Report: Snacking becoming fourth meal

Snacking has become a fourth meal or even a meal replacement. According to Snacking in America 2008, a report from the NPD Group, 21% of all meals are snacks. And while evening snacking at home is declining, morning snacking has grown the strongest-snack foods replace more breakfasts than other meals. The report also states that the consumption of snack-oriented convenience foods is especially growing among children ages 6 to 12. Snack consumption has shown steady growth and may grow by 14% by 2017, according to the NPD Group study.