New findings from Mondelēz International’s 2026 State of Snacking report suggest the traditional three-meals-a-day routine is being redrawn, as consumers increasingly turn to snacks not simply between meals, but in place of them.
Produced in partnership with Mintel and Black Swan Data, the research surveyed consumers across more than 13 global markets and analysed millions of online conversations. It points to a significant behavioural shift towards eating occasions that are more flexible, personal and increasingly centred around snacks.
In the US, the proportion of consumers eating snacks as a meal has almost doubled since 2019. Around one in five consumers reported doing so in 2019, compared with 41% by 2025. The trend is particularly evident among younger consumers, for whom convenience, value and reduced preparation time are changing expectations around what constitutes a meal.
Convenience and value are reshaping mealtimes
The US findings highlight the scale of the change. Some 69% of bar buyers agree that a bar can be a suitable replacement for a meal such as lunch, while 38% of adults aged 18-24 say snacking is less stressful than preparing or purchasing a conventional meal.
Economic considerations are also becoming increasingly important. More than half – 57% – of US consumers aged 25-34 believe snacking offers better value than a full meal, adding another incentive for consumers to move away from rigid breakfast, lunch and dinner routines.
Similar behaviour is emerging internationally. In Germany, 36% of breakfast eaters now consume several snacks throughout the morning rather than a large breakfast, rising to 56% among Gen Z. Time saving, variety and lower appetite for a full meal are among the main reasons.
Brazil is seeing snacks become an important source of fuel throughout the day. Some 43% of consumers snack between lunch and dinner daily, while 29% do so between breakfast and lunch. In India, 22% of snack consumers already use snacks to replace breakfast, lunch or dinner.
Australia and Canada show comparable patterns, with 44% of Australian snack consumers saying they replace a proper meal with snacks at least weekly. The same proportion of Canadian home cooks report swapping meals for snacks each week.
Functional snacks move beyond indulgence
As snacks assume a bigger role in daily eating routines, consumers are also demanding more from the products they choose. Protein, fibre, energy and satiety are increasingly important alongside taste and indulgence.
In the US, 41% of bar buyers purchased a new bar specifically because of its high protein content, while 32% were attracted by high fibre. Meanwhile, 43% of salty snack consumers believe such products can be healthy when formulated with the right ingredients.
Germany provides another indication of changing attitudes. More than half of consumers there prefer snacks fortified with additional nutrients over products positioned primarily around reductions in sugar, salt or fat, suggesting a shift from restriction towards nutritional enrichment.
The research also demonstrates that consumers are not abandoning indulgence. Rather, they are seeking balance between enjoyment, nutrition and convenience. Almost half of German Gen Z snack consumers believe allowing themselves some less healthy snacks makes it easier to maintain healthier meals overall.
Portion size is also becoming more prominent, with smaller portions identified as a leading healthy-eating strategy across several European markets.
The findings suggest that the conventional meal is unlikely to disappear, but its boundaries are becoming increasingly blurred. For snack manufacturers, the opportunity lies in developing products capable of delivering the convenience traditionally associated with snacking alongside the nutrition, satiety and value consumers increasingly expect from a meal.
