Momma, we’re making you proud.

While the very phrase “snack foods” conjures up images of sweet, savory and salty guilty pleasures (namely cookies, candy, and chips), it seems that the most popular snack food in America is… (drumroll)… fresh fruit.

And not only is it the most popular snack — it’s also the fastest growing trend, according to a “Snacking in America” report by consumer market group NPD.

While some might be puzzled by these findings, it really does make sense. After all, fruit is often eaten several times throughout the day — which boosts the food up to the top snack position. A banana in the morning, an apple with lunch, and a few oranges after dinner does, indeed, make it more likely that you’d be eating more fruit than, say, a bag of Cheetos.

One surprising fact we gleaned: During the study, fresh fruit was consumed as a snack in 10 more snack occasions than chocolate (which was the runner-up, by the way) and 25 more occasions a year than potato chips (ranked third).

See? Turns out we *were* listening while playing video games or sitting too close to the television — ideas about a healthy diet somehow made it through our thick skulls. Fresh fruit seems to have become popular because of “growing concerns about health and eating right,” among other reasons. And while teens aged 13-17 eat the least amount of fruit (we’re not surprised), their consumption does increase as they get older.

Not to mention that fresh fruit fulfills all of the different needs: Health and weight, hunger satiety, on-the-go convenience, habit, and cravings.

Oh, and it makes mommas happy.

H/T QSR Mag + PicThx GoodMoodFoods

Jennifer LaiTwitterFacebook

At the ripe age of three, Jennifer Lai sampled dishes as diverse as foie gras, jellyfish, and chicken feet. She was born Canadian, hails from Los Angeles, and lived in Berkeley and Chicago before moving to New York, where she now resides and writes. She spends at least one night a week compulsively roasting vegetables and re-watching episodes of Good Eats -- sometimes at the same time.