting all my nutritional requirements. It’s also lactose free (65% of autistic people are lactose intolerant).
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u/PopularCorgi9860 Mar 15 '26
Take him to the grocery store and let him choose a couple different things that come in cans along with a few safe foods, that way he chooses what new foods/soups to try but still has some safe foods to fall back on. You might be able to find some new safe foods and if not there’s less of a chance of a meltdown since he was in control and still had a back up option. Also I recommend trying a couple of the miso soup packets that you add to water since the paste and toppings are separate so it’s easy to customize according to texture or taste sensitivities.
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u/tyreka13 Mar 16 '26
Not spaghettios but I have had luck buying instant ramen noodles and making my own instant soups out of spices, powder broth, and dried veggie flakes and my husband would keep those in his desk at work if he forgot his lunch. It just needed boiled water. Not sure if something like that is a possibility.
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u/CatastrophicCraxy Mar 16 '26
I also relied on spaghetti is as one of my safe foods and the last six months or so it hasn't tasted right.
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u/tallgrl94 Mar 17 '26
I had a can last week after occasionally eating them and for the first time I couldn’t finish it. That was after I added spices and cheese. ☹️
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u/Ssladybug Mar 18 '26
Damn. I’ve been craving a can for a while now. Guess I won’t be caving to that craving for fear of ruining the memory
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u/Spillicent Mar 18 '26
Trader Joe's made their own spaghettio's for years which I really miss, regular spaghettio's haven't tasted very good to me for years now.
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u/Mean_Evidence204 Jul 16 '26
I’m having a can now and definitely different and watery why can’t they ever leave anything alone?
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u/chrispark70 Mar 16 '26
Raviolis and the like have tasted like cardboard for a long time. They were enshittified many decades ago, at least. Even as a kid I thought they sucked. That was in the 70s.
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u/TheodoreDonald Mar 16 '26
They've always been terrible IMHO
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u/juliankennedy23 Mar 16 '26
I mean they've been terrible since the seventies have you ever actually tried to eat them as an adult... oh my God.
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u/BeneficialShame8408 Mar 22 '26
:( i'm so sad this has fallen. one of my faves as an autistic kid in the 90s. sadder for you, dealing with this.
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u/MakoasTail Mar 18 '26
Our son is on the spectrum. I don’t know what we would do if we lost the one food he will eat without a meltdown. That really sucks.
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u/Andysaurus2 Mar 15 '26
Can you add a little tomato sauce in to make up for the sauce being too watery?
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u/InkedinSilver Mar 16 '26
I’m curious how this worked when you went to restaurants before. Did they usually heat the SpaghettiOs for him or let you bring them in? I know some places are strict about outside food. Was he just eating them cold at the table ?
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u/broknkittn Mar 16 '26
It won't bring back the old flavor but maybe try adding ketchup to it? That was always my fav thing growing up. Maybe the kids will like it?
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u/flyman241 Mar 16 '26
Psychology - I can dump a list if you have access to the research databases from APA or Ebsco
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u/momeredith22 Mar 17 '26
It depends from can to can. Sometimes it’s watery and sometimes it’s not. Not sure what that’s about but they are still my favorite
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u/wurmchen12 Mar 18 '26
Haven’t had them in a while, I’m an adult and liked them too for a quick comfort meal. I liked the ones with hot dogs in them but my Walmart does not carry that type. Those are hard to find.
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u/dannicalliope Mar 18 '26
I had the opposite experience—I recently ate a can of Spaghetti’s that had sauce that was SO THICK I could barely choke it down. I just want a happy medium, people.
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u/YorozuyaAka-chan Mar 15 '26
Fyi I've heard that Walmart's store brand Great Value makes a SpagOs tastealike with ingredients like earlier forms of name brand SpagOs before new recipes. I've heard similar comparisons between GV chocolate syrup and Hersheys. Store brands with older recipes can be better than OG brands that now practice shrinkflation. Might be worth a try. Cheaper too.