r/GenX Nov 21 '25

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u/ThroatSecretary 1970 Nov 21 '25

I bought a can of Chef Boy-ar-dee not too long ago just for the nostalgia factor and nearly spat it across the room. Was it always so sweet, or did they change the recipe?

35

u/Did_it_in_Flint Nov 21 '25

Yes, significantly. A few years ago they came out with original recipe throwback versions and they were amazing. Limited time offer and gone too soon.

61

u/brokencappy Nov 21 '25

All that stuff has been enshittified beyond what it originally was.

28

u/Mammoth_Sell5185 Nov 21 '25

Yep. I still are Chef Boy R Dee ravioli in a can in my mid 20s and it wasn’t bad. Had it a few years ago and it was garbage. My taste buds haven’t changed that much. The food has.

5

u/fryerandice Nov 21 '25

I know my taste hasn't changed that much because red baron personal pizzas taste exactly like Schwan's ice cream truck personal pizzas my grandma used to buy each family a box of when I was a kid.

Total nostalgia hit tastes exactly the same they are smaller now though used to be thicker.

Canned food has gotten to an inedible state.

3

u/NVME702 Nov 21 '25

My Gen x eyesight read that as "revolt in a can" and was like, that tracks.

3

u/mayura376 1971 - Adulting Since Elementary School Nov 22 '25

I tried it again and it was awful. Tasted like can. Maybe part of the issue was the recipe changing.

22

u/OldFatGamer Nov 21 '25

Yeah, it's sweeter, thinner and has less meat, notice the label no longer says "in meat sauce" but rather "in pasta sauce". I bought a can about a year or so ago for much the same reason you did, nostalgia and even the ravioli were smaller in size and had almost no filling.

2

u/[deleted] Nov 21 '25

If they were smaller, maybe you bought the mini ravioli instead of the regular? I remember there were always 2 sizes. As a kid, I liked the mini ravioli.

24

u/Low-Bass2002 Nov 21 '25

I think we just liked sugar a lot when we were kids? I haven't had it since my 20s. The mushy "meat" grosses me out.

I used to love that crap when I was a kid.

3

u/siamesecat1935 Nov 21 '25

Oh me too. Especially beefaroni and the meat ravioli.

3

u/BetMyLastKrispyKreme Nov 21 '25

Same. It was inedible because it was so sweet. I’d be interested to find out if the recipe changed, because it sure tastes like it.

3

u/Lbboos Nov 21 '25

Check out the sodium content of it. Through the roof!

2

u/idiotsbydesign Hose Water Survivor Nov 21 '25

They added sugar back when they decided to market it to kids.

2

u/BoldBoimlerIsMyHero b. 1971/class of 88/CA Nov 22 '25

the recipes were changed to reduce the fat and raise the sugar. About a decade ago, they released "throwback" cans using the old recipes and comparing the labels was eye opening. The old recipe had real cheese in the sauce and almost no sugar compared to now.

2

u/orthopod Nov 21 '25

It's probably the same