These days, suggesting we all eat exactly three square meals a day is like trying to fit a square peg in a round hole.
It doesn’t fit today’s fluid lifestyles. We snack.
And we do it for all sorts of reasons: Convenience, comfort, boredom, travel, socializing and, oh yeah, hunger.
I snack because the hours between lunch and dinner are too long, and I’m hungry. Or, I want to munch on something while watching a movie or show at night. I’m pretty basic.
Produce departments and the produce brands within them are trying to catch up with other supermarket departments when it comes to these snacky consumption patterns. Some of our editorial staff weighed in on what they like to snack on:
- "I am obsessed with dates — nature’s gummy bears! They are extremely versatile and nutrient-dense." — Brooke Park, digital strategist & journalist for PMG and The Packer
- "Edamame is hands down my favorite produce snack (actually eating right now for breakfast), but technically I buy it frozen. If I can’t pick that, then celery sticks." — Jennifer Strailey, editorial director of produce for Farm Journal
- "Baby carrots (but must be accompanied with dill dip, sorry) as far as fresh vegetables go." — Alison Fulton, design director for Farm Journal
- "Sometimes grapes (those cotton candy ones … yum) and/or carrots and/or apples." — Melissa Treolo, content coordinator & copy editor for The Packer
- "Melons, because it’s hot and dry in Fresno from May through September!" — Ed Boling, West Coast editor for The Packer
What do I like to snack on?
My most basic items are apples, baby carrots and almonds. They can last in the car and in my purse. But I like to overcomplicate things, and I like variety, so sometimes it’s bell pepper strips or cherry tomatoes with dip, easy-peeling mandarins or, really, whatever fruit is in season and simple to prepare. Apple slices with cheese or nut butter are a mainstay. And bananas. Just bananas.
The March/April PMG magazine issue explores all sorts of ways our produce retail industry is shifting to meet changing consumer habits during the roller coaster conditions of our supply chain. Besides snacking trends, dig into our features on private or consumer branding, social media issues, making your case to your produce supervisor and shopper attitudes toward broccoli and garlic.
There’s a lot to chew on here. Look at the digital edition of the magazine. Enjoy!