WHAT’S THE TOP NUT AT SNACK TIME?

[ ALMONDS, OF COURSE. ]

THE NEW SNACK TIME. It may come as no surprise that North American consumers were snacking an average of 2.3 times a day in late 2013, up from 1.8 times a day in 2008.1 But do you know how many different foods and beverages they consume at each occasion?

In a recent survey, nearly a quarter of consumers said they replace at least one meal a day with a snack, and they’re most likely to snack late at night (24%), mid-afternoon (21%) and mid-morning (18%).1

On average, 4.4 foods or beverages are consumed at each snacking occasion.1 This opens a number of new opportunity areas for manufacturers—like snack products that combine different foods and serve as mini-meals.

Certainly, nuts have benefited from the increase in snacking. In this survey, consumers said they prefer to snack on nuts mid-morning, but their actual self-reported consumption is more evenly distributed across all day parts.1

Almonds are the nut most frequently consumed as a snack, and among almonds, salted and roasted almonds are the most common type that consumers report snacking on. Almonds are most commonly paired with apples, bananas, chocolate, salad and granola bars.1

ALMONDS: “THE PERFECT SNACK FOR ME.”According to another recent survey, almonds are the number one nut that North American consumers associate with snacking (31%), with a wide lead over other nuts.2 And consumers voted almonds as the most well-liked nut overall. They’re also the number one nut that consumers associate with being nutritious, being heart healthy and helping with weight management.3

Almonds are the number one nut associated with crunch, being convenient and easy to eat, and “the perfect snack for me.”2

Consumers pursue foods with protein specifically to satisfy hunger and boost.1 Fortunately, a one-ounce serving of almonds (about a handful) delivers 6 grams of power-packed protein.4

Other important attributes in choosing a snack are filling and satisfying, and almonds fit the bill on that front, too.5 In a study published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, snacking on 1.5 ounces of almonds a day reduced hunger and appetite without increasing body weight in study participants. While the study was only four weeks long and did not measure the long-term impact of eating almonds as a snack, it suggests snacking can be a weight-wise strategy.6

It’s no wonder, then, that almonds are the number one nut in new snack product introductions in North America.5

To learn more about what almonds can add to your next snacking innovation, visit Almonds.com/Food-Professionals.

Almonds are the nut most frequently consumed as a snack.1

1. 2013 North America Snacking Consumer Quantitative Study, Sterling-Rice Group.

2. 2013 North American Consumer AAU Study, Sterling-Rice Group.

3. Good news about almonds and heart health: Scientific evidence suggests, but does not prove, that eating 1.5 ounces of most nuts, such as almonds, as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol may reduce the risk of heart disease. One serving on almonds (28g) has 13g of unsaturated fat and only 1g of saturated fat.

4. One serving of almonds (28g) has 13g of unsaturated fat and only 1g of saturated fat.

5. 2013 Snacks Revolution, Innova Market Insights.

6. Tan YT, Mattes RD. Appetitive, dietary and health effects of almonds consumed with meals or as snacks: a randomized, controlled trial. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, October 2, 2013, ejcn.2013.184.

© 2014 Almond Board of California. All rights reserved. Printed in USA. Document #2014IFS0007