MIFFLINTOWN — The Juniata County Library in Mifflintown is usually a calm place on an average Thursday night — a few patrons browsing the stacks, a handful of students finishing homework, the steady rhythm of books being checked in and out.

But this week, the library’s usual quiet will give way to something far crunchier. That’s when teens and tweens in grades 6 and up are gathering for one of the library’s most delightfully chaotic traditions: a Blind Taste Test Challenge.

The library is open until 7 p.m. on Thursdays, making it the perfect time for teens to swing by after school, sports or other activities. And this month’s program taps into two things teens love more than almost anything: snacks and competition.

Juniata County Library Youth Services Coordinator Jocinda Rhinier said the event is part of a steady rotation of teen programs the library has been building. “The blind taste test is an upcoming program for teens and tweens in grades 6 and up,” she said. “We have been holding monthly teen programs that vary in theme. We have done book trivia, board games, minute-to-win-it games, various crafts, and various food programs.”

Food-themed programs, she noted, are always a hit. “Teens love snacks, and the blind taste test events have been fun in the past,” Rhinier said.

This month’s challenge builds on that success. The library has experimented with taste-testing before, but this time the comparisons are a little trickier. “We have done this style program a couple of times in the past, once with different flavors of Oreos and once with different flavors of Peeps,” she said. “This time around we are seeing if they can discern between the store brand and name brand of their favorite snacks and drinks.”

The format is simple: bowls of chips, cookies and other snacks will be labeled only with numbers. Teens will sample each one, write down their guesses and compare notes. The fun comes not just from the tasting, but from the surprises — the moments when a store-brand chip fools even the most confident snacker, or when a generic cookie unexpectedly wins someone over.

Rhinier said turnout can be unpredictable, especially during busy sports seasons. “I don’t know if we’ll have a big turnout because many are in sports and other things after school,” she said. “But we do have a couple of teens that have pre-registered.”

Even a small group, she added, can make for a lively program. The library’s teen events are designed to be low-pressure and welcoming, giving young people a place to unwind, try something new and enjoy time with peers. Whether it’s trivia, crafts or snacks, the goal is the same: create a space where teens feel comfortable and included.

The Blind Taste Test Challenge is the library’s March program, but the fun doesn’t stop there. In April, teens will return for something completely different: a zine-making workshop on Thursday, April 16 at 5 p.m. Rhinier said registration for that event will open after the taste test.

For now, though, the spotlight belongs to the snacks. Whether teens can truly tell the difference between a name-brand cookie and its store-brand counterpart remains to be seen — but the fun is guaranteed either way.

Pre-registration for the Blind Taste Test Challenge is encouraged at https://forms.gle/it5yHwBvi93h1c3b6. For more information, contact the Juniata County Library at (717) 436-6378 or jrhinier@juniatalibrary.org.