SNACK FOOD

A 'snack food' (commonly shortened to 'snack') is seen in Western culture as a type of food not meant to be eaten as a main meal of the day (breakfast, lunch, dinner) but one that is intended rather to assuage a person's hunger between these meals, providing a brief supply of energy for the body, or as a food item consumed between meals purely for the enjoyment of its taste.

Contents

Appeal

Nutritional concerns

Industry concerns

Types of snack foods

Gallery

See also

External links

Appeal

Snack foods are generally designed to be portable, quick and satisfying. Processed snack foods are designed to be less perishable, more durable, and/or more appealing than prepared foods. They often contain substantial amounts of sweeteners, preservatives, and appealing ingredients such as chocolate, peanuts, and specially designed flavors (such as flavored potato chips).

Nutritional concerns

Foods manufactured primarily as snack foods are often subjectively classified as junk food: they have little or no nutritional value, and are not seen as contributing towards general health and nutrition. With growing concerns for diet, weight control and general health, government bodies like Health Canada[1] are recommending people make a conscious effort to eat more healthy, natural snacks such as fruit, vegetables, nuts and cereal grains while avoiding high-calorie, low-nutrient junk food.

Industry concerns

The snack food industry in market-driven societies such as the United States generates billions of dollars in revenue each year. The market for processed snack foods is enormous, and a number of large corporations are constantly struggling to capture larger shares of the snack food market. Consequently, heavy promotions are used to convince consumers to buy snack foods. Processed snack foods are advertised far more than regular nutritional foods (such as fruit, vegetables, meat, dairy products), and the flashiest TV commercials and advertising campaigns are often designed to sell these products.

Types of snack foods

;Chips/Crisps ★ cheese puffs/cheese curls ★ pretzels ★ potato chips ★ pork rinds ★ tortilla chips

;Candy/Sweets ★ chocolate bars ★ jelly beans ★ gumdrops ★ hard candy

;Other snack foods ★ jerky ★ crackers ★ cookies/biscuits ★ doughnuts ★ mixed nuts ★ popcorn ★ trail mix ★ fruits and vegetables with dipping sauce

Gallery

See also

★ List of snack foods

★ Canapés

External links

★ Complete Recipes: Snacks