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.

Grains are a fundamental ingredient for snack and bakery products. With consumers seeking better-for-you snacking options, grains, which fit squarely into plant-based trends, provide a great combination of flavor, texture and nutrition.

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.

Rosa E. Regalado-Bowers, General Manager at Palsgaard Inc, explores some of the challenges facing industrial producers of long shelf-life cakes and manufacturers of premixes. She looks at the consumer trends shaping these two segments of the American cake market, including demand for better-for-you and sustainably produced products. And she focuses on what these changes mean for manufacturers' choice of emulsifiers.

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.