PITTSBURGH – Despite increased interest in healthful foods, U.S. consumers often reach for sweets when snacking, Food Navigator reports. A CivicScience poll found that 80% of U.S. consumers had a snack at least daily. Of those snackers, 51% had more than one snack daily, often gravitating toward sweet snacks. According to the poll results, the more often someone snacks, the higher their overall preference for sweet snacks.

So-called, “multi-snackers” said that the main reason for not snacking on healthful foods is because they are overworked and short on time, which appears to suggest they are eating snacks that are most convenient. However, those eating only one snack per day tended to pick healthier options. Those healthy snackers also were older and exercised more than younger, more unhealthy snackers. CivicScience also discovered that healthy snackers didn’t like trying new products, but they purchased more organic food on a regular basis.

The challenge for suppliers and retailers is figuring out how to reach the less snackful group while keeping the multi-snackers happy. Convenience stores are keeping up with these trends, and NACS has established the NACS reFresh initiative to help retailers gain ground in the healthier products marketplace. At the store level, 7-Eleven recently launched a private-label healthy snacks product line and corner stores are now stocking more healthy options.

For more on how the convenience industry is promoting healthier items, namely fresh fruits and vegetables, take a look at the April issue of NACS Magazine, featuring “The Case for Fresh.”