Nabisco Quietly Discontinued My Favorite Cracker From Childhood—and I’m Heartbroken

Am I the last person to find out about this news?

When we heard Nabisco quietly discontinued our favorite chocolate cookies, and did it just before icebox cake season, we were rightfully upset. But, now I'm downright mad, because it turns out, the company did it again, months ago, and I didn't even notice until the product was gone from shelves. Nabisco—you can't play with my heart like this!

So how did I, an in-the-know food editor and avid fan of the cracker, completely miss the memo? It was only after the Famous Chocolate Wafer discontinuation that I went on high alert for other product shortages on unsung heroes of the snack aisle. The discontinued fan favorite in question here? None other than the cheese plate MVP, Stoned Wheat Thins. Here's what you need to know about the discontinuation of Stoned Wheat Thins, and if Nabisco has any plans for their return.

When Were Stoned Wheat Thins Discontinued?

Reddit sleuths first noticed shortages as early as last April, and an all-out disappearance from shelves by the fall. In November, Nabisco had confirmed the news in a tweet, writing, "They’ve recently been delisted. We apologize for any disappointment and will let the team know you asked about them." By January, the news had gone mainstream and naturally, people across the internet were bereft.

The reasoning for the discontinuation? The most likely reason was that companies took stock of their products after the pandemic caused supply chain issues and shortages, then delisted products with less-than-stellar sales. Perhaps, as was the case with the Famous Chocolate Wafers, they were discontinued to make way for, "new innovation."

Some suspect the discontinuation may have been a result of a 2021 class action lawsuit that alleged the term "stoned wheat" was "deceptive and misleading advertising," because the crackers were not made with stone-ground wheat flour. However, that lawsuit was dropped in March 2022, so it's unlikely the lawsuit was the sole reason behind the brand's downfall.

The Best Alternatives for Stoned Wheat Thins

If you're like me and grieving the loss of these simple, sturdy crackers (think of all the future charcuterie boards that will be without them!), I sought out alternatives. Luckily, the crackers were so popular at one time in history that several grocery stores produced their own private-label versions. Here are a few alternatives that are still on shelves.

Whole Foods sells its own 365-brand Cracked Wheat Crackers and as The Takeout astutely noted, these "dupes" actually ranked higher than the original Stoned Wheat Thins in a taste test done by "The San Francisco Chronicle" back in 2007. The 365 Crackers are sold at Whole Foods and through Amazon, making them an easy, accessible replacement.

Albertsons and its subsidiaries (including Star, Safeway, Shaw’s, Vons, and Carrs) also sell a version called O Organics Stone Ground Wheat Crackers. Finally, if you're near a Wegmans, it sells a great tasting, albeit round-shaped substitute, Wegmans Cracked Wheat Crackers.

Even though it had been years since I had a Stoned Wheat Thins cracker, I was devastated to see they were gone. There is also undoubtedly a nostalgia factor at play, as Stoned Wheat Thins were a staple of my childhood. Joni Mitchell was right, you don't know what you've got 'til it's gone.