This website requires certain cookies to work and uses other cookies to help you have the best experience. By visiting this website, certain cookies have already been set, which you may delete and block. By closing this message or continuing to use our site, you agree to the use of cookies. Visit our updated privacy and cookie policy to learn more.
This Website Uses Cookies
By closing this message or continuing to use our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Learn More
This website requires certain cookies to work and uses other cookies to help you have the best experience. By visiting this website, certain cookies have already been set, which you may delete and block. By closing this message or continuing to use our site, you agree to the use of cookies. Visit our updated privacy and cookie policy to learn more.
Prepared Foods logo
search
cart
facebook twitter linkedin youtube
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
Prepared Foods logo
  • TRENDS
    • 2022 Trends
    • *Sustainability*
  • PRODUCTS
    • Bakery
    • Beverages
    • Breakfast, Cereals & Bars
    • Candy
    • Cannabis
    • Dairy
    • Meals & Sides
    • Meat, Poultry & Seafood
    • Sauces & Marinades
    • Snacks & Appetizers
    • Soups
  • INGREDIENTS
    • Antioxidants & Nutritionals
    • Colorings
    • Dietary Fiber
    • Emulsifiers, Fat & Oils
    • Flavors, Seasonings, Spices
    • Flours, Grains, & Pasta
    • Fruits, Vegetables and Nuts
    • Gums & Starches
    • Phosphates & Acidulants
    • *Proteins*
    • Sweeteners
  • FORMULATION
    • Allergens & Intolerance
    • Authentic & Ethnic
    • Cost Reduction
    • Fat Reduction
    • Gluten Free
    • *Immunity*
    • *Natural / Organic*
    • *Plant Based & Vegetarian*
    • R&D Lab Tech / QA-QC / Food Safety
    • Shelf Stability
    • *Sugar Reduction*
  • BETTER FOR YOU
    • Functional New Products
    • Functional Ingredients
    • Functional Benefits
  • FOOD MASTER
  • MEDIA
    • Favorite Products Poll
    • Podcasts
    • Polls
    • Videos
    • Image Galleries
    • Interactive Spotlight
    • Webinars
  • MORE
    • eNewsletter Archives
    • Events
      • New Products Conference
      • Spirit of Innovation Awards
      • Industry Events
    • First Person Q&A
    • 19 Product Development Resources
    • White Papers
    • Classifieds
    • Prepared Foods Store
    • Sponsor Insights
  • EMAGAZINE
    • eMagazine
    • Archive Issues
    • Contact
    • Advertise
    • Subscribe
Home » The Snacking Generation: Millennials vs Boomers

You have 0 Articles Left This Month. Register Today for Unlimited Access.

Retail Market TrendsSnacks & Appetizers

The Snacking Generation: Millennials vs Boomers

Boomers total approximately 90.4 billion ready-to-eat snack eatings a year, 20% more than millennials

March 28, 2016
KEYWORDS Baby Boomers / millennial generation / NPD Group / snack foods
Order Reprints
No Comments

Millennials are the shining stars of today’s marketplace but when it comes to snacking — which is all the rage in the food industry — it’s Boomers who shine, finds The NPD Group, a leading global information company. Boomers eat ready-to-eat snack food 20% more often than millennials do, according to NPD’s daily tracking of U.S. consumers snacking habits.

While millennials overtook boomers in population number in 2015, both generational groups are large and it’s the size of the prize that appeals to snack manufacturers. In terms of snack eatings the size of the prize is substantial. Based on NPD’s snacking research, annual eatings of ready-to-eat snacks per boomer are about 1,200, or a total of 90.4 billion snack eatings, and there are about 1,000 snack eatings for each millennial or a total of 83.1 billion snack eatings.

The reasons why each of these generational groups snack are as different as their ages. Millennials reach for what is often a grab-and-go snack because they’re hungry. Boomers snack because they don’t want to prepare a big meal and eat alone more often than other age groups. Both groups choose snacks based on taste and craving.

Millennials are aligned when it comes to the types of ready-to-eat snack foods consumed. Fruit, chocolate candy/candy bars, and potato chips rank as the top three snack picks for both. Boomers and millennials take different paths after the top three with boomers reaching for nuts and yogurt and millennials for the tortilla chips and cookies.

Although boomers hold the top score over millennials in ready-to-eat snack food eatings, they don’t come close to kids when it comes to the amount of snack foods consumed. Kids, ages 2-17, consume an average of 1,500 snack foods per year, an above average amount compared to other age groups. Healthier snack foods rank highest with kids, particularly with kids 2-5, ages where parents primarily control what they’re eating. Sweet and savory snacks start to creep up in rank with older kids.

“Our snacking research shows us that all snackers are not alike. Motivations, snack food choice, and when and where to snack differs among age groups,” says Darren Seifer, NPD food and beverage industry analyst and author of the company’s Snacking in America study. “Everyone gets it that as a nation we like snack foods but the key for food manufacturers is to find the nuances in snacking behaviors in order to differentiate a brand or find a white space opportunity.”

You have 0 complimentary articles left.

Register for free today to continue reading!

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Privacy Policy

Related Articles

Baby Boomers, Millennials Defining U.S. Foodie Culture

New Study Uncovers Boomers’ & Millennials’ Snack Preferences

Snacking Trends Among Millennials

Three Square Meals VS. All-Day Snacking

Related Events

Closing Keynote: The Future of Snacking: Where Appetite Meets Innovation

Subscribe For Free!
  • eMagazine Subscription
  • eNewsletters
  • Online Registration
  • Subscription Customer Service

More Videos

Sponsored Content

Sponsored Content is a special paid section where industry companies provide high quality, objective, non-commercial content around topics of interest to the Prepared Foods audience. All Sponsored Content is supplied by the advertising company. Interested in participating in our Sponsored Content section? Contact your local rep.

close
  • Group of Friends Dining in Restaurant
    Sponsored bySUMMIT HILL FOODS

    Fight Inflation with Flavor

  • Tart Cherries Food & Beverages
    Sponsored byU.S. Tart Cherry Industry

    Tart Cherry Innovations are Rapidly Growing as More Shoppers Seek out the U.S. Grown Superfruit

Popular Stories

Mars_Hallowee_780.jpg

Mars 2022 Halloween Candy

CompHero0721_780.jpg

Food & Beverage Brands Continue to Invest in Plant Based Products Across Categories

Non-Dairy Milk Being Poured on Cereal

Protein in Non-Dairy Products

Better Viscosity Measurement Webinar


RFP Logo

Submit a Request for Proposal (RFP) to suppliers of your choice with details on what you need with a click of a button

Start your RFP

Browse our FOOD MASTER for food ingredients you need in our food ingredients categories. Our food ingredients directory covers the entire scope of the food industry’s ingredient requirements, from antioxidants to vitamins.

Find Suppliers

Events

August 30, 2022

Liquid Engineering! Better Viscosity Measurement Benefits Food, Beverage R&D

Viscosity measurement is essential to developing a wide range of liquid to semi-solid applications, including soups, sauces, beverages, starches, and flours. With product variability, it can become difficult for processors to best determine the appropriate device for viscosity measurement. This webinar helps food and beverage formulators understand the application of a universal viscosity measuring device.

September 12, 2022

New Products Conference

Prepared Foods’ New Products Conference delivers the industry’s most focused look at food & beverage innovation—from consumer insights, product and packaging trends to the new tastes and latest technologies (e-commerce, artificial intelligence, etc) impacting R&D.

View All Submit An Event

Poll

Favorite Products: July 2022

Which is your favorite new food & beverage product introduction from the past 30 days?
Poll Archive

Products

Accelerating New Food Product Design and Development, 2nd Edition

Accelerating New Food Product Design and Development, 2nd Edition

See More Products

CHECK OUT OUR NEW POWER TRENDS

Immunity Logo
Natural & Organic Logo
Plant Based Logo
Protein Logo
Sugar Reduction Logo Sustainability Logo

Get our new eMagazine delivered to your inbox every month.

Stay in the know on the latest food & beverage product development trends.

SUBSCRIBE TODAY!
  • More
    • Want More
    • Connect
    • Editorial Guidelines
    • New Product Submission Form
    • Food & Beverage Brands
    • Custom Content & Marketing Services
    • Market Research
    • List Rental
    • Survey And Sample
  • Advertise With Us
    • Advertise
  • Subscribe
  • PRIVACY
    • PRIVACY POLICY
    • TERMS & CONDITIONS
    • DO NOT SELL MY PERSONAL INFORMATION
    • PRIVACY REQUEST
    • ACCESSIBILITY
    • UPDATE MY PREFERENCES

Copyright ©2022. All Rights Reserved BNP Media.

Design, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing