BELLEVUE, Wash. - Americans are embracing snacking like never before, as a new study highlights, Marketing Daily reports. Last year, 52% of all eating occasions among Americans consisted of snacks, up from 49% just two years earlier, according to The Hartman Group€™s Eating Occasions Database.
The group found that on average, Americans eat 2.35 snacks each day. Snacking happens later, rather than earlier, in the day. More than half of consumers (56%) snack between 2 pm and 5 pm, and 51% snack between 5 pm and midnight.
More than three in 10 consumers say snacks are most often eaten in the home, while 12% snack at work, and 7% snack on the go. More consumers think consuming smaller meals throughout the day is better for you, and that snacking can help bridge the gaps between meals.
Just over a quarter (28%) snack as an indulgence, while 26% snack on impulse. Attitudes about healthy snacking and behavior continues to have a disconnect, as 57% believe it€™s very important or important that snacks be healthy. However, the two most popular snacks are soda and chips.
Millennials are driving the snacking trend, with their penchant for the "fourth meal." Read more about "Midnight Snacking" in the December issue of NACS Magazine.