Are snacks good or bad for you?

A snack is generally defined as any food eaten between main meals. Many people snack at least once during the course of a day, and there are several reasons why. The most common scenario is that our stomachs start growling a few hours after our last meal. Another might be a dip in energy levels that a small bite can remedy. Or maybe we just look forward to the taste of certain snack foods.

UK market research shows that the most common snack choices are fruit, cookies, chips, ice cream, candy, popcorn, soft drinks, crackers, cake, milk, nuts and seeds, tea, and yoghurt. Snacks have been associated with weight gain and maintaining weight, as well as with lower or higher diet quality.

Although snacks can be a regular and important part of a healthy diet, they can also lead to health problems. What differentiates the two scenarios is one’s snacking behaviour: what you snack on, why you snack, frequency of snacking, and how snacks fit into your overall eating plan.

Whether you prefer chips, peanuts or crackers, our snack selection will have something for you.