There was a time in many of our lives when snacks did more than appease the usual afternoon hunger pangs — when a bag of chips, some prepackaged cookies, or other sugar-laden treat held real power. That time was middle school.

In those years when the food we ate was determined by some mix of personal preference, parental influence, and pocket change, the right snack could curry favor with peers, act as a bartering tool, or prove gastrointestinal bravery. The