1. Tab
Before bottled water, energy drinks, and flavored seltzers, soda was the drink that defined generations. From after-school hangouts to vending machines at the roller rink, a cold can of soda was a ritual of youth. Some brands became legends, others fizzled out, but all left a lasting pop-culture fizz. No soda screams 1970s louder than Tab. With its pink can and saccharine sweetness, Tab was marketed as the original diet soda. Adults drank it religiously, but kids loved sneaking sips to feel grown-up. Its reputation as the soda of dieters and disco queens made it a cultural time capsule. Though it eventually disappeared, Tab is still remembered as a soda that had its own loyal following.
2. Coca-Cola (Classic)
Coke was the constant. Served in glass bottles with real sugar throughout the 1970s, it was everywhere from diners to gas stations to corner stores. Its marketing was unmatched with iconic moments like the “I’d Like to Buy the World a Coke” commercial and the famous Santa Claus ads that shaped holiday culture. For many, Coke was the taste of childhood Americana. Whether it was poured over ice on a hot day or grabbed from a vending machine after school, Coke was always around. The familiarity of its flavor made it a comfort for generations, ensuring that wherever you were, Coke was never far from reach.
3. Pepsi
Pepsi always played the younger, rebellious sibling to Coke. With its sweeter taste and edgier branding, it quickly became the choice for kids and teens who wanted something that felt fresh and modern. The “Pepsi Generation” campaign in the 70s and 80s pushed soda beyond just being a drink, making it part of a lifestyle. By the time Michael Jackson and other celebrities danced their way through Pepsi commercials, the brand had cemented its image as bold and youthful. For many kids, Pepsi was the fun choice at parties, gatherings, or even just a Friday night treat. It gave people a sense of energy and excitement that Coke never quite captured.
4. RC Cola
RC Cola was the underdog with undeniable charm. While Coke and Pepsi battled for the spotlight, RC found its way into vending machines, school events, and small-town stores. It was cheaper, more accessible, and for many kids their first sip of soda came from an icy can of RC. In the South, it paired famously with Moon Pies, creating a cultural combo that still sparks nostalgia. RC’s scrappy reputation made it stand out because it felt like soda for real people who didn’t care about big names. For generations of soda drinkers, RC Cola earned its place as the affordable but unforgettable favorite.
5. Dr Pepper
Dr Pepper carved its own lane. Marketed as a soda with 23 flavors, it stood apart from colas and root beers, making it something entirely unique. In the 1970s, the “Be a Pepper” campaign helped it grow into a popular choice for kids and adults alike. For those who wanted something different, Dr Pepper was the quirky drink that matched their personality. Its taste was bold, slightly spiced, and sweet enough to feel indulgent without being ordinary. Whether served at a pizza party or a high school football game, Dr Pepper carried an image of independence. It wasn’t like any other soda, and that was the whole point.
6. 7-Up
Known as the “Uncola,” 7-Up leaned into a crisp, refreshing image that parents approved of while kids found fun. It was caffeine free and light, giving it a cleaner taste that stood out from heavier colas. In the 70s, psychedelic ads made it memorable and stylish, but for many children, 7-Up became the party soda. Punch bowls mixed with sherbet and 7-Up at school dances or birthdays created the ultimate treat. Families trusted it, and kids enjoyed it as their first real soda experience. It was both safe and exciting, striking a balance that made it a permanent fixture in growing up.
7. Sprite
Sprite was Coca-Cola’s bright answer to 7-Up, and by the 70s it had built its own loyal following. Known for its sweet citrus taste and refreshing fizz, Sprite became the soda parents didn’t mind stocking in the fridge. It was caffeine free, which meant it often ended up in lunchboxes or on the sidelines of Little League games. For kids, Sprite was simple and fun, with just enough sweetness to feel like a treat. It was crisp, clean, and reliable. Over time, Sprite earned its spot as the go-to lemon-lime choice, ensuring it became a childhood memory for countless families.
8. Mountain Dew
Mountain Dew had energy bottled up long before energy drinks existed. In the 70s, it still carried its hillbilly branding, but kids loved the sharp citrus punch. By the 80s, the “Do the Dew” campaign connected it with skateboarding, gaming, and extreme sports, giving it a whole new life. Its neon green color looked thrilling, and with plenty of sugar and caffeine, it gave kids the buzz they wanted. Parents worried about it, but that only made it cooler. Mountain Dew was the ultimate thrill soda, the one that dared to be bold and became a symbol of youthful rebellion.
9. Mello Yello
Mello Yello made its debut in 1979 as Coca-Cola’s answer to Mountain Dew. With its bold yellow color and slightly smoother taste, it tried to create its own identity in the citrus soda market. While it never achieved the cult following of Mountain Dew, it found loyal fans who loved its sweeter, mellow vibe. For kids, Mello Yello felt bright and fun, perfect for summer days at the pool or road trips with the family. Its playful design and flavor made it memorable enough to stick around, even if it remained more of a regional favorite than a nationwide powerhouse.
10. Fanta
Fanta brought color to soda shelves. Available in orange, grape, and strawberry, its bold fruit flavors were a sharp contrast to the usual colas. Kids loved the candy-like taste, while its bright bottles and cans made it eye-catching at parties and sleepovers. In the 70s, drinking an orange or grape Fanta felt special, almost exotic compared to traditional sodas. Its sweetness and vibrant personality made it a kid favorite everywhere. Over time, Fanta cemented its image as playful, lighthearted, and unapologetically fun. For many, the first sip of Fanta was the start of a lifetime love for flavored fizz.
11. Orange Crush
Orange Crush was the taste of summer in a bottle. With its glowing orange hue and bold citrus flavor, it felt like sunshine in liquid form. Kids grabbed it from corner stores after riding bikes or winning a Little League game, the glass bottle cold in their hands. Crush was sweeter than other orange sodas, making it feel indulgent and almost like candy. It was refreshing, fizzy, and perfect for cooling off on a hot day. Its fun branding made it stand out, and for many, that first sip of Orange Crush became an unforgettable memory of carefree summer afternoons.
12. Grape Nehi
Grape Nehi was already considered old-fashioned by the 1970s, but that did not stop it from holding on as a regional classic. Its deep purple fizz looked like something out of a candy shop, and kids loved its novelty. Affordable and reliable, it quickly became a family staple in the South and Midwest. Nehi made drinking soda feel like a treat because it stood out from colas with its bold, fruity character. For some, Grape Nehi was the drink grandparents kept stocked in the fridge, while for others, it was the fun flavor found at the local store that made childhood sweeter.
13. Big Red
Big Red was not shy about being different. Sweet, creamy, and bright red, it carried a unique flavor that felt like vanilla cream soda with a playful twist. Kids either loved it or could not stand it, but no one forgot it. In Texas and across the South, Big Red became more than just a drink, it was tradition. Paired with barbecue or enjoyed on its own, it created a nostalgic bond for families and communities. Its bold color and sweet taste made it stand out instantly. For those who grew up with it, Big Red remains a true regional legend.
14. Fresca
Fresca carved out a more sophisticated space in the soda world. With its grapefruit flavor and calorie-free promise, it appealed more to adults, but kids grew familiar with it at family gatherings. The tangy citrus fizz was different from sweet colas and orange sodas, giving it a refreshing edge. At barbecues, poolside coolers, and picnics, Fresca often sat waiting alongside the heavier sodas. For many, their first sip of Fresca felt almost grown-up because it was crisp and less sugary. It offered a lighter alternative and brought a new flavor profile that stood out, ensuring it stayed part of soda history.
15. Canfield’s Diet Chocolate Fudge Soda
Canfield’s Diet Chocolate Fudge Soda was one of the quirkiest flavors to ever hit shelves. Created in Chicago, it became a cult favorite during the 1970s with its rich, dessert-like taste. Imagine chocolate cake turned into fizz, and that was the experience kids remembered. Parents liked that it was marketed as diet, while children thought of it as dessert in a can. It was the kind of soda that sparked curiosity at parties and sleepovers. You either wanted to sip it again and again or never touch it, but everyone who tried it remembered the taste long after.
16. Shasta
Shasta was the people’s soda, affordable and everywhere. Known for offering dozens of flavors from cola and lemon-lime to black cherry and root beer, Shasta brought variety to family picnics and birthday parties. Big packs filled with cans meant no one went thirsty, and kids loved picking their own flavor. It was colorful, fun, and always stocked in coolers at outdoor gatherings. For many households, Shasta was the soda that stretched the budget while still delivering fizz and sweetness. Its wide range of flavors made it special because there was always something new to try, making childhood moments brighter.
17. Jolt Cola
Jolt Cola came in like a dare. With its famous slogan promising “all the sugar and twice the caffeine,” it became the rebellious soda of the 1980s. Parents warned against it, which made kids want it even more. Students, gamers, and night owls swore by it as fuel for long nights. Its reputation as dangerous only increased its appeal, making it the soda kids bragged about drinking. Jolt wasn’t about being refreshing or fruity, it was about energy and rebellion. For many, Jolt was the first soda that felt more like an experience than a drink, and that made it unforgettable.
18. Cherry Coke
Cherry Coke arrived in 1985 and instantly felt like candy in a can. Its sweet, fruity twist on the classic Coke flavor gave kids something fun and new. Bright, fizzy, and bursting with cherry flavor, it was especially popular in malls, movie theaters, and arcades. Teens quickly claimed it as their soda of choice because it tasted adventurous compared to plain cola. The playful branding made it even more appealing. Cherry Coke was more than just a spinoff flavor, it became a cultural hit that defined a moment in time when everything neon and fun ruled youth culture.
19. Slice
Slice burst onto the scene in 1984 with a bold promise of real fruit juice mixed into soda. With flavors like orange, apple, and grape, it stood out with its vibrant packaging and playful attitude. Kids loved it because it felt fun and slightly healthier thanks to the juice claim, while parents didn’t mind stocking it in the fridge. It quickly became a lunchbox favorite, and its bright cans made it stand out in vending machines. Though Slice eventually disappeared, it left behind memories of fruity fizz that felt refreshing and modern for its time, making it missed by many.
20. Crystal Pepsi
Crystal Pepsi arrived in the early 1990s and felt like something revolutionary. A clear cola that looked like water but promised the taste of Pepsi captured everyone’s attention. Kids could not believe soda could be transparent, and that curiosity alone made it exciting. The flavor was lighter, slightly off from traditional Pepsi, but the novelty of drinking a see-through soda made it a short-lived icon. Crystal Pepsi never lasted long, yet its legacy remains strong because it represented an era of experimentation. Together with all these sodas, it showed how much fizzy drinks shaped childhood culture and left unforgettable memories.
From Tab’s pink cans to Crystal Pepsi’s clear fizz, these sodas shaped how generations grew up. Some were everyday staples, others were regional cult favorites, and a few were wild experiments. Together, they prove that soda was never just a drink, it was part of our culture.
This story 20 Sodas We Grew Up On was first published on Daily FETCH
