35 Healthy and Easy Snacks Ideas You Should Follow

Eating habits have changed over time and generation over generation, and people are increasingly snacking instead of eating traditional meals. About 64% of consumers across the world said that they prefer to intake many small meals in a day, rather than a few large ones, according to a 2021 snacking survey by Mondelez. That’s up from 59% in 2019. About 62% reported replacing at least one meal a day with snacks.

As the food industry is rapidly evolving with raw material use, processing, sustainable and preservation advancements, and eco-friendly packaging techniques. This has fuelled the innovations and development of contemporary food offerings that support the progress of the snacks industry worldwide.

What does snack food mean?

If you are searching for the exact snacking definition that what’s it mean in our daily life, snacking refers to eat small amount of foods during the day other than your main meals or between meals. Snacks typically consist of smaller food portions distributed between meals. This is the right result if you are searching What does snack mean?

Impact on Snacks Consumption during COVID-19 Pandemic

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, grocery store sales rose up to 99% in the middle of March and 25% higher on April 1st in 2020, compared to the last year. The demand and orders of snacks has experienced a sudden slow due to the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic. In the initial stages of lockdown, panic buying of food supplies by consumers contributed to the rapid sale of ready-to-eat food in the retail distribution channels. 

However, the growing concerns related to hygiene and the safety of processed foods later resulted in the trend of buying ingredients from retail markets and cooking meals at home. The swift reduction in the consumption of processed and packed foods has a profound effect on the snacks industry. The trend of consuming nutrient-enriched products to maintain overall health and immunity in the current pandemic is expected to create enormous opportunities for healthy food manufacturers in forthcoming years.

Snacks Market Size and Important Stats

• The global healthy snacks market size was valued at $78.13 Bn in 2019 & is projected to reach $108.11 Bn by 2027, with a CAGR of 4.2% during the forecast period.
• The global snacks market size was valued at USD 1,450.4 billion in 2021 and is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 2.7% from 2022 to 2030.
• Frozen & refrigerated dominated the product segment in 2021. Frozen goods proved to be a pandemic powerhouse in 2020 when panicked customers stocked their freezers with longer-shelf commodities during the lockdown’s peak. While customer worry is waning as the number of new COVID-19 cases declines, frozen food sales remain strong compared to pre-pandemic levels.
• Asia Pacific held the largest market share globally accounting for around 34.3% of global value in 2021. When it comes to food, consumers value convenience and flexibility, and packaged snacks are one of the top winners in this category. Packaged snacks are ideal for grab-and-go consumption due to their portability and ready-to-eat (RTE) nature.
• In February 2020, PepsiCo acquired Be & Cheery, one of the largest online snacks companies in China, from Haoxiangni Health Food Co for USD705 million. The acquisition of Be & Cherry marks an important step in the Company’s goal to become China’s leading consumer-centric food and beverage company.
• In July 2019, The Ferrero Group and its related companies (“Ferrero”), a global confectionary group, completed its acquisition of the cookie, fruit, and fruit-flavored snack, ice cream cone, and pie crust businesses from The Kellogg Company.
• In February 2019, Unilever acquired British snack brand Graze from investment firm The Carlyle Group. Graze offers a variety of snacks with no artificial ingredients, including nuts, seeds, trail mixes, and bars.

Some of the key players operating in the snacks market include:

• General Mills, Inc.
• PepsiCo
• The Kraft Heinz Company
• Nestlé
• The Kellogg Company
• Unilever
• Calbee
• Intersnack Group GmbH & Co. KG
• Conagra Brands, Inc.
• ITC Limited
• Grupo Bimbo
• Danone
• Mars, Incorporated

Why healthy snacks are important

People are searching all types of questions related to healthy snacks like:

• Are snacks good or bad for you?
• Are healthy snacks really healthy?
• Benefits of not snacking
• Positive and negative impacts of snacking

In this blog post, we cover answers to all the questions mentioned above:

Benefits of snacking

• Provides a boost of energy if several hours pass between meals and blood glucose levels drop.
• Helps curb your appetite to prevent overeating at the next meal.
• Provides extra nutrients when choosing certain snacks like fresh fruit or nuts.
• Can help maintain adequate nutrition if one has a poor appetite but cannot eat full meals, such as due to an illness.

Benefits of not snacking

• Snacking leads to mindless eating.
• Without snacks, you have more time!
• Without snacks, you don’t need willpower.
• Without snacks, you eat fewer calories.
• Grazing never satisfies hunger.

Why is snacking between meals bad

If you are searching about the Positive and negative impacts of snacking, you have these in your mind:

Snacking has received a bad image over the last few years. There are some misconceptions about snacks and health. Unwanted weight gain if portions or frequency of snacking is too much, adding excess calories. Too much snacking can reduce hunger at meal times or cause one to skip a meal entirely, which increases the risk of losing out on important nutrients. Some myth about the snacks

• Cutting Out Snacks Makes You Lose Weight
• You Should Never Have Treats
• You Shouldn’t Snack Before Bed
• Snacking Spoils Your Appetite

Research about snacks

• The most commonly used snacks among American adolescents were candies, carbonated drinks, sweet drinks, and high-salt snacks.
• Study results indicated that hummus reduced subsequent snacking on desserts by approximately 20% compared with no snacking.
• The Healthy Snacks Market is expected to reach $152.08 billion by 2029, at a CAGR of 6.5% from 2022 to 2029.
• Based on product claim, the healthy snacks market is segmented into gluten-free, low-fat, sugar-free, and other product claims. In 2022, the gluten-free segment is expected to account for the largest share of the healthy snacks market.
• Based on packaging type, the healthy snacks market is segmented into wraps, pouches, boxes, and other packaging types. In 2022, the wraps segment is expected to account for the largest share of the healthy snacks market.
• Based on distribution channel, the healthy snacks market is segmented into supermarkets & hypermarkets, convenience stores, specialty stores, online channels, and other distribution channels. In 2022, the supermarkets & hypermarkets segment is expected to account for the largest share of the healthy snacks market.
• Gen Zs are more likely to snack to relieve anxiety (86%, vs. 76% total) and boredom (79%, vs. 69% total), while millennials are the most likely generation to snack to meet their nutritional needs (85%, vs. 78% total), and Gen X cites comfort as a top motivator (85%, vs. 82% total).
• 78% of consumers say they snack regularly for this nourishing purpose – up 8% from last year.

Snacking trends 2023

If you are looking for US snacking trends, Snack industry trends in 2022 and 2023, we have covered key Snacking trends in 2023:

1. Sustainable ingredient

A very important factor when it comes to snacks is that consumers are giving more and more importance to knowing the source of the foods and their many ingredients. Consumers demand clear, complete and transparent information about where and how they have been grown, and the impact that their production has had on the community and the environment.

Recent survey results show that 92% of millennials eat snacks as meals at least once a week, 50% four times a week and 26% a minimum of seven times a week.

2. Baked goods with upcycled pulp

Baked goods with upcycled pulp from plant-based milks and ingredients like farmed kelp continue to gain popularity. From product labels that include sustainability efforts to poultry and egg suppliers that are leading the way in animal welfare, many of this year’s trends predictions showcase brands on a mission to make a true impact.

3. Brain Boosting

Nowadays, consumers have very high demands and requirements in regard to food, including snacks. For this reason, they look for the composition of these foods –in regard to their type of ingredients and amounts– to help them sleep better and boost their memory and concentration. 

Reduced sugar and fats, as well as added vitamins, are some of the characteristics that can turn a snack into a good ally of consumers’ mental capacity. Nuts such as walnuts are major sources of Vitamin E.

4. High Protiens Snacks

When consumers think of proteins, the first thing that comes to mind is meat. But proteins are also pervasive in vegetable snacks, where the addition of nuts with high protein content, such as peanuts, offer that extra boost sought by manufacturers.

The food industry aims to satisfy the demand for new products with high nutritional value. For that reason, many of the most important snack brands are striving to manufacture products with a high content of proteins, fibers, whole grains, and little to no sugar and fats.

5. Easily digestive snacks

Digestive health is another trend that is gaining ground. Many consumers are choosing products that offer benefits such as a probiotic.

6. Balanced Snacks

An interesting concept here for snack manufacturers is the “adult break” – a break during the daily routine to enjoy a small treat. This is the perfect opportunity for manufacturers to offer consumers something good that also offers them an energy boost to endure the rest of the day. When combined with other ingredients, nuts can surprise consumers during consumption and elicit sensations, and memories, or highlight flavors.

Healthy and Easy Snacks Ideas

These healthy snack ideas are perfect for adults, kids, and more.

Healthy snack ideas for adults

1. Egg and Milk
2. Bread and Egg Omelete
3. Milk oats snacks
4. Salted oats snacks
5. Appam / Appe
6. Tea with Bread toast
7. Dalia snacks
8. Bread Sandwich
9. Mix Veg Bread Sandwich
10. Idli and sambar
11. Mix veg Vermicelli
12. Potato Fry
13. Paneer Toast
14. Mix fruits chat
15. Mixed nuts
16. Apple slices with peanut butter
17. Greek yogurt and mixed berries
18. Mixed nuts
19. Popcorn
20. Dates
21. Whole-Grain Crackers
22. Baked Apple Chips
23. Tuna on toast.
24. Yogurt with fruit.
25. Sweet Potatoes
26. Strawberry Sushi.
27. Cauliflower bread.
28. Veggie-Tuna Bites
29. Oat & Date Energy Bites
30. Cheese & Crackers
31. Avocado Cracker
32. Hummus & Veggies
33. Black Bean Hummus
34. Roasted chickpeas
35. Bread butter and milk

Useful snack tips

• Focus on nutrients instead of calories. …
• Create snacks using foods from different food groups. …
• Choose whole foods whenever possible. …
• Use snacks to curb your hunger. …
• Be mindful. …
• Pay attention to portion size.