Americans admit to skipping 3 meals a week, but can’t help but indulge in unintentional snacking

According to new research, the average American skips about three meals a week.

A survey of 2,000 American adults found that only 22% say they never skip meals, compared to 29% who admit they do so every day of the week.

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The results also showed that Americans are not only skipping meals, but they are also forgetting what they are actually eating.

The average respondent can only remember half (57%) of everything he or she ate in the past three days.

Still, Americans eat an average of three snacks per day, ranging from chips (57%) to fruit (56%) and cheese (46%).

Others mainly eat crackers (43%), cookies (41%) and ice cream (36%).

Only 25% of respondents say they are ‘very aware’ of the daily nutritional value of proteins their snacks provide.

This may be because more than a third of Americans (36%) eat snacks impulsively rather than consciously planning them (18%).

Conducted by Talker Research on behalf of from BreakstoneThe study also explored the concept of “unintentional snacking,” or eating for reasons that aren’t necessarily due to hunger, finding that 30% of Americans experience this on a regular basis.

Only six percent say they do not snack unintentionally.

Respondents developed bad snacking habits (26%) or had a lack of energy (21%) as a result.

But Americans appear to be taking matters into their own hands: 27% want to make informed choices when it comes to snacking this year.

According to the results, conscious snacking means choosing snacks that are healthy (43%) or that give you an energy boost (30%).

For others, it appears that they limit the number of snacks they eat per day or plan their snacks in advance (both 29%).

Nearly half (49%) of respondents would be more likely to consciously eat snacks if they knew they had health benefits. Examples include hard-boiled eggs (43%), Greek yogurt (39%) and cottage cheese (31%).

“With so many Americans skipping meals on a regular basis, it’s important to make the most of your daily snacking,” said Dhriti Batra, Brand Director, Cultured, Lactalis Heritage Dairy.

Examples of intentional snacks

Here are some examples of snacks that you can consciously include in your diet for their health benefits:

• Mixed nuts
• Greek yoghurt
• Smoothies
• Hard-boiled eggs
• cottage cheese
• Fruit

Try incorporating protein-rich ingredients into snacks such as smoothies or salads.

“There’s no need to stick to your old trusted snacks; trying something new can broaden your taste buds and even help you discover new favorites.”

The study also looked at how Americans make the most of their breaks, finding that snacking is an integral part of life’s breaks.

FILL YOUR FREE TIME

The results showed that Americans have an average of four hours of free time per day, which they fill with watching TV (69%), scrolling through social media (48%) and, of course, snacking (40%).

Ideally, that break would last about one hour and fifteen minutes (74.7 minutes).

Yet, 37% of respondents admit that they still feel like they are “running on E” after their breaks.

More than three quarters of respondents (78%) agree that they enjoy a few moments of peace and quiet.

“The survey results showed that nearly two in five people don’t feel recharged after their breaks. Between work, school, chores and everything in between, it’s no secret that Americans need some downtime,” Batra said.

“While it’s important to relax and unwind, it’s equally important to nourish your body during breaks so the rest of your day runs smoothly.”

Survey methodology:

This randomized, dual-participation survey of 2,000 U.S. citizens was conducted on behalf of Breakstone between June 10 and 13, 2024.

It was conducted by a market research firm Talker researchwhose team members are members of the Market Research Society (MRS) and the European Association for Opinion and Marketing Research (ESOMAR).

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