Food Network’s Robin Miller Partners with Grain Foods Foundation to Launch Nationwide Smart Snacking Contest
NOVEMBER 2013 — RIDGWAY, Colo. — Nearly all Americans (93%) snack at least once each day, despite the importance consumers place on traditional meal occasions. In fact, while 90% of consumers believe breakfast is the most important meal of the day, less than half of Americans actually eat a daily breakfast1. By comparison, 53% of consumers view snacks as important, yet they are often treated as equivalent to a meal. More than one-third of consumers regularly skip meals and, instead, snack throughout the day.2
Whether at home, at work or on the go, nearly all Americans face a snack attack — that midmorning grumble or the three o’clock slump — at least once per day. Snacking is important to a healthy diet, but it’s how consumers handle the snack attack that is critical.
“Snacktime is when most people fall victim to unhealthy choices,” said Judi Adams, MS, RD and president of the Grain Foods Foundation. “Given that more people consume snacks than actual full-course meals, it’s critical that Americans understand how to make better snacking decisions.”
Hunger is the primary reason consumers snack (69%), according to a recent survey commissioned by the Grain Foods Foundation and conducted by Harris Interactive®. The survey also found that nearly half (44%) of U.S. adults snack out of boredom, and approximately one-third of Americans (32%) snack when they need a boost of energy.
“There’s a science to smart snacking,” said Robin Miller of Food Network’s Quick Fix Meals. “An ideal snack can help keep energy levels stable throughout the day. Grain foods such as bread, crackers, pretzels and pitas are a great foundation for a healthy snack.”
In an effort to encourage consumers to snack more healthily, Robin Miller and the Grain Foods Foundation are looking for the country’s best healthy snack recipe. Snack fans across America can submit their smartest snack recipe using bread or other grains to win a personal chef for two weeks — including grocery shopping, meal/snack preparation and cleanup. To enter, visit www.grainpower.org.
Carbohydrates, like bread and other grains, provide energy and satisfy those hunger pangs. In fact, more than half of consumers surveyed (54%) reach for grain foods when they need a boost of energy during a snack attack. And they can be combined with protein for the perfect pick-me-up.
Additionally, because convenience is so important to consumers, keeping prepared snacks on hand in the office, the car or in your bag is important to outsmart a snack attack. Miller suggests keeping crackers mixed with dried fruit and nuts in baggies, or cutting a full-sized sandwich into squares for a quick bite at work.