National Junk Food Day: See which snack came out the decade you were born
It’s National Junk Food Day, which means you now have the perfect excuse to enjoy some guilty pleasure snacks.
According to WebMD, "junk food" is usually high in calories, but low in nutritional value -- and when you eat junk food, you’re likely to feel less full than you would if you ate more nutritious food.
Though it’s not recommended to eat too much junk food for various health reasons including obesity and heart disease, it is OK to enjoy treats like sodas, chips, popcorn, candy, cookies, sugary cereals every now and then, according to Healthline.
FILE - Shelves of snacks for sale inside a store in Cocoa Beach, Florida. (Photo by: Jeffrey Greenberg/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
Some junk foods have long, storied histories so if you want to celebrate National Junk Food Day with a special snack, check out which bites were released the decade you were born.
1940
Though plenty of candies and sodas were invented and released in the 1940s – including Mountain Dew and M&Ms – one of the biggest snacks invented was Cheetos.
According to Insider, Cheetos were invented in Dallas, Texas, by Fritos founder Charles Elmer Doolin in 1948.
1950
The 1950s brought treats including the Hot Tamales candies in 1950, Eggo Waffles and Cheez Whiz in 1953 and Trix Cereal in 1954. In 1953, Kraft introduced Cheez Whiz, according to NPR.
1960
One of the biggest snacks of the 1960s that we still enjoy today are Doritos, which were invented in 1966 at a Frito Lay restaurant in Disneyland, according to Insider.
Other treats invented in the 60s include Oatmeal Creme Pies, Starburst, Sprite and Pop-Tarts.
1970
In the 1970s, Wally Amos launched Famous Amos Chocolate Chip Cookies and Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield opened Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream. Jelly Belly also started making their own jelly beans in 1976.
1980
The 1980s saw the launch of microwave popcorn, the release of Diet Coke and the invention of Bagel Bites and Sour Patch Kids.
1990
Gushers were launched in 1991, while the famed Dunkaroos were first released in 1992 by Betty Crocker. Meanwhile, Hershey’s released its Cookies ‘n’ Creme bar in 1993.
2000
Two major innovations in junk food came in 2004 with the release of the Take 5 candy bar and the launch of Mountain Dew Baja Blast exclusively at Taco Bells, according to the Daily Meal.