America's appetite for nostalgia is growing.

One example is in the snack aisle.

As people's snacking habits increased during the pandemic, many turned to old favorites instead of trying new products.

Companies are trying to capitalize by bringing back products from the recent past, like Dunkaroos and 3D Doritos, to appeal to millennials.

"It's what we like to call new-stalgia," said Carly Schildhaus, a senior public affairs manager for the National Confectioners Association. "Your favorite classic products, reimagined in different ways."

According to an NCA report released in May, the new-stalgic snacks are among the biggest snack trends of 2022.

The same report said s'mores would be a top flavor this year.

"People look to chocolate candy snacks for a little bit of joy or a little bit of sweetness in a challenging time," Schildhaus said. "People who grew up enjoying a traditional s'more might enjoy a different kind of nostalgic flavor in a different and new way."

Other trends include an increase in flavor intensity.

New candies and chips are marketed based on their level of heat or sour flavor.

Companies are also committed to offering a diverse array of options to cater to various consumer tastes.

"You might like something a little more classic. We have that for you," Schildhaus said. "But if you're looking to get a bit more experimental, we certainly have you covered there as well."

It remains to be seen if inflation will cause people to pull back on snack spending.

Grocery store spending remained steady during the 2008-11 recession, while restaurant spending fell about 18%.

The stress of the COVID-19 pandemic has led to weight gain for many Americans.

“During the beginning, I had to start working out outside because the gyms and things like that were closed. So, I made do with what I could,” said Marcus Rogers, a YMCA member.

Each time a weight clanks or someone breathes deep, it’s the sound of someone like Rogers releasing a little bit of stress.

But many of us haven’t been able to release that stress during the pandemic, and that may have caused us to be a little heavier when we step on the scale.

“The more stress people that people were experiencing, the more weight they were gaining,” said Dr. Arthur Evans, the CEO of the American Psychological Association (APA).

The APA has been looking at the impacts of stress and weight gain during the pandemic.

“Americans are gaining weight at a pretty significant level about, about 15 pounds,” said Evans.

About 42% of people surveyed by the APA gained more weight than they intended. In that group, people gained 29 pounds on average.

Fifteen to 30 pounds is no small matter. We asked Cami Woomer, a nutritionist with the YMCA Metro Denver about the relationship between stress and weight gain.

“Stress can be an indicator of weight gain itself. So when people are feeling stressed out, sometimes we go to food, sometimes that means we’re eating more in portions, or we’re eating more throughout the day. Also, stress levels impact our ability to lose weight as well,” said Woomer.

Cortisol is the bodies main stress hormone and several scientific studies have linked cortisol levels to changes in weight. Higher levels of cortisol are also linked to people being less likely to control how much and what they eat.

But not everyone’s stress has risen the same over the course of the last year.

“People who are essential workers had more stress than other people. Parents whose children were doing remote learning were also experiencing more stress. We also found people of color were experiencing more stress and younger people were experiencing more stress,” said Evans.

While that extra stress can lead to weight gain, a healthier lifestyle can help reduce your stress levels.

“Exercise is releasing those endorphins, you’re feeling a little bit better,” said Woomer.

Exercise can also release muscle tension and help regulate cortisol levels.

Certain foods can also have an effect on you.

“Things like caffeine, things that are high in carbohydrates, high in fat, high sodium things can kind of aggravate the stress levels in our body a little bit. And things like whole foods, like whole grains, fruits and vegetables, lean proteins and healthy fats can help reduce inflammation and stress in our body,” said Woomer.

Stress can be the source of some of your weight gain, but losing a little bit and eating a little better could be your road map pushing out some of the stress in your life.