Practices and representations of snacking in a highly standardized food culture: The scenario in France

Abstract

We investigated the snacking habits in France, where snacking could appear to be in direct contradiction with a food-culture model based on three strictly defined meals a day.A quantitative survey that approaches snacking by the time of consumption outside traditional meals was carried out among 1,182 individuals aged between 18 and 64 years whom all reside in metropolitan France (representative of French population). Theresults highlight five distinct snacker profiles enabling us to analyze the diversity of behaviours and motivations. Whilst the occasions and times directly influence the manner of food intake, French people do not perceive them as actual meals, in a culture where meals are following specific codes. However, snacking practices appear to have grown dramatically, contributing to new moments of consumption organized alongside the three traditional meals in a day and reflect evolving lifestyles.