CHICAGO – With more Americans pressed for time, snacking has become a routine activity in many consumers’ lives, according to new research in Technomic’s 2007 Snacking Category Report.

Nearly half of consumers say they snack because they are hungry but don’t have time for a full meal. Snacking is most often an impulse decision driven by hunger, notes the report.

The driving factors for snacking include hunger (47 percent), enjoying a snack while participating in certain activities (15 percent), snacking between meals (12 percent) snacking instead of eating full meals (11 percent) and snacking to stave off boredom (8 percent).

Consumers’ snacking behavior is evolving, and more Americans are interested in healthier snacking options.

“We view this as an excellent but underdeveloped opportunity for many chains,” Darren Tristano, executive vice president of Technomic Information Services, said in a press release. “By analyzing their current offerings from a fresh perspective and offering new options that appeal to the snacking consumer, chains could make a measurable impact on same-store sales and add business during what are frequently off-peak hours.”