BNF BRIEFING PAPER NO. 1

Snack meals -trends and effects It is widely believed that there is a trend these days for people to substitute ‘snack’ meals for ‘traditional’ meals. However, it is very important before accepting such a statement at face value to be quite clear what exactly is meant by the words ‘snack’ and ‘traditional’ in this context. I t is also important to realise that hard evidence about the existence and strength of such a trend is very hard to obtain.

A definition of a ‘traditional’ meal which would be generally acceptable is a meal with two or more courses, one of which normally consists of meat or fish plus two o r more vegetables. The meal would be eaten at the table, usually by two or more persons. There are many ambiguities in such a definition; for example, would a traditional meal cease to be so if it were eaten on trays around a television set rather than at a table. But the definition is workable provided it is regarded solely as a statement of average behaviour.

A ‘snack’ meal comprises both ‘fast-food’ snack meals and ‘con- ventional’ snack meals. Fast-food snack meals are provided by catering establishments and the meal may be eaten in the restaurant or taken home. They are meals which can be prepared and served quickly, are consistent in standard and are of relatively low unit cost, based o n hamburgers, pizza, fried chicken, etc. Such meals are served in establishments with limited menu choice, high volume sales, and no advance booking.

Conventional snack meals, often prepared in the home, include dishes such as sandwiches, baked beans on toast, scrambled eggs on toast, etc. which are quickly prepared and are usually eaten on a tray with no other prepared course (though ice cream or some other ready-prepared course may accompany it).

Often a snack meal may comprise some individual ‘snack food

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items’. Clearly, it is possible to eat such snack items on occasions other than at a meal. For example, many snacks such as potato crisps, chocolate, peanuts, are often eaten between meals, though they may, of course, be made part of a snack meal as well. Such snack foods by themselves are not adequate substitutes for a meal, although for some people these play an important part of the overall eating pattern when eaten between meals.

Enough has been said to demonstrate how difficult it is to arrive at precise definitions. Given this difficulty, we now propose first ta indicate what evidence there is to show whether there is a trend from traditional meals to snack meals: and second to review briefly the likely effects of such a trend on nutritional standards in this country.

Table I contains data about meal occasions for the years 1975 to 1977. Clearly, this information is markedly deficient in a number of ways. It seems likely that the last five years, 1975 to 1980, have seen the fastest growth in snack meals, yet this table only goes up to 1977, and no information is contained in this table about the development of home-made snack meals. TubZe 2, which contains information about the consumption of three snack food items between 1975 and 1977, is also limited since it does not cover many of the other snack food items where one would have expected a larger growth in con- sump tion.

I Table 1 : Data on meal occasions 197%

meal occasions Staff catering Take-away Cafes and snack bars Schools, hospitals, institutional Hotels and restaurants Pub snacks In-store restaurants

I Source: NED0 in Mintel, Ju

1975

31 lm 44% 13 12

11 10 8 2

977 1976

31Sm 39% 14 14

1 1 10 9 3

100 I 100 1979

18 I 4 100

I 1

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Sugar Chocolate Confectionery Confectionery

I975 308 328 I976 317 345 1977 331 339 1978 333 364 1979 306 370

Since there are few other statistics publicly available, we have to admit that a firm statistical basis is lacking for the belief that British people are changing their food habits so that they are now eating fewer traditional meals and more snack meals (or snack food items). There is a definite need for new statistical information to be collected on this subject, ideally on a regular basis (for example, every two years) so that trends can be established.

We now propose to review very briefly the likely effects of a trend towards snack meals on British nutritional standards.

There are fundamentally two requirements for healthy eating: (a) variety, i.e. that the nutritional mix of what is eaten meets gener- ally accepted standards in terms of vitamins, minerals, trace elements and dietary fibre; and ( b ) adequacy, i.e. that the total intake in terms of dietary energy (calories/joules) is not out of balance with the body's requirement for energy.

Thus, provided these two requirements are met, it does not matter whether foods are eaten as part of meals or how they are eaten (hot or cold, a t the table or on a tray). There is evidence, however, to show that it is better to eat food at regular intcrvals during the day rather than concentrating all the intake at one time. For example, omitting breakfast completely as a meal can have

Potato crisps

46 1 397 399 403 500

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adverse effects on the intellectual and physical performance of some people *.

In practice, however, nutritional standards may be affected by a trend towards snack meals simply because people lack the knowledge as to how to combine food within such meals. The traditional eating habit in the UK is a cooked breakfast, a main meal at midday or in the evening, and a light snack. The main meal of the day could comprise a meat, fish, egg or cheese dish with potatoes (rice or pasta) and one or two vegetables or salad. This main course is normally followed by a dessert or fruit or cheese and biscuits. The other meals of the day are usually based on bread. If one follows this pattern, variety in eating would be guaranteed.

However, there are no similar guidelines for planning good eating habits without main meals; that is, following the more common eating habit today which is a light breakfast and a snack at midday and either a snack meal or a more traditional meal in the evening. Although there is nothing wrong with the individual foods eaten today, guidance is needed on the combination of foods, i.e. the overall eating habit.

One of the problems is that it is possible to select an apparently varied diet that is, nevertheless, unbalanced because it meets energy needs without meeting the requirement for vitamins, minerals, trace elements and dietary fibre.As a guide to variety, foods are sometimes classified into groups. When the traditional eating habit is followed foods from the following groups are often eaten:

a: Cereals: bread and other flour products, pasta, rice, breakfast cereals

b: Meat, fish, eggs, cheese and milk c: Vegetables: root, leafy, legumes d: Fruits: citrus and other

* The Iowa Breakfast Studg showed that physiological performance, maximum work output, grip strength, endurance and psychological performance, reaction times, concentration, learning ability measured during the morning, were reduced when breakfast was omitted. Similarly, in Britain, Brooke' showed an increased accident rate during the morning in foundry workers omitting this meal.

Omission of breakfast is quite common in Britain, as shown by the Kellogg Breakfast Survey.' In the population surveyed (18,000 men, women and children in England, Scotland and Wales), 17 per cent had no breakfast at all, 18 per cent ate a cooked breakfast, 25 per cent ate toast, 40 per cent ate a cereal-type breakfast.

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e: Fats and oils - including butter, margarine, cooking and salad oil

f : Confectionery g: Drinks

Dietary Energy kcals

Carbohydrate g kJoules

Protein g

Fat g

Dietary Fibre g

Therefore, in selecting food items for snack meals it is useful t o aim for a structure similar to that of a traditional meal.

The following table compares the nutritional contribution of a snack (sandwich) meal, a traditional meal and two kinds of fast food meals. Snack meal: Two rounds of cheese, lettuce and tomato sandwiches; coffee with milk Traditional meal: Roast lamb, roast potatoes and peas followed by canned peaches and custard Fast food meal (1) : Beefburger, onions, bread roll and chips followed by fruit pie and cola drink Fast food meal (2): Beefburger, onions, bread roll and jacket potato followed by an apple and coffee with milk

Snack Traditional Fast Food Fast Food Meal Meal Meal ( 1 ) Meal (2)

680 650 1450 7 64 2860 2730 6090 3210

67 82 1 90 89

25 26 39 33 36 27 66 32 4 12 7 8

I Figures based on average portion sue ~~ ~~ ~

All meals provide useful quantities of vitamins, minerals and dietary fibre. However, the fat and therefore dietary energy (calories/joules) content of fast food meal (1) is high. The excess fat is derived largely from the chips and dessert as can be seen by comparison with fast food meal (2). In this meal a potato in its jacket is substituted for the chips, fruit for the dessert and coffee for the cola drink. This provides a means of controlling dietary energy intake for those individuals who are overweight.

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Adequacy of intake is essential for good health. Some foods provide more dietary energy per unit weight than others, i.e. they vary in their energy density. Foods that require little or no preparation and can be eaten quickly and easily are often of high energy density. As is apparent from the table, fast food meals may fall into this category but this may be overcome by the substitution of foods of lower energy density. There are, of course, situations when foods of high energy density are particularly useful.

Snack meals are often eaten cold and there is a general misconcep- tion that cold foods are not as beneficial as hot ones. However, there is no nutritional advantage in meals being hot rather than cold. Custom, preference, convenience govern whether a meal item is served hot or cold. Cooking, of course, may increase the palatability and digestibility of food. However, nutrient loss from foods is often caused by excessive heating so that overcooking and hot storage afterwards should be avoided. Food cooked for consump tion when cold should be allowed to cool rapidly as soon as it is cooked.

CONCLUSION It can be seen that the key to healthy eating is variety and adequacy. The traditional pattern of breakfast, lunch and tea or supper is a good model of a varied and healthy eating pattern. There is no harm in substituting snack meals or fast food meals for traditional meals, cold food for hot, or in eating several suitable small snacks in place of a full meal, so long as overall the eating habit is vaned and adequate, but not excessive.

REFERENCES 1. Brooke, J. D. (1973). Molecular structure and function o f food carbohydrate,

2 . Kellogg Breakfast Survey (1977). Kellogg Company of Great Britain Limited. 3. US Cereal Institute (1 962). l o w Breakfast Studies.

The Foundation would like to thank Mrs Janice Ryley of the Rocter Department of Food Science, University of Leeds, for the data she provided and for her contribution to the drafting of this paper. 1 October 1980

Applied Science Publishers.

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