As reported by Snack Food & Wholesale Bakery in its State of the Industry coverage, the U.S. bakery industry is valued at $51.6 billion in annual sales, and the U.S. snack industry sees sales of over $41.6 billion—and growing every year.

It's that time of year again. Summer's almost over, the nights are cooling off and the leaves have already begun to turn. Back to school.

Review the healthy snack and bakery products nominated and vote today for your selection as the top healthy school snack of the bunch. Stay tuned for the results of this contest, which will be released near the end of September, along with an exclusive look at the winning product.

There's a reason why better-for-you is trending and "perfect-for-you" isn't. According to the August 2018 "U.S. Better for You Eating Trends" market report from Mintel, just 7 percent of consumers say they're strict with themselves to make sure their diet is as healthy as possible, and just three in 10 say they maintain a healthy diet most of the time.

Salty snacks are a staple of any American gathering; the big game is on TV, so make sure there is plenty of chips, tortilla chips and salsa to go around.

Nuts and seeds are growing in popularity due to an increase in healthy snacking and consumer interest in plant-based products. According to Innova Market Insights, 7 in 10 U.S. consumers sought healthier snacking options in 2018.

Tortilla chips are a party staple. And while traditional versions still soundly resonate with the masses, chip manufacturers have been experimenting with new and interesting flavors, as well as better-for-you versions like organic options and chips based on vegetables or legumes.

Puffed and extruded snacks cover a lot of ground: from cheese snacks to multigrain chips and pork rinds, they dominate the snack aisle. And they span a wide range of snacking occasions, from fun and indulgent to mindfully better-for-you.

Many snack producers are adding interesting flavors and ingredients to their pretzels. Recent product introductions include pretzel nuggets filled with peanut butter and dark chocolate, as well as more gluten-free options.

Crackers maintain far-reaching appeal. But while the category benefits from increased consumer interest in snacking, crackers have experienced intensified competition from other foods within salty snacks and beyond.