Snacks Now Claim A Much Greater Share Of America’s Collective Stomach

Snack sales in the U.S. are rising much faster than overall grocery sales, according to Nielsen. Grocery sales rose 2.8 percent in the year ending in early September. But sales of Greek yogurt rose 16.6 percent, sales of meat snacks like jerky rose 11.2 percent, and sales of nutritional bars rose 7.8 percent. Sales of candy, nuts and salty snacks in general all rose faster than grocery sales. Most of the 490 Americans Nielsen polled about snack eating habits said they "enjoyed" eating all the time or to “satisfy hunger between meals”. Other trends: Americans are also working more hours, leaving less time for sit-down meals; Big Food has created an incredibly large variety of flavorful snacks to munch on; and the line between snacks and meals has blurred considerably in recent years.