It seems that people are eating a bit healthier, but nothing beats an aul pop-tart every now and then. 

There's very little that goes in to a pop-tart that could be considered good for you, but it seems that the little snack food that could is refusing to die away in this new trend, as sales are on the up and up, and have been for the last 32 years. 

That's impressive in anyone's book, and so are the numbers, as according to The Wall Street Journal, sales of pop-tarts were worth over $800 million in 2013, up 3.9% from the previous year. This seems to be going against the trend of other foods that are increasing in sales like gluten-free bread, quinoa, kale, avocado and coconut water, all of which claim to be the latest in healthy eating. 

Pop-tarts are also going against the trend in the rest of the industry as Kellogg's, the company who make the treats, are seeing customers turn away from their breakfast cereals, and they in turn have moved to strip them of their less-healthy ingredients, cut down on sugar and big up the fact that they contain natural ingredients. 

The reason for the persistence of pop-tarts is somewhat difficult to explain, but there are a few suggestions. Katherine Wintsch, founder of consulting firm The Mom Complex says that families spend an average of six minutes making breakfast these days, and a pop-tart is a handy way to eat on the go. The other reasons may lie in the fact that kids like the sweetness and the sugary flavours, while adults and teens eat them because they remind them of childhood. Whatever the cause, they don't look like they're going anywhere soon. 

The sales statistics are from America, but after our own list was revealed last week showing what the top brands and categories of food that Irish people buy are, we wouldn't be surprised if pop-tarts were still doing well here too. 

Via The Wall Street Journal