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Since the pandemic, snacking habits have undergone a significant shift among Gen Z. With disrupted routines, remote work, and more time spent at home, traditional meal structures blurred, fueling a surge in snacking. For Gen Z, snacking has become a lifestyle preference shaped by convenience, which has led to some replacing meals with snacks.
So, how is this impacting CPG brands? CivicScience took a close look at snacking trends today, who’s most likely to snack, and Gen Z’s favorite snack brands:
Answer our Poll: What’s your snacking frequency these days? 🍿
Gen Z leads snacking, but that wasn’t always the case.
In 2020, Baby Boomers and Gen X led in snacking or eating between meals, with 76% of those 45+ snacking at least once a day. Fast-forward to the following year, the percentage of Gen Z consumers aged 18-24 who snacked jumped a whopping 10 percentage points from 2020 to 2021, taking the top spot. This trend has held since then, with over 8 in 10 Gen Z adults snacking in 2024. Whereas slightly fewer Baby Boomers and Gen X snack today than they did nearly five years ago.
That said, though, the percentage of Gen Z snackers has dropped slightly from 85% in 2023 to 82% today. However, they’re still the most likely generation to snack.
The time of day when Gen Z snacks has also experienced a shift over the last few years. From 2020 to 2021, the percentage of Gen Z who snacked either ‘between lunch and dinner’ or ‘in the evening after dinner’ declined considerably (among those who snack). Whereas the percentage who eat snacks ‘between breakfast and lunch’ and ‘late at night’ increased. Today, Gen Z is slightly more likely to snack ‘between lunch and dinner’ and ‘late at night.’
Who is the Gen Z snacker?
CivicScience’s database of over 100K crossable questions highlights who’s most likely to be a Gen Z snacker:
- Women: Over half of Gen Z snackers are women (51%), compared to 49% of men who snack.
- Those who live in the suburbs: Gen Z snackers are most likely to live in the suburbs (38%), followed by 34% who live in a city.
- Americans who earn under $50K annually: Likely a proxy for age, Gen Z snackers are most likely to make under $50K annually.
- Those who exercise several times a month: 76% of Gen Z snackers exercise at least ‘several times’ per month, outpacing the 64% of the Gen Pop who exercise the same amount.
- Avid video gamers: Nearly one-third play video games daily, compared to roughly a quarter of the Gen Pop who play video games daily.
- Travel-enthusiasts: Gen Z snackers (42%) are three percentage points more likely to say travel is either ‘important’ or a ‘passion’ of theirs compared to the Gen Pop (39%).
- Those influenced by celebrity endorsements: Gen Z snackers are more than twice as likely as the Gen Pop to say celebrity endorsements at least ‘somewhat’ impact their product purchases (37% vs. 15%).
Which snack brands rank among Gen Z?
A close look at eight salty snack brands shows that Gen Z is more likely to have purchased from nearly every brand in the last month compared to Gen Pop, led by Cheetos. Doritos and Smartfood Popcorn also make for popular choices among Gen Z. Conversely, they’re less likely to have purchased Synder’s of Hanover pretzels, Pirates Booty, and Paqui tortilla chips.
Weigh-In: Do your snacking habits tend to be more healthy or unhealthy?
The transformation of snacking habits among Gen Z since the pandemic presents significant opportunities for CPG brands. As this generation becomes the leading group of snackers, brands must adapt to their preferences for convenience and variety. The popularity of snacks like Cheetos and Doritos underscores the importance of creating engaging brand identities that resonate with Gen Z. Additionally, given Gen Z’s snacking habits have declined since last year, brands can appeal to them by focusing on key customer traits, such as video gaming and fitness, to stay relevant and appeal to this influential segment.
