Healthy snacking worldwide - statistics & facts
Snacking continues to gain ground as a global eating habit, with the broader market generating momentum across regions and income segments. Global snack food revenue reached 269.5 billion U.S. dollars in 2025, with projections pointing to 364 billion by 2030. Within this broader category, demand for healthier options that deliver health benefits spans a wide share of consumers across demographics. In 2025, 64.1 percent of U.S. consumers on average reported actively seeking nutritious snacks, with the share climbing to 73.2 percent among consumers aged 45 to 54. This cross-demographic demand places nutritional value at the center of purchase decisions, not just among health enthusiasts.
Snacking for emotional and nutritional balance
Motivation for snacking extends well beyond hunger. Consumer snacking motivations globally showed that in 2024, 48 percent of consumers worldwide reported snacking to feel a sense of comfort or to reward themselves, while 45 percent did so to address their body's nutritional needs. Generational patterns add another dimension to this picture: in 2024, Gen Z snacking motivations were consistently higher across all categories than those of Gen X consumers. Fifty-eight percent of Gen Z consumers reported snacking to boost their mood, compared to 31 percent of Gen X consumers, pointing to a stronger emotional relationship with food among younger consumers.
Nuts as a preferred healthy snack
Nuts have established themselves as one of the most widely consumed snack categories globally, driven by their perceived nutritional value. In China, nuts ranked as the leading snack category in 2024, with 73 percent of consumers reporting eating them regularly, placing them ahead of dairy products, chips, and cookies. Commercial performance data from the United States confirms sustained demand: in the 52 weeks ending December 28, 2025, snack nuts generated approximately 599 million U.S. dollars in U.S. convenience store sales, leading the nuts, seeds, and corn nuts category by a wide margin, with over 254 million units sold over the same period. Similarly, in the Australian snack market, nuts, seeds, and trail mixes were valued at around 555 million U.S. dollars in 2024.
As consumer expectations continue to shift toward products that combine taste with tangible health benefits, the healthy snacking segment is well positioned for sustained growth. Manufacturers that respond to both the emotional and nutritional dimensions of snacking, while expanding into categories such as nuts and seeds, stand to capture a growing share of a market that shows no signs of slowing down.
