Grape Pop-Tarts

As a kid, grape was one of those flavors that was pretty “meh” to me. I preferred the red flavors of cherry, strawberry, and tropical punch, followed up by orange and then blue. We’re going to call it blue, because let’s be honest, it doesn’t taste anything like a blueberry.

Grape was one of those flavors I’d gladly accept, but I was never going to reach for a Jolly Rancher out of someone’s hand. Then again, it was much better than watermelon. How people eat those I will never understand. And while I’m on the topic, damn you Jolly Rancher for making them look so much like cherry.

Okay, back to grape.

For some reason, a few years ago, my middle-aged taste buds began to change, and I found myself really liking grape. Cherry flavors began tasting a bit too much like cough syrup at times, but I enjoyed the refreshing notes of grape. So, I began reaching for grape. Grape Hi-Chews, grape sodas, grape gum, and so forth.

A few months ago, I saw that grape Pop-Tarts were showing up on Walmart’s shelves. I was intrigued! I never thought about making a grape Poptart before. I must try this new flavor! Then I realized, it wasn’t new at all.

Grape Pop-Tarts were one of the original frosted flavors launched in 1967. Since it’s original launch the flavor has been discontinued and brought back several times over the years and most recently 2014. Being a regular Poptart eater I’m amazing that I haven’t noticed them. Was it due to my previous grape prejudice? Was I so fixated on strawberry I just overlooked them? I’m not sure, but when doing research for this article I ran across this image and it unlocked something in my brain that let me know that I had seen grape Poptarts before.

I decided to wait until breakfast to enjoy my first grape Poptart. I eat them cold, straight from the pack, and I got to say, it was pretty darn good. It was a bit richer than I was expecting, but the grape taste was sweet, delicious, and reminded me a bit of grape jelly, which is the one grape flavor I have enjoyed since my youth.

Will I continue to by grape Poptarts? Yea, I think I will. I don’t think I like them better than strawberry but I do like them. They will make for a great companion Poptart to break up the strawberry at least until the newness wears off and Poptart decides to retire the flavor again for a few years.