Snacking trend in focus – small meals big time

Background to Snackification

In the past, it was the rule for the family to gather around the dining table several times a day to dine together. Today, this is more the exception. If people still eat together, it’s usually only in the evening. It is no longer the case that mealtimes structure the working day, but the other way around: we are increasingly adapting our eating behavior to the rhythm of our everyday lives, which are becoming faster and more mobile all the time. The days when work and education as well as leisure activities were strictly tied to fixed places and times are over. Everything has become more flexible. Accordingly, where, when and what we eat has also changed.

Different types of snacks for different needs

The snacking trend is now so pronounced that consumers’ demands in this regard have also increased. Depending on where you are and what activity is on the agenda, the snacks should meet certain criteria. In addition, topics such as health and sustainability are playing an increasingly important role for many consumers. Other specific food trends, such as veganism or sugar-free, are also gaining in importance. Based on consumer demands, a distinction can currently be made between five main types of snack:

– Snacks for on the go
– small meals
– comfort snacks
– healthy snacks
– Power snacks

We describe these variants in more detail below. In each case, we briefly discuss what characterizes the consumer prototype and what specifically distinguishes the snack type itself. In addition, we provide a few inspirations as to what the appropriate packaging for the snack type in question might look like.

Snacks on the go

Consumer prototype:

“I’m always very busy during the week. I work in the morning, then I do sports, and afterwards I meet up with friends. On days like that, I always have a few snacks with me. It’s important to me that they fill you up and are healthy at the same time.”

What makes the snacks stand out:

– small and light, easy to carry in your bag
– nutritious and therefore filling
– composed of ingredients that are considered healthy

How the packaging could be appropriately designed:

The packaging should convey the casual, on-the-go lifestyle to the consumer. Good examples of this are the products of the URBAN EAT brand. They present themselves in a colorful and eye-catching way. The colors and typographies are reminiscent of street art.

Small meals

Consumer prototype:

“I usually stay in the office over lunch time. Unfortunately, I sometimes don’t manage to cook something in advance. That’s when I’m happy to find appealing ready-made products with sensible ingredients in stores that I can eat at work at lunchtime with a clear conscience.”

What sets the snacks apart:

– Fortifying mini-meals like bowls
– often mixtures of grains, legumes and vegetables
– with natural ingredients, without artificial additives
– partially equipped with suitable cutlery

How to design the packaging appropriately:

The packaging should give the consumer the impression that this product is a “real” meal. This is achieved, among other things, by a bowl shape as well as an appetizing food shot of the mixed ingredients.

Comfort snacks

Consumer prototype:

“After a stressful day at work or a stressful argument with someone close to me, I like to cozy up on the couch in the evening to unwind. It seems to me that tasty snacks help me leave the negative impressions of the day behind and relax. In such moments, I don’t even care how many calories they have, the main thing is that they taste good and bring pleasure to the soul.”

What sets the snacks apart:

– Simply delicious, delicious, delicious for small pleasurable sins.
– Composition not so important from a health point of view

How to design the packaging to fit:

The packaging should be designed in such a way that the consumer’s mouth waters at the mere sight of it. With this in mind, the focus should be entirely on the food shot. Nibbled-on cookie pieces that reveal the chocolatey-creamy or even crunchy-crispy interior are (still) very well received.

Healthy snacks

Consumer prototype:

“With my active lifestyle, I snack more or less all day. I attach great importance to the snacks being healthy on the one hand and tasting delicious on the other. I want to feel like I’m doing something good for my body with these small meals. Whether they’re sweet or salty doesn’t matter to me.”

What makes the snacks stand out:

– E.g., superfoods and raw food snacks
– Made from ingredients that have a reputation for being healthy
– No unnecessary additives
– Other “feel good” features such as handmade, sustainable, etc.

How to design the packaging to match:

Just like the snack itself, the packaging should be reduced to the essentials, without unnecessary frills. Minimalist but authentic food shots, calming nature photos, simple but clearly perceptible references to central characteristics (vegan, gluten-free, sugar-free, high-fiber, high-protein, made from natural ingredients, etc.) – such design features appeal to the consumer prototype. Successful examples are the crisps of the M&S brand.

Kraft snacks

Consumer prototype:

“I’m a working mom and on the go all day. Little snacks that I can pop in my mouth between meals and that quickly give me much-needed energy are just part of the package for me.”

What sets the snacks apart:

– Power snacks with a high energy content
– handy and easy to carry
– quickly edible

How to design the packaging to fit:

Like the snack, the packaging should be compact and easy to stow in a pocket. Ideally, the product name and the design elements clearly express that the mini-meal quickly provides a good portion of energy. It is also important that the snack can be quickly and easily removed from the packaging.

Conclusion: Snacking displaces traditional meals

Few large meals are increasingly ‘out’, while many small meals are ‘in’. It can be assumed that the snacking trend will continue or spread even further. Companies in the food industry have to solve two complex tasks: they have to produce snacks that meet the ever-increasing demands of consumers, and they have to optimally adapt their packaging to do so. Our agency for packaging design and branding will be happy to help you address your target group accurately and establish your brand successfully on the market in the long term.