Wednesday, 15 September 2010

Canadians reaching for fruit first, then potato chips

There's an article in today's Toronto Star about snacking habits. You can read the article here.

Apparently snacking is the fastest-growing meal in the last decade in Canada ... and fruit remains the top snack food choice.

Yay!

But we are also reaching more often for potato chips.

Alas, given a choice, I'll take junk over an apple any day.

Canadians ate on average 300 snacks year (my age group ate 309) ... Americans snack an average of 230 times a year.

Canadians' favourite snacks:
  • fresh fruit
  • gum
  • yogurt
  • potato chips
  • chocolate candy and bars
  • cookies
  • snack bars (granola type)

Americans' favourite snacks:
  • fresh fruit
  • gum
  • chocolate candy
  • potato chips
  • breath mints
  • yogurt
  • nuts
During the day at work, I tend to be a snacker ... I have granola bars, yogurt, crackers and gum handy. This week I brought some apples.

At home, Gord and I snack on Orville Redenbacher's SmartPop popcorn. Yum! We tend to not have chips in the house ... if we do, they are "healthier" chips like Guiltless Gourmet. Neither of us are big chocolate eaters. We don't have cookies or cakes either ... Gord doesn't really have a sweet tooth so I'd eat 'em all myself!

Are you a snacker? What is your snack of choice?

3 comments:

Tatiana said...

I'm not a big snacker, but I do love apples. And pickles, and crackers, and cheese. I don't have much of a sweet tooth, but once in a while I'll have a kit-kat.

Snowcatcher said...

Fascinating research results.

Don't know if my snack choices would count, since I've been sugar-free since 2006. Fresh fruit and nuts are my favs, but I also tend to like cheese, hard-boiled eggs, carrots, broccoli and celery. I know, it's strange!

Isabel said...

This is weird. But I usually snack at work alot. Junk food. chips, candy.

But since I'm in training, I don't head to the vending machine as much.

I'm trying to be good and only snack on healthy stuff. Like fruit or veggies.