Brits share favourite time to snack – and it’s no longer ‘elevenses’

Brits have revealed ‘elevenses’ is no longer the favourite time to snack – it’s midway through the afternoon.

Researchers polled 2,000 adults and found 3:48pm is the time we prefer a little treat with voracious Brits looking for their food fix ahead of dinner time.

However, nearly four in 10 ends up sticking to the same old snacks simply because they’re there.

There was also a divide when it came to the preferred treat, with 43% enjoying savoury and 42% preferring a sweeter option.

Taste psychologist Greg Tucker, speaking on behalf of Peperami, which commissioned the research, said: “Snacking is about shifting the mood. It should be a ‘Me – moment of pleasure’, an ‘Escape from the dull’.

“When lunch is a repetitive drudge then consumers who often anticipate lunch as a break that delivers a boost, will soon switch to a snack that covers the missing emotions, often shortly afterward.”

The food expert continued: “That is why we see post lunch snacking going up and elevenses become a thing of the past.

“Great snacks are dynamic little fun factories – intense nuggets of enjoyment. If they become bland and every day, then they have lost their essential advantage.

“People can often feel disheartened looking into the fridge for long period of time when they’re hunting for a delicious snack.

“However, to really get the snacking vibe, consumers need a genuine interruption that shifts the psyche – intrusive, dynamic and something that is a trigger of joy.”

A further study revealed those who are most likely snack in the afternoon do so to keep them going until dinner time, with 47% admitting it is the most likely time to need a boost.

The kitchen cupboard and fridge are the usual haunts to search for a snack, while more than a quarter even have a secret snack box they trawl through.

Amusingly, Brits will be stationed in front of the fridge on their hunt for a treat for more than three minutes each time.

Despite their hunt, 37% admit they know there’s nothing delicious waiting for them and they will have to make do with a ‘boring’ snack.

And 53% thought ‘elevenses’ was an old-fashioned thing to do according to the research.

Of the ‘boring’ snacks on offer, adults usually make do with crisps, toast or a banana – while rich tea and digestive biscuits end up an underwhelming choice, according to the poll.

And adults look more in hope than expectation around the house for a hunger quenching snack.

One in five searches each week will end fruitless due to cupboards and fridges not being stocked – with 36% left stressed and anxious when there’s a lack of options on offer.

More than half of Brits admit to lacking ‘snackspiration’ regularly – with 37% admitting to getting jealous over other people’s munch.

Pavan Chandra, from Peperami, added: “Clearly, everyone loves a snack – however, what they end up eating is seemingly a little underwhelming.

“It sounds as though people are putting in the work to find a delicious treat but have lacked the inspiration to furnish themselves with some delectable delights in the cupboards and fridge.”

The brand is launching a pop-up ice bar, the ‘coolest’ new hangout in town, which will be open to chicken fans and hungry snackers alike.

To celebrate the nation’s love of afternoon snacking, the pop-up ice bar will fling open its doors at exactly 3:48pm to visitors from Thursday 9th until Saturday 11th September, 46 Great Titchfield Street, London.

Book your slot at the ice bar today.