NEW YORK — Snacking in the United States is big business. So much so that a new survey finds a sixth of Americans would completely shave their head in exchange for a lifetime supply of snacks. So, just how much money would that lifetime snack supply save us? According to the survey of 2,000 Americans, just under $30,000.
The survey, commissioned by Moonstruck Chocolate, posed several snack-related questions to participants, including whether or not they’d do some extreme behaviors for a lifetime supply of just chocolate and snacks. While 16% would absolutely shave their head, another 18% even said they would give up all their electronic devices for one month.
The researchers arrived at their $30,000 figure by estimating the average amount of money Americans spend on snacks per week: $9.22, by their calculations, which adds up to $479.44 per year. Over an average lifetime, that comes to $28,766.40 spent on snack foods.
The survey also delved into what Americans like to snack on the most, and how they pair their snacks. In all, 37% said they preferred a sweet snack, 34% prefer a salty snack, and the rest could go either way. No matter the preference, almost all snackers enjoy potato chips; 80% of sweet snackers and 84% of salt enthusiasts cited potato chips as a regular staple of their snacking diet.
Sweet snackers tend to love milk chocolate, with 83% citing it as their “go-to” snack. Chocolate wasn’t as popular with salty snackers, but 63% still said it was among their favorites, just behind potato chips.
Combining chocolate with other treats is a common practice among Americans as well; 40% of all snackers surveyed said they like to combine chocolate with caramel, and 39% enjoy chocolate-nut combinations.
The most popular snacking combinations among respondents weren’t all that surprising. The most popular pairing was bacon and eggs, enjoyed by 58% of the participants. Steak and potatoes followed that at 48%, while potato chips and dip (44%), pancakes and syrup (41%), and wine and cheese (39%) rounded out the top five.
When asked about unusual pairings they’d like to try, however, the respondents had some interesting answers. A significant 21% said they’d try cheddar cheese and apple pie, 18% said they’d try strawberries with balsamic vinegar, and 14% said they’d try chocolate and pizza. Another 11% even said they would try bacon mixed with vinegar!
Among all the findings, one thing is certain: Americans love their snacks!
The survey was conducted by OnePoll.