Why College Kids Buy Healthy Snacks
If you are of a certain age, you probably remember when “dorm food” consisted of ramen noodles, chips and sodas. College kids stocked up on these items because they were cheap, easy to store, and accessible. If you stepped into a dorm room today, you might be surprised at the snack foods you find there. Sure, there will probably be some ramen and chips, but there is also likely to be a wide variety of healthy snack items stashed away.
When You’ve Got To Eat, You’ve Got To Eat
College kids live and die by their course schedule. If they have class at one end of campus at noon, and the opposite end of campus at 1:00, it can make it difficult to stop in the dining hall and fight the lunch lines for a balanced meal. It’s a lot easier to pack a healthy snack and eat it on the go.
Snacking on the go is a national trend that has risen by close to 3% since 2008. Packaged snack food manufacturers are listening, and offering consumers a variety of options for snacks that can be used as meal replacements. There was a time when chips and pretzels were a college kid’s only convenient options, but now they can choose from a variety of snacks packed with vitamins, minerals, fiber, protein, etc. to tide them over and provide the energy and brain power they need to focus.
Not Just Any Snack Will Do
The younger generation is far more aware of “how food works” than previous generations. They grew up bombarded with messages about obesity, diabetes and the dangers of consuming too much salt and sugar. They understand that the quality of the foods they eat contribute to how they feel throughout the day as well as their overall health. That means that they know that unhealthy snacks are ok in moderation but when they need something to fill them up and fuel them through the day, they are much more likely to reach for a healthy snack.
Lucky for them, the Millennials that came before them drove a trend for complex and interesting flavors in healthy snacks. There was a time when campus convenience stores probably stocked peanuts and the occasional fresh piece of fruit. Now, those same convenience stores offer a wide variety of trail mixes, nut mixes, dried fruits, and more in bold flavors combinations.
Dorm-Friendly Packaged Snacks
Fresh fruits and vegetables are difficult for dorm-bound college kids to consume outside the dining hall. Healthy packaged snacks are a much more dorm-friendly food in terms of storage and shelf life, and they are easy to grab and go when there is no time for a full-blown meal. Websites and magazines aimed at younger audiences are packed with tips for college kids on snacking and eating healthy when their schedule is packed and they don’t have a kitchen to cook in.
Mister Snacks has you covered!
One of the most common tips is to keep healthy packaged snacks around for meal replacements or to stave off hunger between meals. Grocery stores, convenience stores and campus stores would be wise to up their selection of these types of snacks. If you are looking to expand your healthy snack product offerings and capture the young adult market, Mister Snacks has solutions that will help you meet the demand. We offer a variety of high-margin, healthy snacks to suit every taste, at any time of day. Contact us today to learn more about the ways we can help you cash in on campus cravings.