Shortly before 11 a.m. on a Friday, Justin Montoya is ready to chow down on honey barbecue wings and some of his brother's entree salad at Cosentino's Market Downtown.
But Montoya isn’t calling this meal lunch. He calls it a snack because he plans to eat again in a couple of hours, perhaps broiling some steaks from the fridge or having a sandwich and chips, then dinner around 7 p.m., and later, around 9 or 10 p.m., maybe a double cheeseburger at McDonald’s.
Three square meals a day is so yesterday.
Today snacking is in, and more substantial snacks at that — from mid-morning iced chocolate coffee drinks with whipped cream to mid-afternoon chicken wraps to happy hour half-priced appetizers and late-night tacos and hamburger sliders.
Consumers are turning to snacks as a more convenient way to wolf down food on the run, to take care of a craving, relieve stress or boredom, or just because they need a quick energy boost, according to surveys by market research firm the NPD Group.
Many snackers say they are following the advice of some weight loss plans that contend eating more often may keep their metabolisms revved up digesting food. They also say it allows for more portion control.
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