PLANO, TX — Frito-Lay’s fifth-annual US Snack Index highlighted food and snacking trends shaping the year ahead.
“While Frito-Lay and Quaker’s latest Snack Index confirms that time is scarce, the data also reinforces the fierce passion that consumers have for their food preferences,” said Denise Lefebvre, senior VP of R&D for PepsiCo Foods. “As we look to 2024, we have a tremendous opportunity to continue meeting the evolving needs of our consumers. It has never been more important for us to infuse that inspiration with innovation, delivering on our promise of more smiles with every bite.”
The Time Crunch Dilemma
With a large portion of Americans, especially those in younger generations, feeling like they have fewer hours in the day, 2024 is set to be a year where less effort goes into meal preparation. What Frito-Lay calls a “no-prep dinner” will surge in popularity in 2024.
According to the Snack Index, the average American only has 52 minutes a day to prepare, eat and enjoy meals, with over a third of consumers having even less time. With less time to cook, snacks are inching their way into meals through this “no-prep dinner” concept. Over half of consumers are using snacks as a key ingredient in a meal once a week.
Snacking for Tasty Satisfaction
In the new year, snacks with protein and energy that don’t sacrifice taste will be big with consumers. Consumers are looking for products that provide specific health traits such as protein, especially for consumers who are crunched on time.
Despite wanting more from products, one thing consumers are not willing to sacrifice is taste. Older generations, such as Baby Boomers and Millennials, are the most unwilling to compromise on this key characteristic with snacking choices.
Learn more insights from the Snack Index on the Frito-Lay website.
