General Foods marketed Tang as both modern and practical. Early ads highlighted its vitamin content with lines such as “More vitamin C than orange juice,” reminding shoppers that the body “doesn’t store it.” Just mix a glass or a decanter, chill it overnight, and breakfast was ready. The flavor stayed consistent plus the jar required no refrigeration, so busy families gained one less morning task.
VIDEO | Tang “Spacemen” commercial (1970)
Tang’s reputation soared during the space race, when it became associated with NASA missions in the 1960s. Advertisements proudly noted that “The Gemini astronauts drank Tang,” giving the powder a futuristic glow. For kids glued to news about rockets and moonshots, drinking Tang felt like participating in the same scientific era — right from the kitchen table.
The brand kept its cultural momentum through smart partnerships and familiar faces. Football fans learned it was “the official breakfast drink on every National Football League training table,” while television audiences saw Florence Henderson assure parents, “Tang has the taste we love, and all the vitamin C we need.” Her endorsement fit neatly with Tang’s family-friendly image, reinforcing the idea that good nutrition could also be easy.
There was room for experimentation, too. Newspapers shared recipes for hot “21st Century Tea” and creamy orange drinks blended with ice, showing how the powder slipped into everyday cooking and entertaining. Grapefruit-flavored Tang joined the original orange, and decorator jars turned the container itself into a small kitchen collectible.
Below, we’ve gathered vintage ads, packaging, and memorable promotions that trace Tang’s rise from grocery-store newcomer to space-age icon. See how it went on to become a part of pop culture history — especially once NASA and Mrs Brady got in on the action.
- One 20 oz canister of Tang Naturally Flavored Orange Powdered Drink Mix
- Tang Naturally Flavored Orange Powdered Drink Mix makes 6 quarts when mixed with water
- 100% Daily Value of Vitamin C
Wake up to Tang! Happiest thing that ever happened to breakfast (1959)
NEW instant breakfast drink with more vitamin C than orange juice!
NEW BREAKFAST DRINK DISCOVERY with more vitamin C and vitamin A than any other popular breakfast drink!
MORE VITAMIN C than the finest orange or grapefruit juice. You need this vitamin every day — your body doesn’t store it. MORE VITAMIN A than tomato juice, too.
NO SQUEEZING, NO UNFREEZING — your TANG jar needs no refrigeration. Make as much as you want — a glass or a quart.
REAL WAKE-UP TASTE all its own. Never acid-y. Always the same sunny goodness, glass after glass. Comes in 2 sizes to fill 12 or 24 glasses. Add TANG to your shopping list now!
What’s got into Tang? (1961)
A new bolder taste: Nothing bashful about the new taste of Tang. Make it by the decanterful, serve it ice cold. It’s a fact: The colder the Tang, the bolder the taste of Tang…
Fight colds and flu fast… with Bufferin & Tang
For breakfast, Tang tastes so good when it’s good and cold! (1961)
Tomorrow for breakfast let TANG surprise you. And TANG gives you more vitamin C than orange juice. Just mix a decanterful tonight and refrigerate. The juice …plus vitamin A.
So, for breakfast tomorrow cold fact is: one night in your refrigerator makes morning, wake up to TANG. But make it good. a new drink out of TANG. Make it cold. Make it good and cold! more vitamin C than orange juice!
Tang instant breakfast drink in new grapefruit flavor (1961)
Chicago Tribune (Illinois) December 2, 1961
Tang, the orange-flavored, vitamin-enriched breakfast drink which has been on the market for some time, has been joined by a new companion on grocery shelves. It is Instant Tang Grapefruit Flavored Breakfast Drink, a tart-sweet concoction with a true fruit taste.
Like its predecessor, the new Tang comes in 7-ounce jars in powder form, to be mixed with water (be sure the water is ice cold for the best flavor), either a glass at a time or in a decanter, which can be prepared in advance and stored in the refrigerator.
General Foods, maker of Tang, says that, besides its vitamin A content, it will give you more vitamin C than a like quantity of grapefruit or orange juice.
Grapefruit Tang (1962)
For breakfast tomorrow, enjoy the tart-sweet kiss of natural grapefruit flavor. Just mix a decanter of new TANG tonight and refrigerate.
TANG tastes extra good when it’s good and cold. Or mix a glass at a time… with ice-cold water, to be sure.
Remember, TANG gives you more vitamin C than grapefruit or orange juice … plus vitamin A. So, tomorrow, wake up to Grapefruit Flavor TANG. It’s a great awakening. More vitamin C than grapefruit or orange juice.
GET THE ORIGINAL INSTANT BREAKFAST DRINK! TANG is not a juice or a soft drink mix, but a nutritious, new food drink from General Foods.
Vintage Tang drink mix and Post Toasties corn flakes cereal
Tang & football: Start off your team with more vitamin C (1966)
Start off your team with Tang. The NFL does. Tang is the official breakfast drink on every National Football League training table.
How come? Tang has more vitamin C than any orange juice you can buy. More vitamin A, too. With natural orange flavor.
Latch on to a good thing. Kick off your family’s day with Tang.
Tang – Gemini astronauts (1966)
The Gemini Astronauts drank Tang…like this. You can drink it from a glass.
The Gemini Astronauts drank Tang in space. Tang has been carried on the Gemini flights… including the 7/6 rendezvous mission. Tang is the instant breakfast drink with more vitamin G and A — more than orange juice, tomato juice or any juice.
And Tang with natural orange flavor is the breakfast drink your whole family will go for. Mix them some Tang tomorrow morning.
ALSO SEE: How John Glenn’s three world orbits in Friendship 7 helped get us ready for the moon (1962)
Tang in space (1960s)
Retro Tang recipes: 21st-century tea drink of astronauts
The News-Herald (Franklin, Pennsylvania) Feb 9, 1971
Mrs. Thomas Ithen of Spring St. in Grove City spent the past Christmas season with friends in Philadelphia who introduced her to a hot drink called “21st Century Tea” because of the use of Tang breakfast drink.
The drink would be appropriately served now during the flight of Apollo 14, since Tang is the official breakfast think of US astronauts.
2 cups Tang
3/4 cup instant tea with lemon and sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cloves
Mix in a bowl, store in tightly covered jar. To make tea use 2 teaspoons mix and fill cup with boiling water. Yields 50 cups of tea.
Vintage Tang drink mix (1972)
ALSO SEE: Pillsbury Space Food Sticks, the vintage snacks for astronauts that kids loved
I don’t skimp on nutrition. That’s why Tang is on my table. (1973)
When large corporations have people problems, they turn to Jennifer Macleod. She’s a private consultant with a Ph.D. in Research Psychology.
When little Pam and Scott have their problems they turn to Jennifer Macleod, too. She’s their mother.
One thing Jennifer Macleod has tried to teach her children is to develop good judgment. And good eating habits.
Several moon shots ago, when her kids heard the astronauts drink Tang, they decided to drink Tang, too.
“With the vitamins C and A they get from it, I must admit they made a good decision.”
Jennifer Macleod also told us the kids like the clean, refreshing taste of Tang. “In fact,” she said, “it tastes so good, the kids even have me drinking it.”
Florence Henderson for Tang drink mix (1977)
“Almost 50% of America’s children don’t get enough Vitamin C… That’s why I’m glad my children love the taste of TANG.”
“I couldn’t believe it when I read it. But according to the U.S. government, almost 50% of all the children in this country fail to get their recommended daily allowance of Vitamin C.
“I’m glad my children don’t have that problem. They love the taste of Tang. And each glass of Tang Instant Breakfast Drink contains a full day’s supply of Vitamin C.
Trust Tang to give your family all the Vitamin C they need… A delicious way to do something good for your family.
Vintage Tang Classic Kitchen decorator jars offer (1978)
Look for Tang Instant Breakfast Drink in these free Classic Kitchen decorator jars. This is a special limited edition offer.
So start your collection of all four Classic Kitchen designs now You’ll also save money on delicious Tang. Because inside every decorator jar there’s a coupon worth 23c toward your next purchase.
Fresh tasting Tang. Your family gets a full day’s supply of vitamin C in every glass. And you get a Classic Kitchen decorator jar free when you buy this special 27-oz. size. What a beautiful way to do some-thing good for your family.
Brady Bunch mom Florence Henderson for Tang (1978)
“Tang has the taste we love, and all the vitamin C we need.” – Florence Henderson
ALSO SEE: Florence Henderson: There was so much more to her than just the Brady Bunch
Tang TV commercial with Florence Henderson (1978)
Florence Henderson’s family loves Tang (1978)
“My family loves Tang. that’s because of its delicious natural orange taste. I never have to talk my children into drinking Tang.”
Retro Tang recipes (1981)
The Spokesman-Review (Spokane, Washington) Dec 2, 1981
Russian tea mix with orange Tang
1 cup instant tea mix
1-3/4 cups sugar
2 cups orange-flavored breakfast drink (Tang)
1 3-ounce package lemonade mix
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon cloves
Combine all ingredients; mix well. Store in tightly covered container. To serve: Measure 1 to 2 teaspoons of mix into coffee cup; add boiling water.
YIELD: About 4-1/2 cups mix.
Heavenly Orange drink mix (like Orange Julius)
1-1/4 cups orange-flavored breakfast drink (Tang)
2 teaspoons vanilla
1-3/4 cups nonfat dry milk powder
1/2 cup sugar Blend orange-flavored breakfast drink powder and vanilla; stir in dry milk powder and sugar. Sift together several times or until thoroughly mixed. Store in tightly covered container.
To serve: Measure 1/2 cup mix into blender container. Add 1/2 cup cold water and 4 ice cubes. Cover and blend on high for 30 seconds or until mixture is smooth. YIELD: About 4 cups mix or 12 servings.
Vintage Tang space shuttle ad (1983)
Tang juice boxes (1989)
DON’T MISS: See some vintage Shasta sodas, from chocolate cola to lemon-lime to strawberry pop
4 Responses
Where to order sugar free tang, both orange and grapefruit
Hi! I found that you can order orange flavor Sugar Free TANG On The Go here at Amazon (link). TANG doesn’t seem to make the grapefruit variety anymore, but you can get something that appears to be similar – sugar-free True Grapefruit Sachet Packets. (I have not tried either of these products, but found them for you.) Hope this helps!
Walmart sells a Tang water enhancer (the concentrate you squirt into a water bottle) that’s sugar free. It only comes in orange as far as I know. However, it’s hard to find, so if you see it, stock up.
Fun article! Thank you!
Would you happen to know about what year Tang Pie began being advertised?
A Facebook group I’m in posted a vintage ad showing the recipe and a cartoon drawing of a little boy with a propeller beanie “blasting off” into space.
We are trying to determine the year of the ad. Thank you!