6 in 10 Canadians can’t imagine their life without snacks (REPORT)

With the end of 2019 fast approaching and a new decade just weeks away, we’re inundated with trends and predictions for the years ahead.

One trend we’re so ready for is that 2020 is going to be the “Decade of the Snack.”

That’s right — the recent State of Snacking study by Mondelēz Canada (conducted through The Harris Poll) shows that there’s a global shift towards snacking in today’s modern lifestyle. In Canada, ever-changing lifestyles, preferences, and a desire for togetherness are contributing to an increase in Canadians’ daily snacking rituals.

According to the study, half of Canadian adults believe that snacking is the future of food — and millennials are leading the charge.

Next-gen snacking is on the rise

Do your parents or grandparents ever question your snacking habits? Well, snacking is probably not something they experienced in their youth. But the times are changing.

While 42% of Canadians overall believe that the snacking on-the-go is better suited to their modern lifestyle than full meals, this number rises to 62% with younger generations. Millennials’ and Gen Z’s appetites for snacking are likely to only increase over the next 10 years, as young Canadians already averaging more snacks per day (2.6) than meals (2.5).

Snacking can be comfort food

Canadians are habitual snackers, and two-thirds of us say that our daily snack routine helps improve our quality of life.

At work, in the car, during a movie, on the train — there’s always a place for snacking. But if you ever use your snacking moments as an opportunity to slow down and take a much-needed break in a busy day, you’re not alone: eight in 10 millennials do this.

Interestingly, Canadians more likely than other countries to choose a snack for a sense of comfort or to reward ourselves. Sound familiar?

Snacking as a cultural connector

As Canada’s population becomes more multicultural, snacking plays an increasingly important role in connecting cultures. With more than 250 different ethnic origins represented across Canada (and counting), Canadians are more likely than other nations to use snacking rituals as a way to bring people closer together.

With a global array of bite-sized options right in front of us, eight out of 10 Canadians believe that snacking is a great way to sample flavours from other cultures and seven out of 10 of us believe sharing snacking rituals with each other can strengthen Canada’s culture.

Snacking can be part of a balanced diet

You can have your cake (or cookie) and eat it too — it’s all about a balanced lifestyle.

The study discovered that the majority (86%) of Canadians say a balanced diet can include a little indulgence, with a third of the nation opting for an occasional “quick, sweet treat” for a reward or moment of comfort. When it comes to sweet treats, it’s no surprise that two-thirds of Canadians said that they couldn’t imagine a world without one thing — chocolate. This is something we’re certainly on board with.

But we want to have options when it comes to snacking. The study found that, more than other nations, Canadians want to have both healthy and indulgent options to choose from, so they can meet their needs, whatever they may be.

So from fueling our bodies with healthy snacks, to connecting to new cultures through food, to rewarding ourselves with the occasional sweet treat, we say bring on the Decade of the Snack!

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Feeling snackish yet? Since we’re on the topic of treats, we’re giving away a prize package full of iconic holiday snacks. Enter the contest below for your chance to win and snack your way through the season!

Contest

To enter for your chance to win a prize package of iconic holiday snacks courtesy of Mondelēz Canada, do the following:

1. Tweet the following (1 entry):

Contest entries will be accepted from the time and date of publishing until 11:59 pm on December 27, 2019. Three winners will be chosen at random and contacted through the platform they used to enter.

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