SANTA BARBARA, CALIF. — When it comes to snacking, the split personality of consumers is more complex than ever as they weigh myriad factors ranging from health and convenience to price and indulgence that influence their decisions about what to buy and what they consume.

That’s one of many takeaways from Davey McHenry, senior vice president, The Hartman Group, who spoke on the future of snacking at SNAC International’s Executive Leadership Forum (ELF), held Oct. 14-16 in Santa Barbara.

She emphasized that snacking has become even more deeply ingrained in our culture. In fact, recent research by The Hartman Group shows that some 71% of consumers have had a snack in the past 24 hours and 56% agree or strongly agree that “most days I can’t get through the day without a snack.”

Certain cultural influences also are affecting how and why Americans snack. There’s the continued move toward more health-consciousness. Consumers are turning to snacking to provide better portion control in their diets as they strive to balance their desire for indulgence without the guilt that sometimes accompanies it.

McHenry added more frequent eating occasions throughout the day are blurring the lines between meals and snacks. 

Moreover, in the post-pandemic environment, busy consumers who have returned to the office and are engaged in more out-of-home activities are once again seeking easy and quick-to-consume food that aligns to their fast-paced schedules. 

At the same time, she said, younger generations are driving trends toward more adventurous and diverse snacking options. They’re adopting a wider variety of snacks, resulting in the mainstreaming of bold and unconventional flavors and the introduction of novel textures and forms that often are influenced by global cuisines.

McHenry said many snacking occasions have become highly personal decisions.

“If I need something for myself alone, I can choose what I want so I don't worry about my friends or my family or my children's needs,” she told SNAC International attendees. “I can focus solely on what I want for what my cravings are. The second thing is that there’s no one to judge me on what my decision is. (I can) pull Chinese food out of the fridge with a glass of wine late at night. That’s perfectly acceptable to me. It might not be something that I have in front of others, but again, that individualized choice influences what consumers are thinking and what is acceptable or is not acceptable, and they’re influencing their actual behavior.”

McHenry also mentioned the ongoing “premiumization of snacks” that are high-quality, health-related and offer organic choices. That’s reflected in data that shows 62% eat snacks for nourishment and 49% are looking for some need for pleasure. Additionally, 62% said they have “premium quality snacks” at least once a week while 40% said they eat organic snacks at least once a week. Those percentages, however, skew higher for Generation Z and millennials. 

McHenry provided ELF attendees with a list of recommendations to better target today’s consumers.

Among the many suggestions included innovating around sensory pleasures, such as taste, texture smell and even sound. Snack makers should also consider product combinations to make the snacking experience more enjoyable via both item variety and eater engagement. They should focus on building brand loyalty while cleaning up the label in a way that informs consumers about what the snack contains and what it doesn’t, she said.

And don’t forget packaging, which should be fun yet functional by offering a wide variety of single-serve, multipack and resealable options, she said.