By Danielle Moore // SWNS
The average American experiences 416 “snackccidents” every year, according to new research.
A new survey of 2,000 Americans revealed that these snacking-related mishaps come in several tasty varieties that plague hungry respondents regularly.
Over half (57%) of respondents admitted that they’d accidentally eaten a full-sized bag of snacks in one sitting.
Forty-five percent have eaten a full meal composed entirely of snacks – when they’d only intended to eat a single snack.
Over one in three (37%) respondents have sprung for a snack that they later realized contained ingredients that weren’t exactly healthy.
Happy “snackccidents,” though, were also more than common, with 66% of respondents confirming they’d stumbled upon a new snack they enjoyed entirely by accident.
Conducted by OnePoll on behalf of Chomps, the study also revealed that over one in four respondents (28%) had even accidentally created a snack concoction of their own that became a go-to.
Among the examples reported in this category were keto muffins, microwave-made s’mores and cucumber with goat cheese.
The survey also attached some numbers to the phenomenon of “snack attacks.”
Respondents reported an average of 10 snack attacks, or sudden urges to snack, per week.
They also estimated that they spoil an average of five meals per week due to an inability to curtail their snacking.
“The best way to combat snack attacks – and avoid surprises when that snack that was billed as ‘healthy’ turns out to be anything but – is to look for snacks with simple, nutritious and whole food ingredients," said Pete Maldonado, CEO and co-founder of Chomps.
"Choose an option like a high quality, protein-packed meat snack with no additives or artificial ingredients, so you can stay energized and feel good about what you’re feeding yourself and your family.”
Half of respondents reported that their snacking has increased since the start of the pandemic.
Changes in lifestyle brought on by the pandemic – such as working from home, or children attending school virtually – may be playing a role in the uptick in snacking, as 54% of respondents say their schedule is so variable that they find it difficult to eat at consistent times.
Nearly seven in 10 respondents admitted that they tend to eat more than the recommended serving size of their favorite snack.
Fifty-six percent of respondents agreed that, when it comes to snacks, they have little to no self control.
“Snacks that serve a purpose are more important than ever. Having a snack on-hand that keeps you full between meal times will help eliminate those mindless snacking incidents,” added Maldonado.
“In the environment we're currently living in, we all have so many difficult decisions to make – your snack choice shouldn’t be one of them. Be prepared with a stash of tasty and filling options to ensure ‘snackccidents’ are avoided.”
COMMON SNACKCCIDENTS
1. Eating a full meal made of snacks when you only intended to eat a snack (46%)
2. Eating (or serving) snacks you thought were healthy, but actually weren’t (37%)
3. Creating a new snack by happy accident (28%)
LIFETIME SNACKCCIDENTS CALCULATION
Average of 8 “snackccidents” per week x 52 weeks per year = 416
