Snacking on the rise
North America is home to snack packs and snack-sized candy bars and resealable plastic bags sized for snacking. We love to snack. While it’s nothing new, between-meal nibbling is on the rise. From 2015 to 2020, Americans went from having 505 snacking occasions per person each year to 530, based on a recent report on U.S. eating patterns conducted by The NDP Group, a market research company. Certainly, the pandemic boosted snacking throughout 2020.And based on a survey conducted by Pollock Communications and Today’s Dietitian, 78 percent of registered dietitian nutritionist respondents said people are moving away from a three-meals-a-day approach to one that features more regular snacking. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing. It’s true that snacks may include chips and other junk foods. But plenty of plant-based foods make for A-plus snacks, and they may be contributing to the rise in snacking.A recent MarketWatch report states that the market for plant-based snacks is anticipated to reach $26.67 billion by 2026. That’s a 4.5 percent increase from 2020. Learn how to choose healthy plant-based snacks that deliver the most nutrition without compromising flavour.(Related: Healthy Store-Bought Snacks to Keep On-Hand When Working From Home)