Pretzels - The oldest snack food known

Do you know there is a National Pretzel Day on 26 April?

During the seventh century, which is 1300 years ago, The Catholic Church in Italy has strict rules on fasting and abstinence, where meat, milk and eggs were prohibited. It was said that a monk invented the pretzels as it was made of simple and cheap ingredients like water, flour and salt. 

The very first pretzels were soft and squishy pretzels, and handed out as rewards from the monks to the students. These twisted treats are a symbol of good luck, and spiritual wholeness, as the 3 holes represented the holy trinity. The good luck symbols were used as necklace in Germany and even hung on Christmas trees in Austria.

In Switzerland, pretzels are shaped like interlocking loops which suggest "tying a knot".  Couples would pull a side of the pretzel each on their wedding day and truly, they used to be a symbol for undying love. 

Pretzels made their way across the Atlantic ocean via the immigrants in the 1700s. These days, around 80% of pretzels products are made in Pennsylvania, USA. It was in 1871 where Julius Sturgis came up with hard pretzels, in the first commercial pretzel bakery in Lititz, Pennsylvania. Hard pretzels can last longer and have a longer shelf life than soft ones, allowing for greater distribution. 

In 2003, the Pennsylvania Governor declared April 26 as National Pretzel Day to acknowledge the contribution of pretzels to their state's history and economy. 

According to historians, pretzels are the oldest snack food known. Today, pretzels continue to be the most popular in America and Germany. Not just hard pretzels, we have mini crackers type, chocolate coated, doughy-chewy kind like Auntie Anne's. 

To be considered a snack shop, one must definitely sell the oldest snack food know - Pretzels! SnackFirst has 2 types currently:

1) Original Ribbon Pretzels

2) Chocolate Ribbon Pretzels

Try some today and let us know if pretzels are better than old school biscuits!