National Snack Food Month

The story of this month begins with two trade groups and one very slow month. In 1989, the Snack Food Association (today known as SNAC International) and the National Potato Promotion Board (today called Potatoes USA) joined forces to create National Snack Food Month. Their goal was simple: get America snacking during February, a stretch that used to be the snack industry’s quiet season. The holiday rush was over, summer cookouts were months away, and grocery shelves of chips and pretzels moved slowly. Their stroke of genius was tying the whole month to the one February event that already sold snacks by the truckload, the Super Bowl. Industry executives even have a name for the run up to the big game: they call it the Black Friday of the snack business.

The bet worked, and it keeps working. Savory snacks rang up $742 million in sales during Super Bowl week in 2025 alone, more than half of all snack sales that week, according to industry tracking. Americans are some of the most dedicated snackers on the planet. Studies suggest that 94 percent of Americans snack daily, and more than half snack two or three times a day. Over the decades the month has also picked up a second mission. Where it once focused only on boosting consumption, it now encourages people to balance their indulgences with smarter choices, pairing the fun of snacking with options like fruit, nuts, yogurt, granola, and popcorn.

There is a surprising amount of snack history packed into this one month. The chocolate chip cookie was invented in 1930 by Ruth Graves Wakefield, when she chopped up a chocolate bar and folded it into cookie dough at her Massachusetts inn. M and Ms were created in 1941 so American soldiers could carry chocolate that would not melt in their pockets. Chex Mix made its debut in 1985. Oreos happen to be one of the few cookies that are actually vegan, and Kit Kats are filled with crushed up Kit Kats that broke during production. Lay’s remains one of the most popular chip brands in the country, and President Ronald Reagan was famously devoted to Jelly Bellies, reportedly keeping jars of them on his desk. February is the month to honor all of it, from the nostalgic classics to the latest newcomers crowding the snack aisle.

And what an aisle it has become. Snacking has come a long way from basic potato chips and candy bars. Today’s shelves hold nostalgic throwbacks, bold global flavors, protein packed bites for before the gym, and better for you options that satisfy without the guilt. Whether you are reaching for a boldly seasoned chip on movie night, a buttery handful with your afternoon tea, or a crunchy energy bar between meetings, there is something for every craving. National Snack Food Month is your invitation to explore all of it, one delicious handful at a time. The month also carries a gentle nudge that has grown stronger over the years: snack smarter, not less. Most of us need a snack or two to make it through the day, and choosing well can make a positive difference. Reach for mixed nuts, pepper slices with guacamole, Greek yogurt with granola and berries, apple slices or celery dipped in peanut butter, hummus with cucumber, cherry tomatoes with mozzarella and basil, hard boiled eggs, or a square of dark chocolate with almonds. Nobody is asking you to give up the cookie. The idea is simply to keep the good stuff in rotation alongside the treats.

🏹 The Presidential Jelly Beans
President Ronald Reagan was famously devoted to Jelly Bellies, reportedly keeping jars of the jelly beans on his desk and in meeting rooms. When the leader of the free world has a favorite snack, snacking officially becomes a matter of national importance. Consider it your precedent for keeping a candy dish at work.

THE STORY BEHIND NATIONAL SNACK FOOD MONTH

🏈 The Super Bowl Connection
The founders of National Snack Food Month built the whole observance around the biggest snacking day of the year. The month kicks off as game day fever builds and runs through the weeks after, capturing every chip dipped, every pretzel grabbed, and every tray refilled during the season’s grand finale. February used to be a dead zone for snack sales. Now it is one of the busiest stretches of the year.

🥔 The Potato Board
One of the two founding organizations was the National Potato Promotion Board, now known as Potatoes USA. That tells you everything about the month’s DNA. Potatoes, in chip and fry form, were at the heart of the snack boom, and the board wanted February to remind everyone that the greatest snacks in history start with humble spuds.

🍪 The 1930 Cookie
Long before there was a month for snacking, Ruth Graves Wakefield invented the chocolate chip cookie in 1930 at the Toll House Inn. Her happy accident became the template for every treat that followed, proof that the world’s greatest snacks often start as kitchen experiments that go deliciously right.

🎭 Chocolate for the Troops
In 1941, M and Ms were created so American soldiers could carry chocolate that would not melt. The candy coated shell that protected chocolate in the field became one of the most recognizable snack innovations in history. Sometimes the best snack ideas are born from very practical problems.

📊 Snack Math
Here is a number to chew on: 94 percent of Americans snack every single day, and more than half say they snack two to three times a day. National Snack Food Month did not invent the habit, but it gave the whole country permission to celebrate it out loud for 28 days straight.

💰 The Black Friday of Snacks
Snack executives call the run up to the Super Bowl the Black Friday of the snack business, and the numbers back it up. Savory snacks alone generated $742 million in sales during Super Bowl week in 2025, more than half of all snack sales that week. February is no longer a slow month, and this observance is a big reason why.

WAYS TO CELEBRATE

🍼 Build a Game Day Spread
Turn your kitchen into stadium seating. Lay out chips, dips, popcorn, pretzels, and something sweet, then invite the family to graze all afternoon. It works any weekend in February, and no football knowledge is required. Bonus points for arranging everything in team colors. Set out scorecards so guests can rate each snack on crunch, dip-ability, and pure joy, then crown a halftime champion before the movie or game even starts.

🪵 Throw a Snack Swap Party
Ask every friend to bring their favorite snack plus one new discovery, then set up a tasting table and vote on the champion. It is the tastiest kind of popularity contest, and everyone goes home with a bag full of new favorites. Keep a running scorecard for maximum drama.

🧡 Share the Crunch
Buy an extra box of snack packs and donate them to a local food pantry. Snacks are small comforts, and small comforts matter, especially in the middle of winter when February can feel long. A few granola bars and fruit cups can genuinely brighten someone’s week.

Celebrate National Snack Food Month

May your February be crunchy, chewy, salty, sweet, and entirely snack-tastic.