Although many Americans are shifting toward healthier eating, snacking remains a gray area. Grazing is an area in which many continue to indulge, according to the State of Snacks Report by SPINS.
In fact, over half of Americans have replaced traditional meals with snacking or eating smaller meals.
The SPINS report revealed that not only is snacking more prevalent in 2026, but these moments of indulgence continue to provide junctures that consumers look forward to.
Price remains a major determining factor for choosing snacks, but many consumers are willing to pay higher prices for better-for-you snacks.
Where is the snacking category headed in the foreseeable future? Let’s take a closer look. …
Shift Toward Health
In general, consumers are trying to make healthy eating choices, with close to 70% of people surveyed by SPINS saying they actively attempt to make healthy choices “often or always.”
Sales in the better-for-you category grew by 10% in recent months, with wellness and snack bars and yogurt leading the charge.
Snacking Taste Trends
Taste is still the top deciding factor for snacks, with nutrition and clean ingredients also priorities for consumers.
When it comes to taste, the report found that emerged and scaled flavors (such as pistachio for emerged and cookie dough for scaled) are driving snack growth by blending recognizable profiles with bold and unique twists.
Ingredients gaining popularity in the snacking category include collagen, super mushroom ingredients, super greens and added hemp protein. Protein packed and ultra-high fiber snacking are also gaining momentum.
Purchasing Trends
How people snack is dependent on numerous factors, including family makeup and income. Snacking typically over-indexes in households with children, for example, and functional snacking is more relevant with younger, higher-income adults. Meanwhile, upper-income households typically gravitate toward meat snacks.
Families tend to purchase snacks frequently, with health and function at the top of determining factors.
When it comes to which snacks are being purchased, an overwhelming 99% of households reported purchasing traditional snacks like chips and pretzels, SPINS discovered.
The Food Institute Podcast
At SIAL Canada 2026 in Montreal, Food Institute VP of Content and Insights Chris Campbell sat down with Mathieu Brisson, Global Sales Lead at Prestige Maple, to discuss how the company is transforming maple products for a rapidly evolving global food and beverage market.
