Consumers in the modern age have increasingly busy lives, full of daily tasks and responsibilities, requiring them to fit their food around their lives, and not their lives around their food. This increase of time-poor consumers has changed the need for the traditional meal concept into the need for fast, easy and filling ‘mini-meals’.

The Mattessons Snacking Survey found that 53% of adults hardly ever eat three meals a day, with the average adult skipping 4 meals a week! On top of that, 1 in 5 UK adults admit to choosing to snack all day instead of eating 3 separate meals.

With a society so pushed towards an on-the-go lifestyle, consumers require food options that are not only fast, but healthy and filling too; thus began the culture of ‘grazing’.

‘Grazers’ often choose smaller servings of ready-prepared food options, enabling them to have a balanced food intake throughout the day. Although snacks are traditionally seen as an unhealthy option, grazing can provide more energy, more stable blood sugar, better appetite control and even a more efficient metabolism — provided that the snack choices are good ones.

64% of people are guilty of skipping breakfast and then end up over indulging. Grazing can ward off hunger pangs and prevent dramatic energy dips. Those pangs can even be experienced by those that eat traditional meals, meaning they still feel the need to snack during the day. The most popular time to snack is between 2pm and 4pm.

Not only is snacking popular, it is also profitable. A JRA survey found that 48% of operators reported the sale of snacks had increased year-on-year. With lunch or dinner only eaten out of the home 2-3 times a month, and light snacks eaten out of the home 2-3 a week, there is real opportunity for foodservice operators to offer more variety to their grazing options.

As a solution for foodservice operators to package and present their grazing options, Bunzl Catering Supplies present NEW Graze Pots. Developed in partnership with London Bio Packaging, Graze Pots are ideal for serving snack-sized portions. Made from 30% rPET, the pots join the Revive recycled and recyclable packaging range.

By using an innovative Graze Pot topper, making mouth-watering combinations has never been easier. To help you provide healthy, filling snack options, we’d like to share a few of our favourite grazing ideas.

 

Healthy Graze Pot snacks:

[1] Apple and almond butter – Perfect in Medium Graze Pot with topper

[2] Edamame beans – Perfect in Small Graze Pot

[3] Carrot sticks with Greek yoghurt dip – Perfect in Extra Large Graze Pot with topper

[4] Hardboiled egg with chilli flakes – Perfect in Medium Graze Pot (with or without topper)

[5] Seasonal fruits – Perfect in Large Graze Pot

 

Don’t forget, Graze Pots can also be used for delicious puddings too; perfect for a little indulgent treat!

 

What is your favourite snack? Tell us in the comment box below.