National Snack Day: Kids are basically part-time snackers, survey finds
Mar 4, 2026, 6:51 AM
If you’ve ever wondered where all the groceries go, National Snack Day is here to confirm what you already know: Kids are running a pretty serious snacking operation.
A survey by Soreen found the average child eats 28 snacks a week. That’s four snacks a day — not counting meals, second breakfasts or the “I’m starving” moment that happens five minutes after dinner.
When kids snack the most
The survey found two peak snacking windows, aka the daily hunger Olympics:
- 10 to 11 a.m.
- 2 to 4 p.m.
So yes, basically mid-morning and “school just ended and I’m suddenly in crisis” hours.
What kids are snacking on
The top snack choices leaned heavily into the classics:
- 50% of kids snack on cookies.
- 52% snack on chips.
Cookies and chips: a balanced childhood, apparently.
Parents, meanwhile, are not totally sold on the snack-heavy lifestyle. The survey found 46% of parents said their child eats too much. Which is fair, considering the pantry isn’t a magical place where food regenerates overnight (even though kids seem convinced it is).
Top 10 snacks kids enjoy most
Here’s what children reportedly love the most, according to the survey:
- A cookie
- A bag of chips
- A chocolate bar
- An apple
- A banana
- A cookie
- A yogurt
- A handful of grapes
- A cake bar
- Cake
Yes, “cookie” makes the list twice. No, no one is surprised.
National Snack Day might be a fun excuse to treat yourself — but if you live with kids, it’s also a reminder that snacking isn’t a hobby. It’s a lifestyle.
