When I’m craving a taste of simpler times, I turn to these seven Food Lion finds, each ready to bring a little nostalgia to cookouts, road trips, family meals, or an ordinary afternoon.
Prices were checked at foodlion.com on November 14; they vary by store and change with each week’s ad.
1. Cheerwine Mini Soft Drink – 10 pk – $7.29
Cherry soda rarely carries this much Southern history: Cheerwine has been made by the same North Carolina family since 1917. I like the 7.5-ounce cans for cookouts and quick afternoon treats when a full-size soda feels excessive.
Taste: The cherry flavor is rich and smooth, with a subtle spicy note rather than a sharp fruit tang. Buzzy carbonation cuts through its creamy, dessert-like sweetness.
Make It Better: Pour a cold can over ice cream, or add a splash to brownie batter for a deeper cherry-chocolate note.
Parting Thoughts: Southern-soda nostalgia feels especially convincing when it still tastes this distinctive.
2. Tahitian Treat Fruit Punch Soda – $2.99
At a backyard birthday or family cookout, this 1960s-era fruit punch soda instantly looks at home beside the paper plates. The caffeine-free 2-liter is unabashedly sweet, so it is best for a crowd rather than casual sipping all week.
Taste: Maraschino-like cherry leads the fruit punch flavor, followed by a noticeable orange note. It is syrupy and vibrant, while moderate carbonation supplies enough bite to keep it from drinking completely flat.
Make It Better: Chill it thoroughly before serving; plenty of ice helps tame the sweetness without hiding the fruit-punch character.
Parting Thoughts: Anyone chasing the flavor of childhood parties will understand this one immediately.
3. Frostie Root Beer Soda Pure Cane Sugar Caffeine Free – 4 pk – $3.99
The original 1939 formula gives this caffeine-free root beer genuine vintage credentials, while pure cane sugar and bottled presentation complete the throwback mood. Save the four-pack for root beer floats, movie night, or sharing with someone who remembers old-fashioned soda counters.
Taste: Its root beer flavor is rich, creamy, and rounded by clean cane-sugar sweetness. Classic soda-pop fizz provides a lively contrast to that smooth profile.
Make It Better: Use a well-chilled bottle for a float and pour it slowly down the side of the glass to manage the foam.
Parting Thoughts: For creamy root beer rather than a sharper, spicier style, this is a worthwhile little splurge.
4. Sun Drop Citrus Soda – 12 pk – $10.99
When a long drive or game-day spread calls for a bold Southern classic, Sun Drop brings decades of regional history to the cooler. Each 12-ounce can contains 64 mg of caffeine, making this a poor pick for anyone avoiding a pronounced caffeinated lift.
Taste: Orange, lemon, and lime arrive as a forceful citrus burst rather than a gentle lemon-lime blend. The carbonated base keeps that intense, tangy-sweet flavor feeling energetic.
Make It Better: Serve it very cold alongside salty cookout food, where the strong citrus profile has something savory to play against.
Parting Thoughts: Its assertive flavor rewards longtime devotees, though mellow-soda drinkers may want to pass.
5. Coca-Cola de Mexico Cola Soda (Glass Bottle) – $3.18
Cold from the bottle, this cane-sugar Coca-Cola turns an everyday burger-and-fries lunch into a small retro ritual. The single 12-ounce serving also makes sense when you want one special cola instead of committing to a multipack.
Taste: The familiar bold cola flavor comes across smooth and crisp, with a cleaner cane-sugar finish. Lively carbonation feels particularly satisfying from the classic glass bottle.
Make It Better: Refrigerate it until thoroughly cold and drink it straight from the bottle to preserve the full fizzy experience.
Parting Thoughts: A premium single-bottle price is easier to justify when the serving itself is part of the fun.
6. Sidral Mundet Apple Soda – $2.79
Apple-soda devotees get a heritage Mexican find here, with roots reaching back to 1902. Its large 50.7-ounce bottle suits a family meal or gathering, especially when the usual cola choices are starting to feel predictable.
Taste: Crisp apple flavor carries a natural-tasting sweetness rather than a heavy candy impression. The soda’s carbonation gives the fruit profile a refreshing, lively edge.
Make It Better: Set it on the table well chilled with a meal and let guests pour small servings; the unfamiliar apple option makes an easy conversation starter.
Parting Thoughts: This niche classic deserves a look from curious drinkers who enjoy fruit soda with real heritage.
7. Sunkist Grape Soda – $2.99
One sip of bold grape soda can bring back skating-rink snack bars and crowded childhood parties. This caffeine-free 2-liter is an easy group option, but its straightforward sweetness is less suited to anyone seeking subtle fruit flavor.
Taste: The grape flavor is big, sweet, and deliberately candy-like. Carbonation adds the familiar fizzy snap expected from a classic purple soda.
Make It Better: Serve it ice cold in small glasses alongside salty snacks, which provide a useful counterpoint to the sweetness.
Parting Thoughts: Pure grape-soda nostalgia is the appeal here, and subtlety was never really the assignment.
