Carrot and celery sticks. Garden salad topped with grilled chicken. Hummus and organic iced teas.
This isn't the kind of fare typically found at convenience stores. But consumers are seeing more fresh fruits and vegetables in convenience store cases right next to the traditional munchies like preservative-packed desserts and bags of salty snacks.
Demand for healthy food options continues to grow, along with concerns about trans fat and rising obesity rates. In response, even convenience stores are offering healthier, on-the-go food items.
Local stores like Royal Farms and national chain 7-Eleven began offering healthier food items this year, joining dozens of fast-food chains and others in providing more nutritious offerings.
Prices for sliced pineapple and fresh salads may cost a bit more than the 99 cent candy bar - salads can cost as much as $4 or $5 - but convenience store owners said consumers are willing to pay.
"I think you are seeing more and more convenience stores introducing a healthy line of foods," said Jeff Lenard, a spokesman for the National Association of Convenience Stores, a trade association that represents 4,000 retailers and supply companies. "As [customers] are evolving with their tastes, they're looking for healthier, more upscale options and may not want a hot dog everyday."
Since "quick and easy" is what consumers are looking for, convenience stores have expanded to accommodate them. From coffee to gas to breakfast, lunch and dinner, convenience stores have evolved in recent years into popular shopping spots for busy commuters.
Lenard said that's one reason convenience stores are willing to deal with the shorter shelf lives of perishable food such as fruits and vegetables.
"There is a greater cost associated with having to worry about spoilage and other matters related to fresh food," Lenard said. "But the cost is probably greater in not doing it, in terms of lost business and the cost of being left behind."
Royal Farms, the Baltimore-based convenience store chain with more than 100 locations in Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania and Virginia, this year began supplementing its popular fried chicken and western fries with a line of healthier foods, such as fresh fruit cups, whole fruit, sushi and five different salads. While wraps and cold sandwiches have been available for years, they've also been included in the healthier line.
