Mastering Snack Time

Snacking between meals can be a great way to add in key nutrients that your clients may not get elsewhere throughout the day and help curb their appetite between meals. The 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans lacks specific guidance around this eating occasion or how snacks can fit into a balanced dietary pattern, providing a great opportunity for Registered Dietitian Nutritionists to provide that snacking guidance for your clients. Download the worksheet to the right to help your clients choose enjoyable snacks that help them meet their individual dietary goals.

What Snacking Can Be:

• An important eating occasion
• An opportunity to help fill nutrient gaps or enjoy under consumed food groups that clients may not get elsewhere in their diet
• A mindful part of a healthy eating pattern

Why Snack Time Matters:

Snack time can be a way to help clients get more key nutrients throughout their day, but how often do Americans snack and what are they looking for? Below are some standout stats around snacking that can help guide some of your recommendations.

What Snackers Consider When Choosing a Snack:

60% of people say health related benefits are important to consider when choosing a snack¹
57% of adults say they want snacks that contain vitamins/minerals²
50% look for snacks that provide a serving of fruits/ vegetables²

Snacking is on the Rise:

The average adult eats around three snacks per day³
Young adults aged 18-24 are more likely than adults aged 25-40 to say they often snack between meals (74% versus 66%)⁵

Spending more time at home is reshaping snack time:

The average U.S. consumer ate +37% more snacks in the past 2 years than they did in 2019⁵
1 out of 3 consumers reported snacking more since we’ve been home more, with 34% saying that they snack multiple times a day³

Get to Know Some of our Snack Brands

From Quaker Rice Cakes to Bare Apple Chips, Stacy’s Pita Chips to Off The Eaten Path, PepsiCo’s snack brands are here to help make snack time more enjoyable for your clients. With a wide variety of options and flavors to choose from, there is a choice for all taste preferences.

Quaker Rice Cakes: Original and Lightly Salted, Quaker Rice Cakes can be a great blank canvas for your favorite spread or toppings, such as veggies, beans or nuts. These rice cakes are gluten free, contain 8-15g of whole grains and are 35 calories or less per serving.

Quaker Oats: Quaker Oats offer endless possibilities for culinary creation. From oat bites to no-bake bars, oats can be a great addition to your snack time routine. Each variety of Quaker Oats - Instant, Quick, Old Fashioned and Steel Cut - are 100% whole grain and ounce per ounce provides similar amounts of fiber, vitamins and minerals.

Off The Eaten Path: Made with real veggies like peas or black beans, these snacks are a surprising way to enjoy veggie snacks on the go. All varieties are gluten-free and Non-GMO Project Verified, and have no artificial flavors.
 

Stacy’s Pita Chips: A pita chip snack with an incredible crunch — a great pairing for hummus and other fruit- and veggie-based dips.
 

Bare: Bare Fuji & Reds Apple Chips are a good source of fiber, with 4 grams per serving, and contain no added sugar.*They offer a one-of-a-kind crunch, and are baked, never fried. *Not a low calorie food. See nutrition information for calorie and sugar content.

Guidance for Snack Time

Sometimes choosing a good snack can be difficult. Luckily, this handout can be your guide to snack ideas that taste good and can be good for you. Check out the recommendations below to help inspire your creations.

Make your Snack Count

Here are a few pointers to consider when choosing a snack:

• Focus on Key Nutrients and Food Groups: Before deciding what snack to choose, think about if there are any food groups you may not have that day and choose an option that may help you reach those goals. For example, if you haven’t been able to enjoy a serving of fruit during your meals, think about incorporating a fruit cup or fruit chips paired with a source of protein into your next snack.
• Texture: For ultimate enjoyment, consider the texture of your snack and try to mix things up – adding a bit of granola for that crunch on top of Greek yogurt, for example, can help to make for an exciting snack.
• Pairings: Consider how snacks can be paired with other nutritious foods throughout the day. For example, adding a bean– or veggie–based dip with your pita chips.

Creating your Ideal Snack

When deciding on a snack, focus on protein and carbohydrate options that provide fiber, such as fruits and whole grain options. Most Americans do not get enough fiber in their diet. In fact, according to the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines, 90% of women and 97% of men fall short of their recommended fiber intake of 25-34g/day⁶ Protein is important to prevent the loss of lean muscle mass⁶ and help you feel full⁷, while carbohydrates are needed for energy throughout the day⁸.

By finding a snack that includes both, you’re likely to enjoy a snack that will help you feel full and contains a variety of nutrients. Pick a serving of one item in each category below to create endless possibilities to enjoy additional nutrition and taste of your snacks.

Carbohydrate Snacks

Oatmeal, cut veggie sticks, whole grain crackers or pita chips, baked fruit chips, fresh fruit, veggie crisps, whole grain bread, rice cakes.

Protein Snacks

Boiled egg, low fat cheese stick, hummus, low sodium deli meat, low fat Greek yogurt, tuna or salmon, black bean dip, nuts or nut spread.

References

1. Hartman Group. (2020). Snacking: Emerging, Evolving and Disrupted Report. Hartman Group.
2. Lyons Wyatt, S. (2019). “How America Eats: The State of the Snack Food Industry.” Webinar, April 9. iriworldwide.com
3. Food Insight. (2020). Consumer Survey: COVID-19’s Impact on Food purchasing, Eating Behavior and Perceptions of Food Safety. Food Insight.
4. https://www.ift.org/news-and-publications/news/2019/february/12/gen-z-adults-snack-between-meals-more-often-than-millennials
5. NPD. (2021). The Future of Snacking: Strategize with confidence: Snacking behavior insights through 2023. NPD.
6. U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020- 2025. 9th Edition. December 2020. Available at DietaryGuidelines.gov
7. Dhillon J, et al. 2016. The Effects of Increased Protein Intake on Fullness: A Meta-Analysis and Its Limitations. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. 116:968-983
8. American Heart Association, 2021. Carbohydrates. https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-eating/eat-smart/ nutrition-basics/carbohydrates