Snack life: Who eats more little meals Gen Z or boomers?

Americans may love to snack, but younger adults appear to be taking the habit to another level, according to a new European survey that highlights broader shifts in eating habits.The survey of 2,000 adults, commissioned by European Mushrooms and reported by news agency SWNS, found that Gen Z respondents consumed an average of 81 snacks each month, nearly twice as many as baby boomers, who averaged 45.Experts say the findings reflect a broader trend in how younger adults approach meals, with convenience increasingly replacing traditional breakfast, lunch, and dinner.Many of those snacks, however, are not the healthiest choices.Eight in 10 respondents said they eat foods such as chips, cookies, and chocolate every week. Many also reported feeling sluggish, bloated, or fatigued afterward.Among those who noticed negative effects, 91% said they experienced an energy crash.For many, that slump arrives during the afternoon.

Researchers found the average “crash time” was 3:06 p.m., with tiredness, boredom, and low energy among the most common reasons people reached for another snack.California-based food policy expert and author Darin Detwiler, who was not involved in the survey, told Fox News Digital that today’s snacking habits reflect broader changes in how people consume food.“The bigger story is that the definition of a ‘meal’ has changed,” Detwiler said.Many younger adults no longer organize their day around traditional breakfast, lunch, and dinner, Detwiler said.Instead, protein bars, smoothies, frozen meals, and packaged foods increasingly serve as meal replacements rather than simply snacks.Convenience is one of the biggest drivers behind that shift, with younger consumers balancing busy schedules, tighter budgets, and the need for quick, ready-to-eat options, Detwiler said.“The real question is not whether Gen Z snacks more,” he said.

“The better question is whether those snacks are adding nutrition or replacing nutrition.” ...