National Oreo Cookie Day: The cookie that’s basically a lifestyle choice
Mar 6, 2026, 7:40 AM
National Oreo Cookie Day is here, which means it’s time to celebrate America’s favorite black-and-white snack — and pretend we’re just having one.
Spoiler: Nobody’s having one.
Yes, someone studied Oreos like it was serious science
A study from Connecticut College found Oreos may be as addictive as cocaine. Not in the “your friend being dramatic at the snack table” way — in an actual lab-rats-and-brain-research way.
Professor Joseph Schroeder told CBS that his team used lab rats to test how Oreos light up the brain’s pleasure center. The result: The cookies activated that pleasure center more than cocaine did in the same area.
So when people say, “This is so good it’s like crack,” the study suggests they’re not just being extra. The findings are being used to explain why humans have a hard time resisting high-fat treats. Which tracks, because nobody’s ever eaten half an Oreo and gone, “I’m satisfied. Time for a salad.”
10 surprising Oreo facts, because the cookie has lore
Delish magazine rounded up some wild Oreo trivia. Here are 10 facts that make this cookie feel less like a snack and more like a historic event.
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Oreo has been the best-selling cookie in the U.S. since 1912.
Over a century of dominance. Respect. -
The origin of the name “Oreo” is still a mystery.
Honestly, that feels on-brand. -
There’s an “Oreo Way” in New York City.
A street named after a cookie. We are doing great as a society. -
Oreos used to be made with lard — then switched to vegetable oil in the ’90s.
Glow-up era. -
The Oreo was inspired by a cookie called Hydrox.
Which sounds less like a cookie and more like something you clean a pool with. -
The cookie-to-crème ratio is precisely 71% to 29%.
Someone did math so you could do snacking. -
Men tend to eat Oreos whole, while women often twist them apart.
Team Twist vs. Team Chomp: choose your fighter. -
The Oreo went through multiple name changes over the years.
Because even cookies deserve a rebrand. -
An alleged mail boy may have designed the Oreo’s embossed pattern.
Casual workplace flex. -
The first Oreo was sold in 1912 in Hoboken, New Jersey.
A legend was born.
How to celebrate (responsibly-ish)
Celebrate National Oreo Cookie Day however you see fit: twist them, dunk them, stack them, or eat them straight from the package like you’re guarding a secret.
Just remember: science says the cookie is powerful. So if you “accidentally” finish the sleeve, you can blame the pleasure center of your brain. It’s basically medical.
